The Teagle Foundation hosted a webinar in February 2020 in collaboration with faculty from Purdue and Columbia Universities on what can be done—as students move into STEM, business, health, and other pre-professional fields—to ensure that college students, whatever their major or background, encounter inspiring works of literature and philosophy and grasp the power of liberal learning and its relevance to their professional aspirations. Melinda Zook, professor of history at Purdue, described how their innovative “Cornerstone” program has injected energy and excitement into general education, attracting thousands of students, including large numbers of STEM majors, to engage with humanities faculty and with transformative texts, both classic and contemporary. Roosevelt Montas, who served as the longtime director of Columbia’s core curriculum, shared insights on how a common intellectual experience centered on reading and discussion of transformative texts helps build community among students of diverse backgrounds and fosters civil discourse. The webinar wrapped up with a discussion of Teagle’s funding opportunity for leaders interested in reinvigorating general education.

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Webinar Recording
Transcript