At The February 21, 2013 Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North Meeting Richard Detweiler Spoke To The Club.

At Febuary 21, 2013 Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North meeting the speaker was Richard Detweiler the President of The Great Lakes Colleges Association. He talk about Strengthening Eduction In The Traditionan Of The Liberal Arts.

Kelly Mendenhall introduced our speaker, Rick Detweiler of the Great Lakes Colleges Association, who spoke on the history of higher education and the value of a liberal arts education.

The Great Lakes Colleges Association is an alliance of eight colleges in the region, with the purpose of promoting liberal arts. Our speaker said that a liberal arts education focuses on developing critical thinkers, citizens who can make society better by becoming active participants in government and all walks of life.

Rick took us through a review of the history of education. He said that the first universities were founded to educate the upper classes.  Only after the American Revolution was higher education open to the middle classes.

Is higher education worth the cost in today’s economy? Rick asserted that it is, because college graduates earn twice what high school grads make, and college grads have much less unemployment than high school grads do.

Our speaker told us that a liberal arts education creates critical, analytical thinkers who are responsible and engaged citizens.

 Great Lakes Association Web-Page