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| Meeting CIA Director David Petraeus |
A 'Liberal Education'…When I first came to the Center I was worried about this. I felt like it was so broad and I did not know what to expect. Were we just going to read a bunch of books? Were we just going to listen to people speak? I was so unsure. What I am getting from the McConnell Center is magnificent. I have learned that a liberal education is a method to learning that empowers and inspires me. It has prepared me to deal with intricacy, diversity, and most importantly, change. I have changed, but for the better. I get a broad knowledge of things like culture and society, as well as in-depth knowledge in specific areas.
One of the best things about the Center is that what we learn about varies from year-to-year. I am constantly exposed to new things and new ideas. The fact that we have seminars allows us to also be shown other’s ideas and beliefs, which only shares more knowledge. What I love about a liberal education is that sometimes there really is not a “right” answer. It depends on what you think and infer, and I absolutely love that. It makes you think and you have to even question yourself.
Through this program, you develop critical problem-solving skills and you learn to relate knowledge to the real world. In a seminar with Thomas Mackey entitled “So you wanna go to law school?” he said, “Law school is not the end, it is only a means to your end.” Well, through the seminars at the McConnell Center, I have learned that college is not the end, but only a means to one of my many possible ends. I have more than one option of what to do with my degree. I now think of things differently. To me, it is not just about getting a job after college. Doing various things is fun and exciting and life changing. I can be like Ben-Reno Weber and go from working for a high-end company, to working in a different country, to ending up at a non-profit. I want to go make a difference, and I am not afraid to go out and try numerous things before I settle for one, if I ever even decide to settle.
Jaymar Bonet, of Hardin County, Ky., is a junior at the University of Louisville. She is studying political science.