It’s too bad to take this as an opportunity to hit on Jesuit institutions. I teach at Regis and we do all kind of wonderful things too. Different mission, different population, different approach.
Respectfully, I suggest there is a danger of becoming like Austen's Emma. She can mingle with her social peers, those of high minds, wealth, and intellectual pursuits. Or, Emma can visit those to whom she can be of use, bringing baskets of food and medicines to the poor. All of those in the middle, the shopkeepers and farmers, the yeoman workers, are outside of her notice. They are beneath her station, yet self-sufficient enough to be beyond her beneficence.
For a comment section, this is the closest I can get to explaining my view, which is not completely formed. I would need an essay format with time for rewrites to develop all of my thoughts. However, I felt strongly enough about it to leave an inchoate stab at the topic. I understand if it leaves people confused, and I apologize if it offended.
I loved this article and this movement, though I have some reservations about it. Are these students able to get jobs to support themselves/future vocations after this? I think this movement is good, and we need formation of spirit and character in education, but it can’t come at the expense of being able to fulfill vocations down the road. We need to be able to support both.
I’d be happy to explain where I’m coming from. One is student debt; I know several who feel the call to religious life but have to put it on hold to pay off extremely high loans. I know others who went to Steubenville but went into majors that pay so poorly that they are living on food stamps while they support a growing family. Another thing is accreditation. If you want to, for example, become an engineer, you need to go to an ABET accredited school, which Wyoming Catholic is not accredited in, so your degree will not be accepted by employers. So, yes, I think this thing is very, very, very good. I also think if an education comes with a great price, be it monetary or time to get another degree, it can delay the time that couples have children, or people begin their religious vocation, we may need to consider this type of formation outside university environments. A “yes, and” scenario.
I definitely agree. I think as Catholics, we have an extra responsibility to foster spiritual growth and to help our students plan for the future. With a big emphasis on the “and”. However, right now, we largely leave the discernment up to the individual. I think the argument can also be made conversely where Catholic universities are no better than secular universities in this regard, but they should be. A lot of the things Kyle said in the article foster growth now, but there is no discussion about what comes after. I also looked into WCC’s website and there was a similar thread there. I think the state of higher level education right now is you can have one or the other, but I’m hoping as we continue to work out what an American Catholic university looks like in the future, we make room for both. But at this point in time, I don’t think I would encourage my kids to go to a Catholic university unless it was for the liberal or fine arts. If it was STEM, education, language, business, etc., I’d encourage them to invest elsewhere and to spend formation at the local Catholic center.
But regardless, I have to get to mass so I will have to stop my discussion. It was great talking to you, I hope you have a nice evening!
Kay, There's no way a 200 student college with a specified curriculum is going to be able to do STEM degrees. For those kids who know they want to do engineering, etc., there is Catholic University of America which is also on the Newman list. And Steubenville also has 2+2 and 3+2 programs where kids spend the first couple years at Steubenville and finish at a partner university (e.g., PItt, Notre Dame). WCC simply isn't for the STEM focused student - and really can't be. Also, this is a college, not a university. What the goals and operations of a Catholic college is/should be is a different discussion than that of a Catholic University.
KA, no place will be perfect, but WCC seems to be close regarding authentic Catholic education as it involves not only learning but living in the tradition of Catholic social teaching.
Many students come from "blue collar" families. At WCC tuition affordable, there is charitable outreach to the native peoples, the and the local community as well. All these things are joined with a hospitable community and classical education which makes for a unique blend of "open" Catholic formation. No one is meant to be excluded. The "middle" people are a majority of the student body.
Emma's life was one of English aristocratic life in her time; balls, banquets, banal conversations, incessant gossip and cold patronizing "charity" were hallmarks of a superficial existence.
I see nothing like any of these in the article about WCC.
Great interview and feature! My family and I recently did a road trip out west, and we were bummed not to be able to make a campus visit to WCC part of our itinerary (just a bit too far off our route). My daughter is going into high school next year. She's an avid horseback rider. If it's God's will, my hope is that WCC will be an option for her a few years down the road!
We would definitely want a "Wyoming Catholic College" here on the East Coast, and with the programs to engage the community such as the Magnificat Institute of Sacred Music and the COR Expeditions. Nothing like the vast beauty of Wyoming ... but it is definitely a hike away.
