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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAllow me to pile on the excellent Bohanon and Horowitz column in your March 13, 2026, edition concerning the value of classical education [“Cecil Bohanon and John Horowitz: Many states are failing to recognize societal value of classical education”].
I would broaden this to encompass the humanities, too often the butt of jokes when a student entering college declares that he or she plans to major in English or medieval history or philosophy or whatever. Yet I would ask the question: How many college graduates currently in the mid- to late stages (or even earlier stages) of their careers hold jobs that directly relate to their college major? The answer must be very few.
Pursuing a degree in science or engineering is certainly laudable, and we need more of such graduates. Yet these scientists and engineers are likely to be engaged in work of a very different sort 10 or 20 years hence — or even sooner, work requiring skills such as communicating effectively, leading a team, anticipating problems, thinking strategically and making decisions in the face of ambiguity, to name a few. The knowledge and insights gained by studying the humanities enable individuals to develop and hone these important skills.
Happily, this is not an either/or situation. Students pursuing technical degrees can certainly choose to add classes in the humanities to their coursework. I’m certainly glad I chose to do so when I majored in chemistry 50-plus years ago!
I believe it’s important for our collective future that there is a resurgence of interest in the humanities which, as your writers correctly point out, underpin our democracy and likewise provide a foundation for us to navigate an increasingly complex and fast-changing world.
John C. Lechleiter,
chairman emeritus, Eli Lilly and Co.
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