Making the Case for Liberal Education

Inauguration Speech

Stuart Rabinowitz
Excerpted from Inauguration Speech, Hofstra University, October 19, 2001

As I noted earlier, Hofstra's mission has been to provide an education that stresses the value of the liberal arts, sciences, and humanities. Such an education assures that new generations will have the benefit of the legacy of the past; at the same time, it also encourages us to look ahead. Looking forward, the liberally educated man or woman faces the future confident in the virtues of truth, reason, and tolerance, and is thus prepared to be a better citizen, worker, spouse, parent, friend—in short, a better human being who can find joy and meaning in human existence. A broad-based liberal arts education trains our students to think, analyze, reason, and communicate effectively even when confronted with new and unprecedented challenges.

The concept of the University as part of the community also means that, consistent with its core mission, the University should assist the community in solving problems and in participating in civic activities. It should encourage students to volunteer their time and efforts in community service, and should provide opportunities for them to do so. Hofstra's students who immediately organized blood, food and supply drives after the September 11 attacks, have illustrated that they fully understand the importance of giving of one's self to aid those in need. The University's obligation is not merely to turn out well-educated graduates, but to educate good citizens as well.

Stuart Rabinowitz is president of Hofstra University.

The Presidents' Campaign for the Advancement of Liberal Learning is supported by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more information contact Bethany Zecher Sutton at 202-387-3760.