Students and scholars from Christian colleges will gather on the campus of Grove City College for the 12th Intercollegiate Colloquium on the Liberal Arts this month.
The three-day event will focus on the idea of humility and feature breakout sessions, keynote speakers, and a chance to build intercollegiate community as the participants learn, discuss, and think about one big idea and its implications.
The Oct. 20 to 23 colloquium is sponsored by the student honorary society Lux Mea, an organization designed to facilitate fellowship among students and faculty from all disciplines curious about pursuing the highest things.
“The colloquium is designed to bring together like-minded students and faculty from Christian liberal arts colleges, to read, ponder and discuss questions that our modern world ignores or dismisses – questions of first importance in knowing and living out a humane existence,” Dr. Andrew Mitchell, associate professor of History and Lux Mea adviser, said.
It is the biggest colloquium to date, Mitchell said. “Sixty-seven students are participating, together with eight visiting faculty members. They come from 11 different colleges and universities and seven states in the Union, stretching from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico,” he said.
“It is my hope that by focusing on fundamental issues of our common humanity and by learning, laughing and being together, we might strengthen one another ‘as iron sharpens iron,’ enabling students and faculty from every school to live more richly and joyfully as Christians in the 21st century,” Mitchell said.
Visiting students and faculty come from schools including Waynesburg University, Messiah College, Houghton College, Mount Vernon Nazarene, Regent University Union University, and New College Franklin.
In addition to guest faculty and Grove City College professors, the colloquium features remarks by Wolverine football Coach Andrew DiDonato ’10 and a keynote address by Nate Shurden, senior pastor of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, Franklin, Tenn. Shurden’s talk at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 will be livestreamed at www.gcc.edu/livestream.
“The colloquium demonstrates to students the real purpose of a liberal arts education. It’s not about your grade-point average, and it’s not about getting a well-paying job. Rather, it’s about attaining an understanding about who we are as humans, learning how to act wisely and preparing us to live virtuous lives that glorify God and bless our neighbors,” Mitchell said.