It’s too bad to take this as an opportunity to hit on Jesuit institutions. I teach at Regis and we do all kind of wonderful things too. Different mission, different population, different approach.
Respectfully, I suggest there is a danger of becoming like Austen's Emma. She can mingle with her social peers, those of high minds, wealth, and intellectual pursuits. Or, Emma can visit those to whom she can be of use, bringing baskets of food and medicines to the poor. All of those in the middle, the shopkeepers and farmers, the yeoman workers, are outside of her notice. They are beneath her station, yet self-sufficient enough to be beyond her beneficence.
I'm interested in your view, but I'm not sure I follow. What is the parallel you see here?
For a comment section, this is the closest I can get to explaining my view, which is not completely formed. I would need an essay format with time for rewrites to develop all of my thoughts. However, I felt strongly enough about it to leave an inchoate stab at the topic. I understand if it leaves people confused, and I apologize if it offended.
I loved this article and this movement, though I have some reservations about it. Are these students able to get jobs to support themselves/future vocations after this? I think this movement is good, and we need formation of spirit and character in education, but it can’t come at the expense of being able to fulfill vocations down the road. We need to be able to support both.
I’d be happy to explain where I’m coming from. One is student debt; I know several who feel the call to religious life but have to put it on hold to pay off extremely high loans. I know others who went to Steubenville but went into majors that pay so poorly that they are living on food stamps while they support a growing family. Another thing is accreditation. If you want to, for example, become an engineer, you need to go to an ABET accredited school, which Wyoming Catholic is not accredited in, so your degree will not be accepted by employers. So, yes, I think this thing is very, very, very good. I also think if an education comes with a great price, be it monetary or time to get another degree, it can delay the time that couples have children, or people begin their religious vocation, we may need to consider this type of formation outside university environments. A “yes, and” scenario.
I definitely agree. I think as Catholics, we have an extra responsibility to foster spiritual growth and to help our students plan for the future. With a big emphasis on the “and”. However, right now, we largely leave the discernment up to the individual. I think the argument can also be made conversely where Catholic universities are no better than secular universities in this regard, but they should be. A lot of the things Kyle said in the article foster growth now, but there is no discussion about what comes after. I also looked into WCC’s website and there was a similar thread there. I think the state of higher level education right now is you can have one or the other, but I’m hoping as we continue to work out what an American Catholic university looks like in the future, we make room for both. But at this point in time, I don’t think I would encourage my kids to go to a Catholic university unless it was for the liberal or fine arts. If it was STEM, education, language, business, etc., I’d encourage them to invest elsewhere and to spend formation at the local Catholic center.
But regardless, I have to get to mass so I will have to stop my discussion. It was great talking to you, I hope you have a nice evening!
Kay, There's no way a 200 student college with a specified curriculum is going to be able to do STEM degrees. For those kids who know they want to do engineering, etc., there is Catholic University of America which is also on the Newman list. And Steubenville also has 2+2 and 3+2 programs where kids spend the first couple years at Steubenville and finish at a partner university (e.g., PItt, Notre Dame). WCC simply isn't for the STEM focused student - and really can't be. Also, this is a college, not a university. What the goals and operations of a Catholic college is/should be is a different discussion than that of a Catholic University.
KA, no place will be perfect, but WCC seems to be close regarding authentic Catholic education as it involves not only learning but living in the tradition of Catholic social teaching.
Many students come from "blue collar" families. At WCC tuition affordable, there is charitable outreach to the native peoples, the and the local community as well. All these things are joined with a hospitable community and classical education which makes for a unique blend of "open" Catholic formation. No one is meant to be excluded. The "middle" people are a majority of the student body.
Emma's life was one of English aristocratic life in her time; balls, banquets, banal conversations, incessant gossip and cold patronizing "charity" were hallmarks of a superficial existence.
I see nothing like any of these in the article about WCC.
Great interview and feature! My family and I recently did a road trip out west, and we were bummed not to be able to make a campus visit to WCC part of our itinerary (just a bit too far off our route). My daughter is going into high school next year. She's an avid horseback rider. If it's God's will, my hope is that WCC will be an option for her a few years down the road!
We would definitely want a "Wyoming Catholic College" here on the East Coast, and with the programs to engage the community such as the Magnificat Institute of Sacred Music and the COR Expeditions. Nothing like the vast beauty of Wyoming ... but it is definitely a hike away.