Appreciation for Liberal Arts

Andrew Bernard ’83 is a Geneva College Trustee and professional accountant for Anderson Tax in Philadelphia. Although the knowledge he gained from the business courses greatly impacts his day-to-day work, a recent experience inspired him to share his lifelong gratitude for the liberal arts education he received at Geneva.

Bernard and his wife experienced the fruits of the liberal arts background during a visit to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. One of the most famous museums in the world, the Uffizi Gallery hosts works of art by great Italian artists such as Botticelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

“We spent the day walking around looking at the art on the walls,” he remembers. “The words of my humanities professors came flooding back to my wife and me as we looked at the beautiful art that we had studied at Geneva. Here we were, in person, taking in all these beautiful original pieces we could truly appreciate. It was breathtaking!”

Adoration of the Magi (Gentile da Fabriano) Source: Wikipedia

The application he experienced of this liberal arts knowledge gives Bernard a new, enriched perspective on the world around him and influences his interactions. “You take the art all in and remember all that you learned about the pieces. Two inparticular stood out to me: Adoration of the Magi by da Frabriano, which portrays the path of the three Magi, and Lorenzetti ‘s Presentation at the Temple with Madonna, Child and Simeon the Righteous.”

And this experience is just one example of the many times Bernard has appreciated the liberal arts foundation Geneva provides. “To study the humanities, and then to experience them in person, is well worth the liberal arts education at Geneva,” said Bernard.

However, Bernard says that he did not fully value the benefits of his core classes as a student: “At the time, I didn’t appreciate them.” But their benefits soon become apparent after graduation, and his background in humanities has helped him immensely throughout his career.

“Being an international accountant, I work with clients every day outside of the tax world,” he says. “I realized that these were the kinds of things you use in real life. I may work with taxes, but I engage with people.”

Presentation at the Temple (Ambrogio Lorenzetti) Source: Wikipedia

Dr. Jeff Cole, Chair of the Department of Core Studies, further clarifies Geneva’s commitment to liberal arts studies. “Geneva's core curriculum provides a solid foundation for helping students become more human and all that God intends for us to be,” he explains. “It is in this collection of classes that we engage some of the most important questions of life and try to be sure that students possess the fundamental skills that should mark the educated person.”

Classes that comprise Geneva’s common core include three Bible courses, Political Science and four courses in Humanities. The curriculum includes elements of history, philosophy, literature and art while seeking to answer deep questions about life and truth.

-Brett Williams ’16