2. • The first institution of higher education in the U.S. was
established in 1636- Harvard!
• The purpose of higher education has changed in
response to the needs of societies over time
Purpose of Going to College
4. Purpose of Going to College
Harvard Era (1636-1860s)
• Purpose: To become devout Christians and well-rounded
citizens
• Higher education was reserved for elite members of society
• Common topics of study: Latin, Greek, Philosophy,
Mathematics
5. Purpose of Going to College
Vocational Era (1860s-1970s)
• Purpose: Develop technical skills for jobs
• Higher education was directed towards training for specific industries
• Common topics of study: Agriculture, Mining, Engineering, Home
Economics
UA opened in 1885 as a
part of the Vocational Era.
In our first year, we only
had FOUR majors.
6. Purpose of Going to College
Support Era (1950s-2000s)
• Purpose: Develop skilled and educated citizens that contribute to the workforce
• General Education curriculums became valued at institutions across the U.S.
• More students attending school creates a need for support programming
• During this time, there is an explosion of majors available
• It becomes a societal expectation that citizens attend college/university
7. Purpose of Going to College
Exploratory Era (2000s-Now)
• Purpose: Develop transferable skills and become an engaged citizen
• Higher Education is a societal expectation regardless of future career
goals
• More than 270 majors at UA!
• Desired skills for employment can be achieved with any major:
teamwork, problem solving, communication, organization, processing
information
• By 2020, 65% employers will require education past high school
(Carnevale, Smith, & Strohl, 2013)
8. During the Vocational Era, people went to college to learn
a technical skill.
Employers recognized they could send their employees
to college to learn skills they found desirable, so they
ended some training programs and said their employees
HAD to have a bachelor’s degree if they wanted a job.
But still…what does this mean??
9. After World War II, access to higher education
increased, so more and more people were going to
college.
Things like the G.I. Bill and federal loans for education
made it possible for everyone to go to school, so it
became more of an expectation for EVERYONE to get
a college education.
At the same time…
10. Employer’s demands for educated employees
+
Increased access to higher education
=
Societal pressure to earn a college degree!
So this all adds up to what?
11. Many families have different perceptions of what college
means.
What sort of conversations did you have with your family
about college?
What does college mean to YOU?
At what point did your family members start going to
college? Did your grandparents go to college? Did your
parents go to college? Why did they go to college?
What College Means to You
12. Why did you choose to attend the UA?
How does knowing the history of the purpose of higher
education impact your goals and reason for attending
the UA?
Making the Connection
