Embracing the Gray: the Beauty of a Liberal Arts Education

I have always been what people would describe as “good at school.”  I love to read and write; I’m passionate about art, theatre and dance; and I thoroughly enjoy science and math classes.  I have been #blessed with a thirst for knowledge and a support system that pushed me to excel in my academic career.  Because I liked so many different fields of study and could see myself pursuing a great variety of them, I had a difficult time deciding what to focus on in my college search.  Did I want to go to a school with a great English program? What about one that I could take highly regarded acting classes and minor in theatre? Once I figured out that I wanted to go into the sciences, my search got easier, but not by much.  There was so much that I wanted to do, study, and experience whilst in college, and I wanted to do it all with great professors and peers by my side.

As you may suppose, this love for interdisciplinary learning led me to Scripps College and a liberal arts education.  I like to think that I have made the most of this cross disciplinary academic approach during my last 3.25 years here: I have taken a variety of classes in both the humanities and sciences, and not just for GE credit either.  I’m studying Science, Technology and Society , one of the most interdisciplinary majors that you can find at the 5Cs.  I have been given the space to design my curriculum to best suit my learning needs and passions.  I’ve learned that college doesn’t have to be only arts or science, black or white.  It can be both, and Scripps embodies this concept.  From my liberal arts education, I have experienced firsthand how to embrace the gray areas of academics and life.  As a pre-vet student, my experiences working in an art gallery and taking voice lessons have enabled me to explore my creative side and tap into new, “non-scientific” problem solving methods.  I can approach my future life and career with a perspective informed by multiple backgrounds and experiences, and I truly believe that this will make me a better veterinarian, scholar, and person.

Ultimately, the benefits of a liberal arts education can be summed up in the idea of freedom.  At a liberal arts institution, you are not confined to taking courses in your major or minor: you can take any classes you want, in any discipline you desire.  You are free to explore potential interests and study subjects for fun.  You are free to design your own academic curriculum, one as varied or single subject as you wish.  You are free to become your own person and grow in your individual interests, mindsets, and goals.  I was free to dip my toes into every and all disciplines and journey down academic paths I didn’t realize existed.  I didn’t have to limit myself to science and pre-health classes, and you don’t have to be either thanks to a liberal arts education. I am so grateful that Scripps has provided me with the space to grow in multiple disciplines, and I look forward to relishing the fruits of my interdisciplinary, liberal arts academic labors in the years after Scripps to come.

What do you think about liberal arts education? Leave a comment and share your experience!

Summer Transitions

As I’m writing this, I’m facing my last week at my internship. The summer feels like it’s gone by in a blip. I’m doing a lot of wrap up—documenting the processes I’ve used so they can be continued, teaching a new analyst how to use a tool, creating slide decks for my two final presentations. The transition will be pretty abrupt for me. This Friday at 5 or so, I’ll leave work. Sunday morning I’ll drive down to southern California to visit with relatives, and then I’ll move back into Scripps on Tuesday for RA training. These last few weeks have been super busy, since I’ve been trying to cram in seeing all my friends and family around my normal work schedule. (I’ve had to sacrifice my daily workout, but hopefully Tiernan will be open when I get back).

I had a great, lengthy conversation with my manager yesterday about life choices and grad school and career options. She’s been tremendously supportive and appreciative of my work, and I was happy that she validated some of the unusual choices I’ve been making.

1.       Taking lots of math and economics, even though I’m all humanities on the inside: My manager got her MBA (while getting an MSW) for the same reasons — people who have quantitative or technical knowledge have power. I don’t want to let anyone mansplain why a policy I support isn’t economically feasible without the tools for refutation.

2.       Not returning next summer to my current internship, even though it’s well paid and at an organization I eventually want to work for: My manager (and my mentor, and my mom) stressed that internships are about exploration, and while they’d welcome me back, they understand that I want to figure out where I fit best.

3.       My semi-secret, maybe-probably-won’t-do it-but-maybe-I’ll-try-anyway dream of becoming an economist: My manager actually just assumed that path might be on my radar, since I’m interested in being a research assistant after graduation. It feels too big for me, and there certainly is a chance that I won’t make it all the way. I’m no math genius, and economic research is heavily math-based. Six years in a PhD program is a long time, and might conflict with babies and other life things. But there’s no danger in trying. It’s not as if I’ll be unqualified for any other jobs because I’ve taken too much math and econ. I can still go into policy, tech, teaching, or anything else, because of the magic powers of liberal arts education. At the moment, being an economist seems pretty appealing, because your work can involve theoretical research, policy focused research, and teaching. We’ll see if I survive multi-variable calculus!

I’m excited to switch gears next week for RA training. I’ve missed Scripps: the sunshine, the people, the beauty. I’m hoping that as much as I’ve stretched my analytical thinking at my internship, I’ll stretch my interpersonal intelligence in the next few weeks.

Wrong major? I don’t think so.

When people ask me what my major is and then find out my career aspirations, they tend to have a confused look on their face. “You are a liberal arts major and you want to be a sports lawyer? Are you sure about that?” And of course, I respond with a yes and huge smile on my face.

For as far as I can remember, I have wanted to be a lawyer; but, it was not until I turned 10 years old that I knew exactly what kind of lawyer I wanted to be.  It was Sunday, October 26, 1997, when my family and I were celebrating my 10th birthday.  It was not a typical birthday celebration, it also happened to be the final game of the 1997 World Series.

Glued to the television, we watched as Edgar Renteria hit an RBI (run batted in) single in the 11th inning to win the World Series Championship!  The crowd on TV went wild and the excitement in the house was incredible. All of Miami awoke to the glory of the Florida Marlins: the people on the streets raised their Marlins flags while others drove around honking to celebrate the win.  It was at that moment that I knew I wanted to be a part of that excitement and passion.  However, I did not want to merely be a spectator – I wanted to be on the inside, representing my favorite baseball team, the Florida Marlins.

Now, that insight brings me to these two questions:

  1. Can I still pursue the goal I made 12 years ago with my liberal arts education?
  2. How can I use my dual major in Latin American Studies and Hispanic Studies to pursue that goal?

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