Dr. Craig Miller

I was drawn to the challenge and rewards of teaching history and political science to non-majors. The unique majors at Penn College draw students from a wide variety of backgrounds with varied experiences which makes every class singular.

History is a discipline that encourages critical thinking and helps students develop better questioning skills. It is a common trope that history repeats itself or that history occurs in cycles; I do not think either of these beliefs are correct because history is about choices and the consequence of the choices people make. The point of studying history is not to look for patterns or cycles, but to ask questions people in the past did not in order to develop better lines of inquiry in the present. The more we learn to question our assumptions and think through our choices in the workplace, our communities and our personal lives, the better off we all will be.

One of the benefits of Penn College is that students get the opportunity to not only specialize and get hands-on training in their desired field, but they get to explore different perspectives that will help them not only be top-notch practitioners, but the next generation of innovators. Our general education core encourages students to utilize a variety of perspectives: social and natural science, history, art, global and cultural diversity, so they can approach their chosen field from a variety of viewpoints. The ability to appreciate and integrate diverse perspectives enables students to get the most out of their education and become more community-minded about the profession they are so passionate about.

Penn College, in my opinion, is the model for the future of higher education because it blends hands-on technical training with a strong foundation in liberal arts. Four-year degrees in history or political science will not translate into a gainful career without graduate education, but that does not mean the study of those disciplines is without merit or utility. Penn College appreciates the value added to its programs by general education and encourages students to investigate the connections between these disciplines and their programs with flexible curriculums that allow students to explore.

Be skeptical of everything. We live in a world of unprecedented access to information and are witnessing the democratization of information in ways unlike anything before. When information is democratized, meaning the sources of information do not only flow top-down from “experts” to the people, but now equally flow from the people, we get exposed to a vast cacophony of new and previously marginalized voices. While this is a welcome development, it also comes with risks—chief among them is that the platforms information travels on are largely unregulated, which means almost anyone with an internet connection can share their perspective. This also means there is an increasing amount of propaganda out there. In my opinion, the only defense against propaganda is an educated and skeptical populace.

I begin every class with a current events discussion. It gives students an opportunity to ask questions on topics they are curious about and share opinions on what is happening in their communities and the broader world. I use these discussions as launching points to make connections to the past. With this approach, the material we cover is more relevant and applicable to their world.