Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Liberal education and its role in the 21st century do not appear to be widely understood or valued in society as a whole. Many parents and prospective students are attracted to professional programs or applied studies perceiving that they are the best routes for gainful employment. The University of Lethbridge is committed to a strong liberal education program at the undergraduate level but needs to modernize and remodel the program and communicate the uniqueness of its approach and the positive outcomes of such an education. Many University of Lethbride graduates only understand the value of their liberal education degree years after the fact. This observation underscores their degree’s true worth as a pathway to meaningful employment and engaged living, but also how challenging it might be to build a tangible case for liberal education in today’s crowded market. The speaker will give perspective to U of L’s long standing commitment of supporting liberal education and offer insight into U of L’s decision to