I did not study the humanities because I knew what I wanted to do professionally. I was curious about myself, about my place in society, about the past, and about the nature of existence. These subjects led me to the UA Humanities Program, specifically to four courses, HUM 250 A-D. I still have my dog-eared books from these classes, and I pulled SELECTIONS FROM THE ESSAYS OF MONTAIGNE from the shelf to accurately quote a passage that I still recollect, and I hope one that is fitting for this Directory: "For it seems to me that the first lessons in which we should steep his (the student’s) mind must be those that regulate his behavior and his sense, that will teach him to know himself and to die well and to live well." From the same essay, "Of the Education of Children," Montaigne expressed a preference for tutors with "well-made rather than well-filled heads." I remember my able guide, Dr. Donna Swaim, who possessed both qualities. Perhaps one of the most overlooked reasons for pursing a degree in the humanities is to attempt to candidly understand one’s self. A career in any industry can be built on this.
