Liberal arts watch: Colleges appeal to students with ‘purposeful work’

Across the United States, liberal arts colleges are facing steep challenges.

Fewer students are convinced that a generalist approach will land them a job after graduation, experts say, and for low-income students, that perception is especially pervasive. Enrollment in liberal arts programs has fallen since the 1960s and several colleges have recently considered slashing majors or even closing.

But a growing number of institutions are responding by helping students explore career aspirations in ways that feel meaningful. The efforts go by different names, but many campuses have settled on the term “purposeful work” because of its emphasis on finding deeper fulfillment – not simply a job offer – after graduation.

“Everybody’s talking about this,” says Philip Gardner,

One ‘purposeful work' modelPublic universities also taking note