Forbes – Sergei Klebnikov
“In the shifting landscape of higher education today, critical questions continue to be raised about the value of a liberal arts education. There is a constant drumbeat claiming that STEM subjects –science, technology, engineering and math – are far more valuable in today’s digital economy and culture than a traditional liberal arts major such as philosophy or history. “There has been an increase in awareness simply because that is where the jobs are at today and where we foresee them to be in the future,” says Vince Bertram, president and CEO of non-profit Project Lead the Way, a leading provider of K-12 STEM programs that delivers to over 6,500 schools across the nation. Many public officials have recently fueled the debate by publicly questioning the value of degrees in traditional liberal arts subjects. President Barack Obama famously called into question the usefulness of an art history degree in January before later apologizing. Several Republican governors, including those in Texas, Florida and Wisconsin, have also spoken out against the liberal arts. Also among those who have adopted this stance are North Carolina Gov. Patrick McCrory, former presidential nominee Mitt Romney.”(more)