Help Change Lives The Hamilton alumni network provides guidance and helps students find internships that lead to successful careers. Cindy Zhu ’11 first worked as an analyst for Goldman Sachs and is now an associate with TPG Capital in San Francisco.
At Hamilton, we believe a liberal education is the best preparation for a life of meaning and purpose. It also provides the skills that get you noticed in your career.
It is foolish to underappreciate the value of liberal arts skills. It is bad for our country, bad for business and bad for those just starting in their careers.
As parents, too often we’re tempted to persuade today’s children to specialize as soon as possible. But as difficult as it may be, we need to take the long view when considering what’s best for their careers. For some students, a specialized college education leading to a specific set of skills may be the right choice, but I believe most will be better served in their professions by a liberal arts education.
A recent Annapolis Group study shows that liberal arts graduates are more likely to say their college was highly effective in helping them get their first job or get into graduate school than alumni from other types of public and private institutions. Liberal arts graduates also credit their undergraduate experience with helping them develop a broad range of important skills.
During my 38 years in the corporate sector, I have found that as employees progress in a career, it is these broad liberal arts skills – the ability to think critically and communicate clearly – that differentiate their performance.
Originally published by Forbes.com, posted on Sept. 9, 2014.
