The researcher began by asking each administrator, from the area of the college
that they represented, what their developmental goals for students were. Edmonds began
and immediately referenced the educational philosophy statement, Liberation to Lead:
Well, I take a lot of my cues from the college’s statement of purpose, which is
entitled Liberation to Lead and that captures two broad sets of goals we have for
our students. The freedom part has to do with the classic aims of a liberal
education, which is to develop in students both the skills and knowledge to free
them from ignorance but it includes teaching them things like critical thinking and
effective writing and effective oral communication and so on. And much of that is
the agenda for the formal curriculum, although some of that happens outside the
formal curriculum, too. And the other piece is the purpose, and that has to do
with, what do you use your knowledge and skills for? Here at [McFeely] we
encourage students to think about more than just themselves and more than just
their careers but to think about how they can help others and make a difference in
the world. And that agenda is played out across the college. There is some in the
academic program, particularly service-learning courses, but there’s an awful lot
that goes on in Student Affairs and in the chaplain’s office.