CAS CONNECT 2019

studied the career paths and civic activities of 1,000 college graduates across several decades. He found that the pay gap between business and engineering majors and the rest of the group decreased over time and eventually disappeared. Also, those who took more than half of their coursework in fields unrelated to their majors were 29 percent more likely to exceed $100,000 in annual incomes. That figure rose to 72 percent for the oldest group, probably because such individuals had the ability to adapt to changing circumstances over the course of their careers. A 2018 study by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences reinforces previous studies showing the pay gap between humanities graduates and their engineering peers narrows over time. It also found the groups are equally satisfied with their careers. A 2013 Association of American Colleges &Universities national survey of business and nonprofit leaders found “more than 75 percent of employers say they want more emphasis on five key areas: critical thinking, complex problem-solving, written and oral communication, and applied knowledge in real-world settings.” Also, “80 percent of employers agree that, regardless of their major, all college students should acquire broad knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences.” OSU College of Arts and Sciences Dean Glen Krutz said, “CAS teaches the soft skills. The arts and sciences provide a framework for people to understand the world around them. Once people have jobs, that framework helps them think critically to become leaders and move up. The depth that students receive having a CAS experience makes themmore impactful employees, citizens and community leaders when they go out in the world. It makes them more successful.” Celinda Reese-Melancon, director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Psychology, teaches a career development course for psychology majors. She has also worked with dozens of undergraduate students in her research lab, and most get jobs straight out of school and do very well for themselves. “Today’s world requires collaboration, critical thinking, understanding of diversity, and effective communication,” she said. “These are exactly the skills that departments in the College of Arts and Sciences help students develop. Personally, I encourage students to think broadly about the career they want when they are freshmen, but when they are sophomores, they need to start tailoring their coursework and experiences to help them be marketable when they graduate. Through classes, leadership opportunities, research experiences and community-based volunteer placements and internships, CAS graduates are ready for a variety of employment settings that will allow them to pursue their passions and advance so that their earnings increase as their experience does.” Tamara Mix, head of the Department of Sociology, agrees. “People need to have the social sciences,” she said. “We need history. We need art appreciation classes. We need those things to become better people and to be people who have full and happy lives.” She teaches an introduction to sociology course and asks the students what they learned that will help them in the future. Their responses underscore the value of an education in the liberal arts and sciences. “They say, ‘People are different than me.’ ‘I learned about group behavior. I learned about howmy behavior changes in relation to others.’ ‘I learned about negotiating. I learned about all of those human dynamics and social dynamics that are invaluable.’” As Steve Jobs said, “Technology alone is not enough — it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities that yields us the results that make our heart sing.” “Technology alone is not enough — it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities that yields us the results that make our heart sing.” — STEVE JOBS OSU COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SC I ENCES 13