Educating Enlightened Electors

This November, American voters will participate in one of the most important presidential elections of our time. At its core, the word “election” is defined as “the right, power or privilege of making a choice.” As a scientist and an educator, I am drawn to this lesser-known meaning of the word, which divorces it from conventional politics and links it to the idea that the power to make informed decisions is our most valuable privilege.

A photo of Dean Amber Miller

At USC Dornsife, students interact with renowned experts from every possible field of study. The classes students take afford them opportunities to discover which problems and challenges they feel strongly about and which approaches resonate most with their interests and talents. Students passionate about arresting climate change might pursue atmospheric science, nonprofit management or the history of environmental policy and movements, while those hoping to combat disease might study biological sciences, economics or literature (such as Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain) and criticism (Susan Sontag’s Illness as Metaphor). The liberal arts give students the capacity to serve as global citizens, expanding their minds to think analytically, flexibly and with a driving sense of curiosity.

At Columbia University, one of the most gratifying courses I taught was “Science, Politics and Critical Thinking.” This seminar challenged students to pull headline stories from the news and subject them to rigorous questioning using analytical tools practiced daily in the liberal arts and sciences. The key was not just to learn to draw one’s own conclusions, but to seek the truth, whether it agreed with one’s opinions or not. As dean of USC Dornsife, I am honored to lead this community of current and future thinkers, with the hope that ultimately the elections our students make will generate a stronger, more sustainable and more peaceful future.

Amber Miller
Dean of USC Dornsife
Anna H. Bing Dean’s Chair