Maximize education benefits by training for citizenship
Veterans seem to gravitate toward business degrees from institutions with less than stellar reputations — usually for-profit universities. While I was in the Army, if I was pushed to education, my senior enlisted mentors recommended these sort of programs. When you are an enlisted servicemember, the push for these degrees makes sense. Pressed for time with Tuition Assistance capped by a dollar amount, the for-profit school that caters to and recruits service personnel makes sense — however, its not a liberal university education designed to broaden one’s mind.
The liberal arts, with its emphasis on what makes us human, provides a much better framework for a veteran to understand himself, his experience, his community, and how those elements relate. To truly experience the benefits of a liberal education, the place to do it is at a brick and mortar institution, not an online degree mill. Nothing can provide an avenue through which to explore, heal, and reintegrate back into the society that you once swore an oath to protect like a liberal university education.
The liberal arts are a broad education designed to “develop general intellectual capabilities.” Because of this, the liberal arts are essential to understanding what it means to be human, and therefore, what it means to be a good citizen. Just ask Cicero of Ancient Rome.
When studying the liberal arts, you will learn to think critically, write coherently, and solve complex problems consistently. As Vedika Khemani wrote in the New York Times, “nothing could be more practical than the humanities.” Because of this, the liberal arts are an essential foundation for any future success. I’m convinced this is why universities hold onto their core educational requirements that everyone must take regardless of major.
Because they don’t directly translate to job titles and career tracks, the liberal arts are often looked down upon. These so-called “worthless majors” have more worth than meets the eye. Forbes determined that “the career options available to graduates of general liberal arts degrees are far more diverse and attractive than we usually assume.” The reason, according to Forbes, is also manifested in my own experience, the liberal arts train high-demand skills that can atrophy if not used and are often “left undeveloped in other majors.” Veteran’s already have knowledge and skills that show up on resumes that their traditional student peers lack. This combination makes the liberal arts and its ability to hone good citizens is the ideal choice for the student-veteran.
The liberal arts teach students to engage their entire humanity and understand the nuances of the human experience.
For the student veteran the college experience helps with reintegration into society. A robust liberal education is then be integral to becoming whole again. It was for me. I would not have been able to function outside of military culture if not for my introduction to, and study of, the liberal arts. Studying history and literature provided structure for understanding my own experiences by placing it in context with others before me.
Through the study of history, I learned compassion and empathy in ways I would never have fathomed before. Historical inquiry taught me to see things from the perspective of those I study. Primary source research adds context to secondary source analysis. Empathy is especially useful when reading about things I may not agree with, or the ugly reality of history. Empathy is one of the historian’s most essential tools, and couldn’t be more useful in our trying times.
Through literature, I learned that the difference between civilians and veterans is not as significant as our society might make it feel, after all, we’re all human. I also discovered that not only are my experiences unique but that they are worth telling, and I am working on a memoir as a result.
During my liberal arts degree program, I was able to meet people integral to my transition that I would not have otherwise — people who encourage me to expand my mind beyond the insular world of the military and various veterans groups. I was then able to merge my experience with what I was learning to forge a new path forward. One that combines hard-won leadership experience in the military with the soft-skills of the humanities.
Like it or not, the better a school’s reputation, the more valuable the degree. If you need help getting into a top-tier institution, reach out to the many organizations willing to help veterans gain admission to the nation’s elite schools. The Warrior-Scholar Project, Service to School, and the Posse Foundation are but three non-profits that exist to help you, the veteran, achieve your academic goals. They’re free and have fantastic track records of success, including placing enlisted grunts at Ivy League institutions.
Don’t be afraid to try.
A degree can help get your foot in the door. More importantly, your experience in the military, combined with a quality degree grounded in a liberal education will help mend your spirit while also helping you on the job market — but only if you know how to articulate yourself, on paper and to your fellow citizens.
