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Dean of Faculty, Dr. Michael Dauphinais discusses the liberal arts curriculum at AMU.

Catholic Liberal Arts — the Way of the Future?

As technology continues to improve and global interconnectivity continues to increase, more and more college-bound men and women are choosing to pursue a liberal arts education rather than to attend a trade school or technical college.

Distance is now artificial; people, places, and ideas that were once oceans apart are now linked via the internet and satellite cell phone services. The title of Thomas Friedman's 2005 book, The World is Flat sums up these trends well; but what is it about a "flat world" that prods students to invest in a liberal education as opposed to a specialized one, and what does a Catholic liberal arts education have to offer that a secular one does not?

AMU '12 graduate, Marissa D'Ambrosio says that the liberal arts curriculum at Ave Maria University prepared her for the real world "in ways a super-specialized school never could have." She said that her recent job search and grad school application process had been "very successful," and she attributed that success to the "personal, academic, and professional development" she underwent at AMU.

As the world turns, the work place is constantly changing, which makes for an increasingly competitive job market. A liberal education provides students like Marissa with a well-rounded foundation – a foundation that allows for flexibility and adaptability in the face of work-related challenges.

A liberal arts education is "one that is freeing," says Dean of Faculty, Dr. Michael Dauphinais, because it prepares students to "take up a variety of work," to "take up any profession." But AMU's brand of liberal arts curriculum is distinct in that it is Catholic.

It isn't afraid to address tough questions about the existence of God and the meaning of life – in fact, quite the contrary. At Ave Maria, students are encouraged to think through these questions because these questions are important. At Ave Maria, such questions are rooted in the Catholic Faith, which, according to Dr. Dauphinais, is "proposed to students" and "never imposed."

In his April 30th article on theatlantic.com, president emeritus of Princeton University, William G. Bowen offers advice to growing liberal arts institutions in light of "the rapidly changing world…students face." One of his admonitions to liberal arts schools is to teach students "about values as well as about how to achieve more mundane ends."

"Companies teach people how to work," says Dr. Dauphinais. "What they can't do is teach them how to think." It is this emphasis on the importance of critical thinking combined with the University's teaching of ethical leadership that sets Ave Maria University apart from other liberal arts institutions.

To put it as Ave Maria President, Jim Towey did in his inaugural address last year, "The Catholic, liberal arts education we offer at Ave Maria University must be transformative."

Said Towey, "It is our desire that each and every graduate leave this campus as a responsible adult and better human being."

The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, please consult an attorney. Figures cited in examples are for hypothetical purposes only and are subject to change. References to estate and income taxes apply to federal taxes only. State income/estate taxes or state law may impact your results.

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