Fall 2021 Viewbook - Bishop's University

Liberal Education for the 21 st Century

“NO ONE IS EMPLOYED AS AN ‘ENGLISH MAJOR’. NOR, FOR THAT MATTER AS A ‘BIOLOGY MAJOR’ OR ‘BUSINESS MAJOR’. ALTHOUGH A FEW FIELDS CORRESPONDWITH PROFESSIONS… MOST LIBERAL ARTS DEGREES DON’T POINT TO SPECIFIC EMPLOYMENT ROUTES. RATHER, THEY PROVIDE A SET OF SKILLS THAT HELP JOB SEEK- ERS NAVIGATE THE PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE. AND IT’S THOSE SKILLS THAT HIRING MANAGERS CRAVE.” Koenig, Rebecca (September 24, 2018). “Your College Major Does Not Define Your Career.” US News and World Report

Most of you were not alive in 1990, but if you were, you would realize that the world today is very different than it was thirty years ago. Bishop’s students back then were preparing for careers that we did not even know would exist today. In three decades we have seen the creation of the Internet, e-commerce, software and hardware, digital and social media, global economies andmultinational pacts, social entrepreneurship, clima- tology – the list goes on. And without a crystal ball, we don’t know what the next thirty years will bring either. What we do know is that there are certain skills that are needed for the 21st century and that employers are looking for today. Feedback from our alumni and employment partners suggest that the following key qual- ities are also highly desirable and are part of the skills gap:

Adaptability

Flexibility

Resourcefulness and Creativity

Critical Thought and Expression

People Skills – Networking Abilities

Interdisciplinarity of Subject Matter Across Fields

Almost no career or project is completed in isolation anymore. We need people who can look at solving problems from all angles. We need lateral thinkers not simply linear thinkers. We need you to be willing to come with an adventurous spirit and courage and seek out the questions and answers that we do not even know exist, to do things that no one can imagine. We need you to be future-proof. So come and pursue your dreams, obtain skills relevant for the 21st century (and beyond) and em- bark on a journey that you can’t even imagine. Let your future begin!

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2020 - 2021