Liberal Arts has influenced my worldview in that now everyone who I gravitate toward in life stands for something.
Lasting Impact | Vasu Raja
Upon graduating with a BA in Humanities, he sought
advice
from
Humanities
Professor
Vasu Raja was a typical liberal arts freshman
Norman Farmer. “At the time I graduated in
embarking
sure
1998, the internet was just taking off, it was a
where to begin or how to get there. His parents
different time. I remember saying to Dr. Farmer
instilled in him the importance of education, so
that
skipping college was not an option. He found
wanted to go. He asked me ‘Well, what do you
himself a Humanities major in the College of
want to do?’ And this answer will sound really
Liberal
pretentious,”
on
Arts
a
at
journey,
The
but
he
University
of
wasn’t
Texas.
As
a
I
didn’t
really
he
know
said
what
with
a
direction
laugh,
“but
I
I
Humanities major, he was able to create his
remember saying I wanted to do something like
own course of study, to explore his interests in
writing
philosophy
something
and
the
big
questions,
and
to
The
Divine that
Comedy!
changes
I
want
the
to
world!
do And
identify mentors to help guide him along the
Professor Farmer replied, ‘How do you think all
way.
of those things happen? I mean, you’ve got to go
spend
people and different ideas. “The scale of this
you’re willing to work really hard to do in order
university is like nothing else. Anything you want
for
to learn about, you can learn on these Forty
decided to take some time off to figure out
Acres!”
what he wanted to do next. So he took a year
He
learned
that
the
“world
is
complicated. It’s not black and white, on one
that
to
work.’
With
is
that
a
you
strange one, then you have to figure out what
many
path
what
want
to
that
out
different
students
If
figuring
able
expose
do.
time
Vasu valued how The University of Texas was to
to
some
in
different
mind,
or
Vasu
to explore and travel all over the world.
side or the other. We are just small pieces of a bigger story.”
The following year, the theme of wanting to work
people
who
were
committed
to
something beyond themselves reemerged. He
to surround himself with people who believe in
joined Teach for America and taught for three
having a higher purpose. He said, “Liberal Arts
years in Baltimore City Public Schools. During
has
now
that time, he earned an MA in Education from
everyone who I gravitate toward in life stands
Johns Hopkins University. He imagined creating
for something.” He also noted, wryly, that “it is
a
important
who
change,
take
idea
don’t
influenced
to
take
yourself.”
17
with
A common theme throughout his life has been
be you
my
worldview
surrounded as
in
by
seriously
that
people
as
you
network
of
charter
positively
inspired
him
schools
impacting to
Georgetown University.
earn
that
could
education. an
MBA
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