American Thought Leaders ‘Universities Have Lost Their Way’: Ralston College President Stephen Blackwood
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Dec 15, 2024 
Stephen Blackwood, the founding president of Ralston College, champions the revival of a transformative humanities education. He critiques modern universities' focus on job training and the rise of ideological nihilism, calling for a return to deep, meaningful learning. Blackwood emphasizes the importance of community in education, the dual mission of universities in preserving and discovering knowledge, and the significance of graduation rituals in marking personal transformation. He advocates for fostering human dignity through shared cultural values.
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University Problems
- Universities face problems like cost, vocationalization, and infantilization of students.
- These issues, alongside ideological distortions, indicate a loss of direction.
University's Purpose
- Universities have two main roles: transmitting existing knowledge and discovering new knowledge.
- They preserve and transmit knowledge, much like a symphony hall is dedicated to music.
The Importance of Patterns
- Humans understand themselves through patterns that affirm and elevate them.
- These patterns, often lost in modern culture, connect us to higher-order goods and communities.