From the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts

Martha Nussbaum calls liberal education a form of liberation that disentangles the mind from “the bondage of habit and custom” and prepares graduates to participate sensitively and responsibly as citizens of the world. At UL Lafayette, the College of Liberal Arts embraces that charge while also preparing students for the practical demands of the twenty-first-century economy. Our commitment is to both human flourishing and workforce readiness, which we do not view as contradictory from one another.

In the era of artificial intelligence, the uniquely human skills cultivated in the liberal arts are more important than ever. AI can process information and generate text, but it cannot reflect ethically, discern meaning, intent, or biases. In a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, we need liberal arts graduates to ask hard questions, challenge assumptions, interpret complexity, and center human values in innovation. Critical thinking, ethical reasoning, communication, intercultural fluency, and collaboration are the core competencies outlined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). Whether studying English, Political Science, History, Psychology, Sociology, or Communication, our students learn to analyze problems deeply, communicate effectively, and engage thoughtfully with the world around them.

In COLA, we pair these skills with real-world experience. We have expanded internship opportunities across the college through partnerships with organizations like Podium Education, whose for-credit, project-based experiential learning programs (Global Career Accelerator) offer Liberal Arts majors the chance to work in virtual teams on real-world projects commissioned by major employers like Intel, Spotify, the GRAMMYs, and charity: water. We’ve also launched the Kathy Ashworth Civic Engagement Award, a community-based, paid internship that supports first-generation sophomores. Individual departments, like Communications, Criminal Justice and others, also offer students internship opportunities. These initiatives ensure our students leave the college with the confidence of a degree and of a résumé.

Our graduates lead lives of purpose and thrive across sectors, including business, government, media, education, and the nonprofit world. In a rapidly changing world, their example affirms the enduring value of a liberal arts education.

Dr. Ani Kokobobo
Dean, College of Liberal Arts
University of Louisiana at Lafayette