I’m all for a business major at Wheaton College.
I understand that, like most things, a new department will only be successful if the entire process is done correctly. I’m not worried about that, though. One thing Wheaton has consistently excelled at since I’ve been here is providing excellent academic programs. In the haze of housing crises and administrative quibbles, I think this gets overlooked.
I am excited for the possibility of a new department at Wheaton College filled with dedicated scholars, especially if that department is anything like the department I am in. The Department of History at Wheaton College is absolutely fantastic—my professors are stellar, I’ve learned so much, and I truly feel like I am a part of a productive, close-knit academic community.
I understand that, unlike history, business and finance are not traditional, liberal arts-sy fields of study. I guess what I’d ask to anyone who uses that as an argument against a business major this question: so what? Why should we practice conventionalism at a school that prides itself on out-of-the-box thinking? A major in business will draw a new group of students to our school, which is good for admissions. Students will be able to study business alongside traditional liberal arts disciplines, which will only increase the amount of options Wheaton students will have after graduation.
Of course, you know all of this stuff, dear reader. Still, it bears repeating. I think a business major is an exciting proposition, and I look forward to hearing the results of the faculty vote. To be fair, I’m also the type of person who finds the religious history of medieval France interesting, but I really think a potential business major is a little more important to our entire campus than Carolingian History. It’s an example of Wheaton leaders thinking critically about the future of our school.