Pursuing Purpose on the Christian Liberal Arts Campus: Dialogic Education and Vocational Conversations

Abstract

What role can liberal arts faculty at Christian colleges and universities play in helping their students discern and pursue a sense of purpose in a complex and changing marketplace? In an uncertain and challenging economy, students in the humanities and social sciences often struggle to find a sense of vocational purpose. Using Arnett's (1992) understanding of dialogic education as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this article is to complement and extend research on students’ vocational discernment by reflecting on how liberal arts professors at Christian colleges can contribute to their students’ discernment through vocational conversations. In a manner that resonates strongly with the concerns of a Christian campus, Arnett's vision of dialogic education frames higher education as a conversation centered on content and being constantly attuned to the development of character. After defining the nature and scope of vocational conversations in relation to Arnett's understanding of dialogic education, I suggest the metaphors of ressourcement, relationship, and resilience as offering coordinates that can assist faculty in engaging students in vocational conversations in both the classroom and more informal settings. In the concluding section, I examine implications for additional research and reflection.