My second essay, titled “The Liberal Arts and Citizenship: What Truly Makes a Citizen Valuable?” delves into the conversation of the value of a liberal arts degree in terms of financial backgrounds and yielding productive citizens. I question what truly makes a citizen productive, and if it is dependent on the degree (or lack thereof) that determines true citizenship. My argument is that financial circumstances are a true factor in considering a liberal arts education; this degree does not define the value of a citizen. Prospective students who come from lower income families realistically have a difficult time affording a liberal arts degree, and the Return on Investment is not very attractive. I use a combination of textual and anecdotal evidence to support my claim, relating both to the audience and integrating my personal experience. This essay puts the textual evidence from Jeffrey Scheuer and Sanford Ungar into conversation with my opinion and the reality of pursuing a liberal arts degree for lower income students. I learned how to experiment with many new techniques in this essay, which is why I chose to Showcase it. Below are both the Rough and Final drafts of this essay.
- Rough Draft
- Final Draft
