African American Experience
Attending the event at Whitlock Building, in which the speakers were discussing the importance of liberal education, was the most exciting experience. The event opened my foresight on issues pertaining the education system and its significance to the society. After listening to the speakers on the evening of Thursday 23 April, inside O’Donnell Hall, I learned that liberal education is essential for empowering students for leadership positions in the society. Each speaker reiterated that liberal education is instrumental for the progress of the society and as such, scholars in America have no obligation but to support it. The premise is that liberal education is more beneficial than vocational training in advancing critical thinking. For that reason, more efforts are required in supporting the system despite many people having the feeling that liberal education is costly.
As mentioned by the first speaker, there was the need for people to coordinate in ensuring the fulfillment of the goal of arts education, which is liberating the masses. EKU students, in particular, benefitted by learning about the activities that institutions undertake in teaching self-reliance. The students also learned about the accomplishment of the university as well as the need for the liberation of the mind in advancing social progress. People in the audiences also got the chance to interact with the students, leading to the exchange of ideas concerning education. Lastly, the meeting informed the students that education is irreplaceable and their presence in learning institutions matters.
The event showed a connection with the experience of African Americans in supporting the use of arts in the liberation of thinking in members of the community. Liberal education imparts technical expertise as well as the theoretical knowledge that make most African American competent intellectually especially with skills for dealing with adverse problems in the society. Liberal education also connects the members of the community by giving individuals an insight into their past. Lastly, liberal education makes the community self-reliant as reiterated by the speaker citing Jefferson letters to the slaves.
The changes necessary for making the event more appealing is the inclusion of scholars who are the beneficiary of the program to be speakers in the forum. Broadening the theme of the event to cover aspects such as the use of technology in improving the learning system is also essential to making the discussion more exciting. Shortening the period between the breaks is critical in capturing the attention of audiences listening to the speech of the organizers of the event.
