Academic Feature

Corey Broeckling ’98 believes his liberal arts education from QU prepared him for his research career.

“There is a tendency, I think, to assume that the knowledge needed at the undergraduate level is hyper-specialized and applied,” said Broeckling. Learning to write code, grow microbe cultures, collect samples, record, analyze, and interpret data are essential proficiencies students need to develop for their overall knowledge of their area of study. But equally important is a student's ability to perceive, interpret, and think critically about the world in which they live. “Those general habits of mind enable students to develop wisdom, using the skills and information related to a specific field, whether it's STEM, business, education, or any other discipline,” Barb Schleppenbach, Title III project director, says. “I guess you could say that the liberal arts are the transformation engine for turning knowledge into wisdom.” There is a misconception that a student must choose to study either liberal arts or STEM to prepare for gainful employment. With the Title III Grant–Expanding Student Access to STEM, QU has enabled students to combine preparation for in-demand careers in STEM fields, with the problemposing method of learning found in liberal education.

With the blend of liberal arts and science, QU creates a rich academic landscape. QU’s educational experience prepares students to enter the workforce with critical thinking skills, creativity, and the ability to communicate, adjust, and work with others. Students studying in the STEM fields are subject to complete the Bonaventure program of general education based upon the concepts of a liberal education.

“Having a broader knowledge base and perspective provided by a liberal arts education allows students to approach things from different angles.”

—Kimberly Hale, PhD, chair of the division of science and technology

Broeckling applies much of what he learned in his elective classes to his work every day. “The one class that I think has had the most impact was a philosophy course on logic,” said Broeckling. “Logic is the formalization of if-then learning, which is precisely what scientific reasoning and experimentation are built upon. Carrie Hert ’22, computer science major, has explored her passion for the arts and computer science at QU. “I think the main benefit I've gained from attending a liberal arts college is that I have always been encouraged to participate in other classes outside my major,” said Hert. “It has allowed me to take classes in the arts, which I have enjoyed.” Hert had pieces selected for the student art show and was a presenter at the Academic Symposium this past spring. The Academic Symposium, now in its fourth year, is another way QU is preparing students for the workforce.

“For so much of their education, we reward the learning of accepted answers, and that's an understandable emphasis. But we inadvertently create fear of making mistakes, and without mistakes, no one discovers anything new.”

“When students engage in undergraduate research, they investigate real problems without knowing where the investigation will lead,” said Teresa I. Reed, PhD, vice president of academic affairs. “Their ability to ask good questions and follow the data should be valued by employers.” QU's membership in the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) was one of Dr. Reed's first actions on coming to QU, and she worked for several years to launch the Academic Symposium. “CUR offers multiple resources to support undergraduate research, including online forums, a newsletter and magazine, and a national conference,” said Dr. Reed. “QU faculty and students can learn from what people at other institutions are doing.” In April, 26 undergraduate students, with the support of eight mentors, shared their original research within their academic programs. “Presenting at the Academic Symposium teaches students how to do a professional presentation,” said Hale “The ability to work independently, teach others, and present your findings are all things that are important in the workplace and graduate school.”

So is learning to risk failure. “Helping our students to ask questions and to risk failure is the point of nudging them into research,” said Schleppenbach. “I hope that we increasingly model that approach to learning and create environments in which questions are valued as much as answers.”

—Barbara Schleppenbach, PhD ’71, Title III project director

“I think the main benefit I've gained from attending a liberal arts college is that I have always been encouraged to participate in other classes outside my major.”

—Carrie Hert ’22