College more than just career training

What are you here for in school? What are you here for in life? In a good college education the two questions are related. An education should prepare you for your whole life, not just a career. The voices advocating career preparation in the universities today are loud. \nMoreover, these loud voices are in danger of drowning out other voices ' voices of wisdom.\nCareer preparation is a significant aspect of education, but it is only one piece. You were not born simply to work. If you are educated for a career alone, you have been cheated out of a valuable experience.\nWith so much emphasis on career training, education is becoming minor in today's university. I urge you to resist this school of thought, or else your mind and life experiences will also be small. I encourage you to think big, to think about all of life. \nTo a large degree, our life experiences are determined by the size and contents of our mental world. Make sure that yours is big and full of interesting things. \nWhat are you here for? What is the purpose of a human life? What really matters? These questions have been asked by many people. While here at the University you have the opportunity to explore with others the different answers to these and other big questions. Through this your life will be enriched, and your understanding of the possibilities of human experience will be enhanced. \nSuch mental explorations will provide you with real choice in your life. Without this, you will be trapped in an unreflective and robotic life that is defined by your immediate surroundings. True freedom comes from choice, and choice comes from an awareness of the range of possibilities.\nExploring the world of human knowledge can also add a delightful dimension to life. I have a friend who is a successful anesthesiologist. He is satisfied with his job, but the real joy in his life comes from a rich mental world nourished by the continuing study of literature, religion, natural biology, poetry, philosophy and astro-geophysics. \nHe explained that anesthetizing a surgery patient involves more monitoring than many people realize. The anesthesiologist does not simply administer a drug and walk away, but carefully monitors the process throughout the surgery, skillfully balancing the patient between consciousness and death. He compares the procedure to flying an airplane. He admits, however, that after some time his work becomes routine. \nIf this was all there were to his life, he would be bored. But he is not. Beginning as an undergraduate in a liberal arts program, he discovered the rich world of possibilities for life by studying a wide range of religious texts, scientific theories, classical literature and poetry. It is this world he really inhabits. And it is this world that allows him to remain thrilled and alive every day.\nUndergraduate education should be a time for exploration, an opportunity to learn as much as you can. Specific careers are best pursued through on-the-job training, or through graduate or professional schools. It is important to learn to think no matter what you do. Even chief executive officers of major corporations are complaining about the narrowness of today's university education. They are looking for people who understand a wide range of experiences and know how to think.\nThere are many problems in the world today. It is likely the world you inhabit 20 years from now will be drastically different from the current world. If you simply prepare for a career and lifestyle based on the present situation, you will not have the necessary resources to face the problems coming in the not so distant future. Again, you will have been cheated. \nTake these years at the University as a rare and precious opportunity in your life ' before you are burdened with a full-time job and domestic responsibilities ' to ask the big question: How can I best prepare to live in the world? How can I best serve life, and not simply my own more narrow interests? Dare to dream. Dare to think big. Dare to get the most out of your education. And don't get cheated.\nAs you sign up for courses, give yourself permission to explore the full range of possibilities that exist within the University. Exploit everything it has to offer. Do not settle for less and stay within the safe boundaries of "career training." This might even mean sometimes going against the advice of the authorities. But after all, this is your life. Go for it!