In reality , it ’ s about deepening students ’ experiences and preparation for their life after Jacksonville University . Exposure to the arts deepens the appreciation for the humanities , and exposure to the humanities deepens the ability to convey universal human truths through art . Whether they study creative writing , musical theater , philosophy or instrumental performance , students in the Stein College are trained in critical inquiry : through the artistic process , the scholarly process . They ’ re encouraged to think critically and ask questions . More often than not , they ’ re asking why things aren ’ t the way they should be .
Critical thinking--along with writing and speaking--is often referred to as a “ soft ” skill . Dean Snyder prefers a different moniker : “ I want to call them essential skills because ‘ soft skills ’ just doesn ' t reflect how central they are to being successful in all sectors .” Dean Snyder and his students hear that same message from employers at every JU career fair , regardless of whether they ’ re in management , business , nonprofits , or marketing .
THE POWER OF COLLABORATION
As the Stein College celebrates its 60th year preparing graduates for their successful futures , the College is developing a detailed strategic plan to capitalize on the momentum of its new vision and structure . From his perspective , Dean Snyder sees endless opportunity on the horizon . “ Our strength is our people and our people have boundless brain power and creativity , vast subject matter knowledge and expertise , and life experience that knows no end . That is not hyperbole .”
From an organizational perspective , the merger of arts and humanities nets enormous benefits for students to more easily access experienced faculty and create new opportunities to work together .
“ We ' re already starting to open the course catalog to look at all of the possible opportunities for cross-collaboration ,” said Dean Snyder . “ The beauty of this for students