My Perspective
Steve Woit
Michael Hemesath ’81, President
An undergraduate education traditionally has two parallel purposes. One is economic. A bachelor’s degree prepares students to begin their professional lives. It equips them with the skills and knowledge needed to launch a career that, ideally, is meaningful and successful. At Saint John’s, we have always taken this responsibility seriously—and based on the success of our alumni, we do it well. The second is moral. Four years of a traditional
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undergraduate education has historically been as much about the formation of character and the search for meaning as about academics. While many institutions of higher education have become less comfortable with the concept of moral education, the Catholic, Benedictine tradition at Saint John’s continues to provide a solid foundation for young men seeking to develop their moral understanding and find meaning in their lives. While we have no formal curriculum for a moral education, embedded in the Saint John’s experience are many opportunities to explore questions of conscience. Visit any classroom, from first-year seminar to biology to economics, and you’ll find students exploring the moral and ethical context of their subject while they hone their writing, learn lab skills or grapple with theories of economic life. This search will also include interactions with monastic faculty residents in the residence halls. Or it comes in conversations and mentoring from faculty like Bob Bell (see p. 10), who shares his “tips for life” with students along with accounting. It can happen through interactions with fine coaches like Gary Fasching and Jim Smith. It can be found in men’s spirituality groups or in volunteer activities, in religious services on campus or in alternative spring break service trips. The goal of this kind of education is not to tell students what to think but to help them learn how to think—about moral challenges, tradeoffs and their own values, morals and souls. I am proud of the moral education Johnnies receive during their four years here. Not because it produces flawless citizens—one lesson I hope all students learn is that no one is perfect—but because it serves our alumni well throughout their lives. Mark Kappelhoff ’83 (p. 14) and Dave Huebsch ’59 and his son, John ’83 (p. 36) are good examples of this. Conversations with first-year faculty residents or guidance from a caring professor can last a lifetime. Countless alumni have told me that in times of personal or professional challenges, they find themselves referring back to experiences they had at Saint John’s for insight.