Infusion of Liberal Learning Into the Business Curriculum

Wendy Hahn , Regina M. Riccioni

(Saint Elizabeth University, Morristown, NJ, USA)

Abstract: Saint Elizabeth University (SEU) is a private, Catholic liberal arts college in Morris County, N.J. The University serves a diverse range of students but has a strong tradition of concern for the poor, for developing leadership in a spirit of service and social responsibility, and a commitment to the promotion of women as full partners in society. As such, the University and the Business program continually seeks ways to engage our students in learning that best prepares them for academic and professional success. The impetus for this initiative was the receipt of a Yes We Must Coalition grant from the Teagle Foundation to address the extra challenges of career-ready education at colleges serving low-income students. Saint Elizabeth University, formerly, the College of Saint Elizabeth, is part of the Yes We Must Coalition (YWMC); The Yes We Must Coalition strives to increase degree attainment of low-income students by promoting the work of small, independent, not-for-profit colleges and universities and others committed to this purpose. The primary focus of our work was to infuse liberal learning into the business curriculum, specifically Analytical Thinking, Multiple Framing, The Reflective Exploration of Meaning, Practical Reasoning, and Ethics. Liberal arts learning helps students develop essential skills that will help them analyze information, identify trends, communicate effectively, and encourage imagination in the workplace. The mission of Saint Elizabeth University supports this endeavor as well as we seek to be a community of learning in the Catholic liberal arts tradition for students of diverse ages, backgrounds, and cultures.

Key words: liberal learning, analytical thinking, multiple framing, reflective exploration of meaning, practical reasoning, ethical reasoning

JEL code: A2