US education opens up new avenues for local students

Augustana College Director of International Admissions Liz Nino​

Past President of the Student Government Association at Augustana College and UNDP Program Analyst Madushika Lansakara

By Senuri de Silva

A top official from a leading liberal arts university in the USA visited Sri Lanka recently to meet with parents and students and to discuss the option of pursuing higher education in the US. 

Augustana College Director of International Admissions Liz Nino met with the Daily FT to discuss the learning experience offered by Augustana College situated along the Mississippi River in Rock Island Illinois, as well as the new ‘liberal arts’ approach to higher education which is becoming more popular among US students.

Liberal Arts in short, is a ‘holistic approach to education’. It aims to increase the future success rate of students by giving them an opportunity to explore their passions and interests.

She spoke of the holistic education they have to offer Sri Lankan students while pursuing their different interests using the example of a student interested in business saying, “We want you to understand how the intersections of business and science comes together, how the intersection of business and arts comes together and it really allows the students to navigate and not only get a job but a career that they’re passionate about.”

Liberal Arts education gives students the freedom to experience and discover new interests and the flexibility to pursue them. Understanding that students’ interests change as they grow from adolescents to adults, it avoids the pressure put on them to decide a career path right after ALs. It also supports students to grow outside the classroom through work experience and the development of soft skills.

Nino spoke about this dilemma often faced by students forced to make the crucial decision of picking a career so early on saying, “We believe that students shouldn’t specialise so early on and that it’s important for the student to develop critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, be able to work in teams – all of these are skill sets that you have to have outside the fundamentals of the academics of your program.”

UNDP Program Analyst Madushika Lansakara knows first-hand the benefit of the liberal arts education. She enjoyed her college years being encouraged to explore a range of interest which even included unusual choices outside her normal subjects such as a course on dinosaurs while graduating with majors in Psychology and French. Unusual combinations are not out of the ordinary among Sri Lankan liberal arts students who have even received degrees in biology and religion or economics and puppeteering. They are following their passion, “So they make it work,” Lansakara said illustrating the success these students continue to have, fuelled by a motivation and drive that can only come from following ones true passions.

Speaking on why so many Sri Lankan students love the idea of studying at US universities Nino added, “They love the idea of studying at our campuses and it’s not just because of the academic side. There is the personal growth where you change so much from adolescence to adulthood.”

 

Geared for success

Liberal Arts education is also geared to cater to the many expectations students have when pursuing their higher education from securing employment and following their degree with a Masters or PhD. Therefore Nino also pointed out how this holistic approach gives students a competitive edge in today’s job market saying, “It’s impossible for students to understand what jobs are out there. Jobs are constantly changing so we want them to have that adaptability too.”

According to her, Liberal Arts degrees are also widely popular with universities offering masters programs and students enjoy a higher acceptance rate due to the high standard of their education and the variety of experiences they bring to any classroom.

 

Maximum support

US colleges like Augustana are also geared to give students the maximum support to pursue their education. This comes in ways of scholarships as well as grants for top achievers and other opportunities to earn while gaining valuable work experience with lucrative internships.

The small classroom sizes and low student to faculty ratio ensures that students get the proper attention they need. Professors also get to know students on a more personal basis and use their networks to match students with internships that fit their career aspirations. The network of faculty and alumni are also committed to ensuring that students have the support they need to receive this well balanced education.

 

Parents’ perspective

Augustana College has partnered with Scholarships for USA Ltd. (SUSA), a local company inspired by the quest of parents, Priyanthi and Padmasena Dissakayake, on their search for proper higher education institutes for their own daughter in 2001. SUSA still follows this approach while securing education options for bright students of ‘average middle class families’. They maintain close relationships with these universities by personally visiting them to ensure their safety and to evaluate the student life experience. They have even taken the time to sit at lectures in order to gain first hand insight on the classroom experience offered by these institutions.

“If you can make your university affordable what we can offer you are students second to none, anywhere in the world,” Dissanayake recalled speaking of a promise they made to the Dean of such a university during a visit to such a university in order to negotiate affordable programs for Sri Lankan students.

 

Just like Peradeniya

According to Dissanayake the most immediately striking thing about the environment at Augustana University is its similarity to Sri Lanka’s own University of Peradeniya, known for is picturesque hill country landscapes. It is situated along the Mississippi River and Nino described its best of both worlds environment for student life saying, “Students are always shocked by how picturesque it is. You’re in an urban setting but you still have that campus environment.”

The university was founded in 1860 and is located in a scenic 115 acre wooded and hilly campus on the Mississippi river. With a student body of 2,500 (from 20 different countries) it offers 90 majors covering many areas of study.

Pix by Lasantha Kumara