In an era of specialization and technological innovation, is a liberal arts and sciences education still relevant for student success in the 21^st century?

A public forum titled "Serving the Public Good: A Campus-Community Dialogue on the Impact of the Liberal Arts and Sciences" will address why the liberal arts and sciences remain a critical component of an overall post secondary experience in an era of rapid change and globalization. The forum will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m., in the Pineries Room at the Portage County Public Library in downtown Stevens Point. The forum will be moderated by Lance R. Grahn, dean of the College of Letters and Science (L&S) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP). UWSP, L&S and the Wisconsin Humanities Council are sponsoring the forum, which is being held in conjunction with the Association of American Colleges and Universities "Liberal Education and America�s Promise" initiative. The campus and greater community are welcome to attend.

UWSP forum panelists will include Dan Dieterich, professor of English, David Gibbs, professor of computing, Michael Pagel, career specialist in Career Services, Rosanne Proite, assistant to the vice chancellor for student affairs, and Whitney Medo, a senior majoring in mathematics from Wisconsin Rapids who is serving as an honors intern in L&S this year. Each panelist will speak to the value of a liberal education from his or her own perspective.

"This conversation among members of the university and civic communities is a wonderful opportunity to explore together the value of the traditional arts and sciences in a new era of preparing students for success in an increasingly global economy," said Grahn. "We look forward to the discussion of UWSP�s liberal arts foundation and how that strength can even better serve the needs of central Wisconsin."