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Failing Forward WE LIVE IN THE MOST DYNAMIC, globally connected
In a recent Wall Street Journal blog post, entre-
economy the world has ever known. And while that
preneur and LSA alum David Kalt (A.B. ’89) notes
promises an almost limitless range of exciting and
that his experience building tech teams has taught
important possibilities, it also promises something
him “that individuals with liberal arts degrees
else: failure. Bold but misguided moves are frequently
are by far the sharpest, best-performing software
the price of eventual progress. The pace of innova-
developers and technology leaders.” The reason,
tion often outstrips the process of careful, strategic
he asserts, is a concept that I hold dear in my role
planning. Ideas and products that do succeed spell
as dean. As Kalt puts it, “A well-rounded liberal
doom for others and affect the lives of thousands of
arts degree establishes a foundation of critical
people from Wall Street to Main Street.
thinking,” and “a critical thinker is a self-learning
So how do we create the types of leaders who see failure not as a specter but an ally, the leaders with
machine.” Given the shifting tectonics of our modern
the courage and capability to redefine an industry
economy, there’s a very real possibility that narrow
or redefine themselves? Through the liberal arts,
training can swiftly become irrelevant training.
of course.
LSA graduates develop the mental agility to
Young people today are likely to change not just jobs but careers multiple times. That’s why it is more important than ever to teach them to consider new challenges from multiple perspectives and to ask the right questions instead of trying to apply rote answers.
succeed in diverse environments and changing conditions. They can collaborate with others,
INSIDE LSA
communicate their ideas, and elevate discussions in unexpected ways. And Kalt is just one voice to point out how desirable these skills are to employers, with recent articles echoing the sentiment in the pages of Fast Company, the Washington Post, and the New York Times, among others. At the highest level, the purpose of a liberal arts education is to learn about the world in all its complexity and understand one’s place in it. The ability to do so in a self-reflective fashion contributes to finding a sense of place and purpose. At a practical level, young people today are likely to change not just jobs but careers multiple times. That’s why it is more important than ever to teach them to consider new challenges from multiple perspectives and to ask the right questions instead of trying to apply rote answers. And it’s why we must continue to inspire and equip them to embrace adversity and become lifelong learners. To do otherwise would be failing them, indeed.
Andrew D. Martin
Professor of Political Science and Statistics, and Dean, College of LSA
PHOTO Austin Thomason/Michigan Photography
FALL 2016 / LSA Magazine
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