The Daily Pennsylvanian – Jack Cahn
“Is emphasizing everything the same as emphasizing nothing? Penn’s choice of a STEAM approach to education — one that treats Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics equally — instead of a STEM approach has raised this question. “We are emphasizing STEAM education. We are absolutely committed to integrating liberal arts and sciences with more technical education,” President Amy Gutmann said. “One of the reasons Penn is ranked so high internationally is that we make sure our students cultivate T-shaped intellects and skill sets which are deep in some things and broad at the top.” This STEAM approach makes the School of Engineering and Applied Science unique, and is one of the University’s biggest selling points. As opposed to more technical schools like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or the California Institute of Technology, Penn offers its students a more well-rounded, interdisciplinary education. “What I really like about Penn is the diversity of people. You get that more at a school with many different strong suits than at a more technical school,” Engineering freshman Becky Abramowitz said. “I think it’s important to know other things and not just to be a one-dimensional person or a one-dimensional engineer, especially in terms of writing and knowing how to communicate.” Penn’s STEAM approach, however, can also be seen as a liability. Engineers in 2012 earned an average starting salary of $69,234 with computer science graduates earning $80,118, compared to $63,273 among Wharton graduates and $52,061 among College graduates — indicating a strong market demand for engineers. Meanwhile, the Engineering School’s applicant pool has doubled over the past few admissions cycles, Dean of Admissions Eric Furda said. STEAM opponents think Penn’s decision to not significantly expand enrollment or funding at the Engineering School despite this high demand is economically inefficient and inexpedient.”(more)