A Plea for Liberal Arts Education: The Curse of Being So Rad.

With the rising cost of higher education and the benefits seemingly dwindling, it's no wonder that people fail to see the benefits of a Liberal Arts degree. It's costly, it's broad, and it almost always requires an advanced degree (or two, in some hypothetical cases). And to those critics I say, you're right. But when you meet a dynamic, bright, sociable, kind, probably a little geeky, and driven person, 78% of the time they posses a Liberal Arts degree.

Okay. I made that up. But let me share with you a couple recent encounters that may argue that those of use lucky enough to spend time learning about ourselves while encouraged to question everything are some of the most rad people you know. Fact.

And, btw, I am speaking very specifically (and biased) of those especially talented DePauw alum.

Some examples.

Through the modern miracle of facebook I was able to meet up with an old college buddy after my race in Indy. I am certain that she and I have not seen each other since graduation, but was quickly reminded why we did enjoy our time together then. And quickly, we began to enjoy our time in the present. She's bright, she's brilliant, she's fucking hysterical.

What did you do today? Oh, really? We ran 13.1 miles.

Oh, and she just happens to be published (Check her out here!!!!!!!). As in she's an author. And did I mention that she has her own blog. Yup, a couple, in fact. (And it's worth mentioning that another DPU alum has his hand in those blogs, too). Book reviews and music reviews in quick snippets. I'm not talking about the blogging journal I do here. I'm talking a blog that's worth checking out. And you should do that now.

www.beatjabreviews.com

www.bookpunchreviews.com

Seriously. Do that now. My mindless chatter will be here when you come back.

And not to discredit any of her achievements, but that's par for the DPU course. I don't mean that everyone is published, but everyone from DPU finds success that is perfectly suited for them.

I just went to Vegas with 12 of my best friends from college. Not to again bore you with the details of how brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fucking hysterical my friends are. But briefly, by the numbers. Among the 13 of us there are...

...14 advanced degrees (for the record, I am not the only one working towards two).

...professional

...an entrepreneur

...4 beautiful babies (we have more in the rest of the group, those are just the start)

...one baby girl on the way (She's going to be born on my birthday. I promised her a pony.)

...photographers

...dancers

...educators

...crafters

...philanthropists

...wives

...friends

...bright, talented, witty, seriously stunningly beautiful, work-hard-to-play-hard women.

Stop me if you've heard this one...an Irish dancer, a lawyer, an engineer, and computer software consultant walk into Caesar's Palace...

I am blessed to have grown along side these ladies and to be associated with their amazing adventures. Even the miscues. Especially the miscues .

And I'll tell you this right now. I may have taken ten years to get a hold of a career. And while I am still technically figuring out what I want to be when I grow up, I wouldn't trade my undergraduate experience for anything. The fact that I can affiliate myself with these people who continue to improve the world and AMAZE all who are watching, it worth it's weight in gold.

So here's to the geeks, the nerds, the undecided majors, and the driven young minds who dare to learn to critically think and engage socially while growing into the person they hope to become. And I can't wait to see what is ahead for us all.

Until then...with MUCH love,

ghg~

ps, Thursday night I'm going to see Neon Trees where the sound engineer is a friend of mine...from college. (So he may not have actually attended DPU, but he was there more than some others I know who actually paid tuition).