18. Provosts and Liberal Arts Education: A Conversation with Richard A. Detweiler

In this conversation, Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner and Dr. Richard A. Detweiler discuss the importance of liberal arts education, emphasizing the need for emotional engagement in decision-making, the significance of educational context over content, and strategies for fostering leadership and civic engagement among students. Dr. Detweiler advocates for a holistic approach to education that breaks down silos between academic and student life, encourages broadening curricula, and highlights the necessity of marketing liberal arts education effectively. He also addresses the challenges posed by job market demands and offers insights on supporting faculty development to align teaching methods with desired student outcomes. The conversation concludes with thoughts on the future of liberal arts education and the importance of adapting to societal needs while preserving its core values. Takeaways - Data alone does not create change in education. - Liberal arts education is a living and learning experience. - Educational context has a greater impact than content. - Fostering leadership requires experiential learning opportunities. - Marketing liberal arts education should focus on life outcomes.