The demands of the 21st century are myriad; but they include the need for digital fluency, global interconnectedness, collaborative research, and public engagement. It is not enough to respond to these demands with technical know-how; rather the richer and deeper traditions of the liberal arts and sciences, with their habits of eloquence, critical thinking, ethical imagination, and intellectual curiosity are required if we are to flourish in the 21st century. Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences at our land grant universities are uniquely positioned to respond ethically and with depth and nuance to the hardest problems we face today. Nothing could be more practically expedient than to deepen our commitment to and investment in the liberal arts and sciences, the natural road that leads us to a deeper understanding to our relationships with one another and the world we share.

1. Visions and Pathways …
The Future of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Christopher P. Long | @cplong
Professor of Philosophy and Classics
Associate Dean for Graduate and Undergraduate Education
The Pennsylvania State University
See my companion post: The Liberal Arts and Sciences and the 21st Century Land Grant Mission

2. @cplongwww.cplong.org
“… the natural road is from
what is more familiar and
clearer to us to what is clearer
and better known by nature.”
— Aristotle, Physics I.1, 184a17-19

3. “… where the leading object shall
be, without excluding other scientific
and classical studies … to promote
the liberal and practical education of
the industrial classes in the several
pursuits and professions in life.”
— Morrill Act, section 4, July 2, 1862
Image: Justin S. Morrill, Library of Congress
@cplongwww.cplong.org

4. Image: James Anderson’s “The Status of Classical Studies in Florida Colleges,” 1911
“Let us not cheapen our courses.
Let us not imagine that we shall
win out in the long run by making
our courses so superficial and
easy and worthless as to …
abound in numbers.”
— James Anderson, The Status of Classical
Studies in Florida Colleges, 1911
@cplongwww.cplong.org

5. Image: James Anderson’s “The Status of Classical Studies in Florida Colleges,” 1911
@cplongwww.cplong.org

6. The Liberal Arts and Sciences Edge
@cplongwww.cplong.org

7. Traditional Liberal Arts Values
Eloquent Speaking and Writing | Critical Thinking
Ethical Imagination | Intellectual Curiosity
21st Century Demands
Digital Fluency | Global Interconnectedness
Collaborative Research | Public Engagement
@cplongwww.cplong.org

8. The Liberal Arts and Sciences Edge
World-Class Faculty
Supported Enrichment Opportunities
Engaged Alumni Network
@cplongwww.cplong.org

9. Retain and Recruit the Best Faculty
Image: Evan Pugh Professor, Nina Jablonski
@cplongwww.cplong.org

10. Support Enrichment Opportunities
Images: Gail Goochie in Cambodia | Jinny and John Chapel
@cplongwww.cplong.org

11. Cultivate an Engaged Alumni Network
Images: Paterno Fellows Graduation 2014 | Sue Paterno
@cplongwww.cplong.org

12. From Vision to Resources
Philanthropy
Online Education
Grants and Research
@cplongwww.cplong.org

13. Online Education
Earth designed by Martin Vanco from the Noun Project | Students designed by Wilson Joseph from the Noun Project | Institution designed by Mike Wirth from the Noun Project
@cplongwww.cplong.org

14. “… we take on the virtues by first
being at work at them …. we
learn by doing … we become just
by doing things that are just …”
— Aristotle, Nic. Ethics II.1, 1103a31b2
@cplongwww.cplong.org

15. Cultivation
Image: Chris Long “Sparks Set for Graduation”
Perform the values for
which we advocate
@cplongwww.cplong.org

16. @cplongwww.cplong.org
Shared Governance
Engaged Community
www.gened.psu.edu

17. Diversity
@cplongwww.cplong.org

18. The Liberal Arts and Sciences Edge
@cplongwww.cplong.org

19. The Liberal Arts and Sciences Edge
Traditional Liberal Arts Values
Eloquent Speaking and Writing | Critical Thinking
Ethical Imagination | Intellectual Curiosity
21st Century Demands
Digital Fluency | Global Interconnectedness
Collaborative Research | Public Engagement
@cplongwww.cplong.org