Yorktown University

YU Newsletter, May 26, 2009

What is a Liberal Arts Education? 

When I was in college I was required to take courses that introduced me to the culture and civilization of the West, American government and history, and English literature among other subjects.  I particularly enjoyed a two semester History of Western Civilization course that I probably would not have taken, if it hadn’t been required.  Unfortunately, at most colleges today there are very few required courses and those that are required are not representative of the core values of the Liberal Arts.

The Hollow Core

A recent study published by the American Council of Alumni and Trustees contains deeply disturbing information about the lack of a clear Core Curriculum at some of our finest universities.

This dismal condition of higher education today is due to the reluctance of most colleges and universities to educate students for the civic responsibilities they will carry out as citizens of a self governing republic.  That is one of the reasons that Yorktown University was founded—to educate our students to carry out their civic responsibilities.

When we first began we explained that commitment with the phrase “Putting Western Civilization Back into Education.”  That led to another question “What is the West”?  From that followed a Core Curriculum that every Bachelor’s degree candidate at Yorktown University is required to complete.

The Liberal Arts Defined by Inputs

Let me begin by directing your attention to the major “inputs” of this Core Curriculum. 

Yorktown University’s Core Curriculum consists of three courses in economics, what Aristotle called political economy; three courses in American government and history, an introduction to the classical myths of Greece and Rome, the history of Western civilization from 1700 onward, an introduction to the study of Philosophy and an introduction to the Bible.

Those ten inputs are intended to give every Yorktown University degree candidate in our B.A. degree programs a common intellectual experience and an introduction to the fundamentals of economics, American government, the history of the West and our Biblical heritage. 

Who Are Some of Yorktown University’s Students?

Joan Mirshak

Joan Mirshak has completed two courses toward a bachelor’s degree in Government at Yorktown University. Not surprisingly her first course choices were Roots of American Order, based on Russell Kirk’s book of the same name, a book that traces the religious and philosophical origins of the American republic to the history of the ancient Hebrews clans and the Gospels, classical philosophy and English political and legal tradition.

Roots of American Order is taught at Yorktown by Jason Ross. Joan’s second choice of courses was Liberty & Power: U.S. History to 1800, an in-depth look at the founding of the American regime, taught by Dr. Carey Roberts, one of Yorktown’s most popular professors. Her choices weren’t surprising because of her reasons for enrolling at Yorktown in the first place.

Joan is a married mother of three adult children and a native of Atlanta. Her husband’s career as a chemical engineer at DuPont Tate & Lyle BioProducts has taken them all over the U.S.A. As a consequence of these moves her college education was delayed.  Moreover, when she was able to enroll in a local college, she was shocked by the rigid doctrinaire classroom environment that stifled free expression. These experiences left her feeling ostracized because of her conservative political views and Christian faith. Unwilling to sit on her hands in classrooms where she felt her opinions were not respected, Joan withdrew from college, resigned to the reality that any college degree wasn’t worth sacrificing her core beliefs.

One day in particular is burned into her memory.  Her political science instructor asked his class “Where do rights come from.”  One student said that “rights come from government.”  Joan raised her hand and said, “I believe Rights come from God.”  The Instructor walked in her direction and told her “You better be careful expressing views like that, they will get you in trouble.”

Things changed, however, one day several years ago when she learned about Yorktown University through an interview that Rush Limbaugh did with Yorktown University professor, Larry Schweikart.  She read the interview in the Limbaugh Letter and was inspired to try again—this time at an Internet University. Even if she and her husband had to relocate again, she would be able complete her education with a college that offers courses online and that are not in conflict with her political and religious beliefs.  

Pam Ean

Pam Ean is a high school teacher in New Hampshire.  She became interested in enrolling at Yorktown University in the best possible way and for the best possible reasons. She was impressed by another of Yorktown’s students, Diane Gilbert.  Diane’s understanding of the history of the American Founding was something Pam wanted to learn, so applied to become a degree candidate in Yorktown’s M.A. in Government program.

In her “goals statement,” an essay that students are asked to submit when applying for admission, Pam Ean made clear her principle aspiration: “As an educator, I fear that our students no longer know what our Constitution stands for. Limited government is a principle that is no longer stressed in public education. I hope to be able to change this, as best I can.”

Pam Ean has been admitted to Yorktown University’s Graduate School of Government and is taking Hist4101: Liberty and Power: U.S. History to 1800, taught by Dr. Carey Roberts; and RS4405: Religion in American History, taught by Randall Balmer.

The classroom is only the beginning of Pam’s work to change the American public’s recognition of the principles on which American government was founded. She tells us that not only will she take her new learning into the classroom, but that she intends to run for public office in New Hampshire. This won’t be her first time Pam has run for public office, nor fulfilling civic obligations of public service. She was a corporal in the Marshall, Texas, police force for seven years. The last time she ran for office, she ran against her youngest son, which means this kind of commitment to the public good runs in the family. This time around, however, she wants to be better armed with the facts about our constitutional history in order to speak persuasively and knowledgably about where she believe our country went off track and how to help put it back on track.

She affirms that “Education is the key to preserving our constitutional republic. The founding fathers realized this, but somewhere along the line, we lost our way.”

Professor Todd Zywicki Nominated to Serve as Trustee

Dartmouth College has been in turmoil for years, but alumni concerned about the College’s academic programs found a way to elect some of their own to Dartmouth’s Board of Trustees.

Unfortunately, Dartmouth College is resistant to alumni who challenge the status quo, and things got bad last year when Trustee Todd Zywicki spoke critically of Dartmouth’s administration at an education conference in North Carolina.

The long and short of all this is that Dartmouth’s loss is Yorktown University’s gain.  Todd Zywicki teaches in the areas of bankruptcy and contracts at the School of Law at George Mason University where he is a Professor of Law.

He received an M.A. in economics from Clemson University (1990) and an A.B. with high honors from Dartmouth College (1988). Professor Zywicki is the author of more than 30 articles in leading law reviews and economics journals. He has testified before Congress on bankruptcy reform issues and is a frequent commentator in the print and broadcast media.

Please visit us at www.yorktownuniversity.edu

Sincerely yours,

Richard J. Bishirjian, Ph.D.
President
Yorktown University