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For more information on the sponsors, click on the logos. March 12-13, 2009 |
Welcome from Clark President John Bassett
Clark is proud to offer its students the best of both worlds—an exceptional liberal arts foundation with an emphasis on inquiry-based learning and the opportunity to research significant contemporary issues. Preparing students to be engaged citizens and effective professionals, who are ready to address the challenges of a rapidly changing world and armed with the practical know-how to help solve society’s most pressing problems, is at the core of Clark’s mission. But Clark is also acutely aware that a great number of liberal arts graduates have not been adequately prepared to employ their new knowledge to make a difference in their home communities and the world. Clark organized this conference because there is a pressing need to rethink boldly how colleges and universities can create enhanced undergraduate liberal arts programs that do prepare students to be well-informed critical thinkers capable of solving difficult social challenges. This emphasis on effective practice is also a keynote of the AAC&U’s LEAP Initiative (Liberal Education and America’s Promise). The March conference is timely and the support of the AAC&U—a champion in advancing quality liberal education for all students—testifies to its importance. Clark is grateful for this support, as well as for the participation of some of the nation’s most innovative educators. Together we can begin to sculpt a new model of liberal education that will benefit both the students we serve and the world in which we live. This conference is a step in the right direction. |
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© Clark University 2008 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610, U.S.A. |
Clark University is pleased to partner with the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in sponsoring "Liberal Education and Effective Practice," a conference aimed at initiating a broader national dialogue about transforming the relationship between traditional models of liberal education and effective practice. This thoughtful reflection on enriching undergraduate education has important implications for student development as well as curriculum reform.