In Conversation With
this age of the explosive growth of information,
They can talk to anyone.
educators should help students reconstruct their
They can give a speech, ask thoughtful questions, perception and understanding of knowledge, their
and make people laugh. Amherst is a diverse selves, and the world through thinking and reflec-
intellectual community that is rich with speaking, tion. This is not just college education’s but also
conversation, and debate opportunities and expe- Keystone education’s mission to accomplish.
riences for students.
Percy: Liberal arts education is needed today more
In my view, these five goals represent the ultimate
than any other period in history because while it
goals of liberal arts education as represented by is easy to acquire knowledge, it requires learning
Amherst College. The five goals look straightfor- to integrate knowledge. These are fundamental
ward, but actually, all are very difficult to achieve. abilities in modern society. You cannot just turn to
But I believe that we can prepare students for any information technology to make use of information,
situation in four years of studying at Amherst. A to express yourself, and to blend into society.
school needs to make the effort to create an enabling
environment so students can progress and succeed
· · ·
in all these aspects.
As Ms. Sabrina Liu, Director of Marketing and
Sabrina: These goals are very practical. They are Communications at Keystone Academy, said, “We
crucial qualities and intellectual abilities for a know ourselves through others. What we share
meaningful and successful life. Dr. Hu Shih spoke with others and the world, and their feedback to us,
about the topic of intellectual preparedness at may serve as a mirror reflecting back on ourselves.”
Purdue University, and he emphasized intellectual
training, something that Thomas H. Huxley deemed This dialogue about Amherst College ended up being
“the most sacred act of a man’s life.” By developing about more than the college itself or liberal arts
and exercising intellectual habits in college, we education; it also presented reflective discussions on
become well-equipped to find the truth of freedom the ideal educational model. We hope that dialogues
in an intellectually confused and chaotic age. like this will build a bridge for communication
between students, their parents, and American
Percy: A kind of education from a liberal arts college, higher education institutions, and provide parents
in my understanding, can help make one a com- and students with a more comprehensive and deeper
plete person. Liberal arts education helps prepare a understanding of the higher education landscape in
person for their future life rather than being just a the United States, to help them make well-informed
tool or a means of making a living. Perhaps parents decisions when it comes to choosing institutions for
or students that have this understanding are more higher education.
suitable for liberal arts education.
More importantly, we hope that every student
Sabrina: I remember the Harvard Redbook discussed
at Keystone gains the courage and confidence to
general education, emphasizing that undergrad- become a scientifically and humanistically-in-
uate education should shift its focus from the formed explorer capable of appreciating the
acquisition of knowledge to the acquisition of truth and beauty in everyday occurrences.
methods. This actually points to the core of liberal
arts education. It is crucial to know not only what [Note]: All photos in this article other than the interview photos are
to learn but also how to learn. In other words, in courtesy of Amherst College.
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