This is what's happening to the Liberal Arts in America

Recently, I came across a New York Times piece titled, “This Is Who’s Really Driving the Decline in Interest in Liberal Arts Education.” I almost scrolled past it – another headline about the so-called death of the liberal arts.

But then I saw Dr. Jennifer Frey’s name.

Jennifer is a philosopher, a champion of classical education, and a member of Hildegard College’s Academic Advisory Board. Until this June, she also served as the founding Dean of the Great Books honors college at the University of Tulsa – a program she built from the ground up.

And then, despite its success with students and the support of donors, the university shut it down.

Why?

Money, sure. Small, discussion-based classes cost more than crowded lecture halls. But they also work—drawing in students, building deep belonging, and generating long-term donor support, especially from graduates who felt truly formed.

Maybe it’s ideological. Perhaps some administrators view Great Books programs as outdated or politically incorrect. But that doesn’t fully explain it either. Universities are complex, bureaucratic ecosystems, rarely ruled by one ideology.

Here’s the deeper issue: Too many university leaders simply don’t understand the liberal arts.

They never sat in a seminar where Plato unsettled them or Augustine cracked open their soul. Maybe they rushed through Gen Ed courses without ever encountering a professor who made the material come alive. So when they look at Great Books programs, they don’t see transformation. They see inefficiency. And in a system where budgets are tight, vision is vague, and priorities shift with trends, transformation rarely wins.

Frey’s reflections in the Times struck a familiar chord. Her words weren’t just a critique, they carried grief. The kind that comes from pouring your soul into something beautiful, only to watch it be dismantled by institutions that can’t, or won’t, recognize its value.

But here’s the quiet truth that too many universities ignore: Students thrive in Great Books programs.

They love the small classes. They ask life-giving questions. They learn to think deeply, write clearly, and engage courageously. Often, they form the most vibrant communities on campus.

And yet, these programs are cut. Not because they fail, but because they succeed in ways that threaten the status quo.

At Hildegard, we’re not an exception within a larger institution. We are the institution. Built from the beginning to protect and prioritize this kind of learning. 

What happened at Tulsa isn’t just a cautionary tale. It’s a call to action. We believe in an education that forms the whole person – mind, soul, and spirit. We believe students are capable of asking hard questions, building beautiful things, and leading with wisdom and faith.

This is why smaller liberal arts colleges matter. This is why Hildegard matters. And this is why your support matters. Thank you for being part of this community.