An upcoming University of Texas at Arlington event aims to give students a firsthand look at the power of a liberal arts education—and the value it can have in the business world.
"History Applied: A Liberal Arts Education in the 21st-Century Marketplace" will be held Wednesday, Sept. 13, from noon to 5:30 p.m. in the University Center's Rio Grande Ballroom. Sponsored by the UTA Department of History, the symposium includes former and current executives at major technology and retail companies discussing what a liberal arts degree holder can bring to the corporate world.
Patryk Babiracki, associate professor of history and organizer of the symposium, said a liberal arts education sets students on the path to success.
"Communication, empathy, critical thinking and the way we relate to others are things that AI most of the time cannot do right," he said. "All of these are critical skills for the functioning of a company."
The panel discussion on how liberal arts skills can be applied to the business world will feature:
- Rishi Jaitly, professor of practice at Virginia Tech and former executive at Google and Twitter
- Tracey Panek, chief historian at Levi Strauss & Co.
- Hubert Zydorek, director of the Center for Global Business at The University of Texas at Dallas
- James Cortada, senior research fellow at the University of Minnesota and former IBM executive
Cortada will also deliver a keynote address.
"There are big companies that intentionally engage with people with liberal arts backgrounds including social sciences and historians," Babiracki said. "Students learn how to communicate well, how to write, present, research and think critically. These are exactly the kinds of skills that 21st-century employers are looking for."
