Liberal arts colleges today face many challenges: shrinking budgets, political controversies, rising tuition costs, and in some cases, declining job prospects for graduates. For students who are considering applying to a liberal arts college, and for their families, the question arises: What is the point of a liberal arts education? Is it worth it? What should individuals and communities expect from this form of education? All are invited to explore these questions at the Woods Hole Public Library with Justin Reynolds and Ana Keilson, co-founders of the Gull Island Institute. A two-part seminar is planned, with the first meeting on Monday November 18 at 6pm, and the second meeting on Monday December 9 also at 6pm. High school students considering a liberal arts education, their families, as well as any interested members of the community are encouraged to attend.
Rather than a “how to” guide for the college application process, these seminars are a chance to step back and consider the historical origins and meaning of liberal arts learning. A close reading of two short texts will frame the conversation–a letter “On the Moral and Vocational Arts” by the Roman philosopher Seneca and a selection from Pedagogy of the Oppressed by the Brazilian theorist and activist Paulo Freire. Both works help readers to explore a core claim of liberal arts learning: that it prepares you for a life of freedom. These texts have also been historically important in defining the goals of the liberal arts and will provide a vantage point for considering contemporary claims over the use and value of college today.
To participate, please email the Woods Hole Public Library at whpl_mail@clamsnet.org or call 508-548-8961 to register and receive a copy of the reading material.
About the facilitators:
Ana Isabel Keilson, PhD, is the Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of the Gull Island Institute. She has taught at a range of liberal arts institutions, including Harvard College, Columbia/Barnard, Deep Springs College, and SciencesPo (Paris/Reims). Prior to her academic career she danced professionally and hails from Portland, Maine.
Justin Reynolds is co-Executive Director of the Gull Island Institute, which he co-founded in 2022 with Ana Keilson. Prior to this, he taught at Harvard, Columbia, and Deep Springs College. Raised in Woods Hole, his current teaching and research deal with the history of Buzzards Bay, liberal arts education, and intersections between the two.