Leaders From Across the Country Speak on the Value of Liberal Arts

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Sep 25, 2014, 02:57 ET

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week, speakers with ties to liberal arts education gathered in Indianapolis, Indiana to speak at a conference hosted by Wabash College. More than 100 college presidents, administrators, foundation leaders, and representatives from business, law, medicine, and politics were in attendance. The conference, sponsored by the Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College, celebrated the value of liberal arts education and highlighted the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education.

About the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education
The Wabash National Study, conducted by the Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College, is a large-scale longitudinal study designed to identify the academic and non-academic collegiate experiences that foster desirable student outcomes. For more information go to http://www.liberalarts.wabash.edu/study-overview/

About the Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts, Wabash College
Founded in 2000 with a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., the Center's purpose is to collaborate with students, faculty, staff and administrators at universities throughout the country to gather and use evidence to strengthen liberal arts education. For more information go to http://www.liberalarts.wabash.edu

Script for the attached video is below.

TRT 150
OC << of that education >>

<Alecia DeCoudreaux, President, Mills College 44 TC:02 32 26>
"This is a really important time in the history of liberal arts education."

<Voice>
On September 17th, 2014, more than 100 college presidents, administrators, foundation leaders, and representatives from business, law, medicine, and politics gathered at the Indiana State Museum to celebrate and share thoughts on the value of liberal arts education.

<Voice>
The conference was hosted by Wabash College and the Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts.

<Alecia DeCoudreaux, President, Mills College 44 TC:02 26 30>
"This is a wonderful opportunity for us to step back from our day to day activities and to really think about what we do, the importance of it and how we can improve it as we move forward."

<Voice>
Founded in 2000 and funded by Lilly Endowment Inc., the Center of Inquiry's focus on using evidence to identify the basic qualities that promote liberal arts education and to measure learning outcomes drove the Wabash National Study, which was featured here at the conference.

<Steve Ferguson, Chairman of Cook Group Wabash Graduate, 1 TC: 01:33:00>
"I commend the Lilly endowment and Wabash College for doing this."

<Steve Ferguson, Chairman of Cook Group Wabash Graduate clip 1 TC: 01:34:08>
"The world is changing very rapidly and your ability to change is essential."

<Clay Robbins, President and CEO of Lilly Endowment Inc. 29 TC: 01:50:16>
"I think Wabash should be quite proud of how it's organized it and the kind of attendance it's getting from all over the country."

<Dr. Earl Lewis, President of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation 1 TC: 00:00:00:19>
"Education should expose students to the range of literacies needed to be effective citizens and workers in a global setting."

<Voice>
Angie Hicks, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Angie's List delivered the conference keynote address.

<Angie 35 TC: 02 05 36>
"One of the things when we think about a liberal arts education is the importance of just being able to adapt and being able to try and being willing to tackle the unknown."

<Charlie Blaich, Ph.D. Director, Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College 59 TC:02 45 36>
"It's been a good day. We had people talking about the impact of liberal arts education in their lives and careers; have some really moving moments."

<Gregory Hess, President, Wabash College 43 TC: 02 25 42 >
"We really want to create the best educational environment of any country in the world. We think liberal arts colleges is the bedrock of that education."

Video - http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/CILA-Conference-Video-2.mp4

SOURCE Wabash College