Mad About Midd Skillz to pay the billz

Author: Dave Barker

A recent Associated Press headline grabbed my attention at Atwater Dining Hall the other day, "College students lacking skills." I thought I would finally be reading an in-depth analysis of the lame, 2 a.m. pick-up line heard at McCullough on Saturday nights, "Shoot, I forgot my access card. Could you walk me back?" But "No" instead of addressing the lack of game nationwide, the article spoke of an issue worthy of shame. Over 50 percent of students at four-year schools struggle to perform complex literacy tasks like understanding credit card offers or comparing the cost per ounce of food.

While Middlebury students can be trusted with calculating the cost per ounce of more liquid foods, namely those high in malt and hops, most of us will graduate intellectually skewed, our brains wired for understanding narrative theory and the Phillips curve instead of knowing when to use a Phillips screwdriver. A liberal arts education leaves us illiterate when it comes to performing routine, life-long tasks that await us as we hobble away from graduation, leaning on Gamaliel Painter's cane.

J-Term workshops and classes give students needed support - one can learn to repair a bicycle, write a business plan, or more importantly, play the Celtic fiddle. Unfortunately, these classes are not included in tuition and are offered at a time when the Green Mountains exert their magnetic force or when some students are off campus pursuing internships. Let's face it, Middlebury needs a ninth distribution requirement, which I call Skillz (SKZ). The following classes fulfill the Skillz requirement.

Economics for those who don't receive the Wall Street Journal in their campus mailbox

Focusing on investment strategies and the art of bargaining in third world countries, this new addition to the economics department lets you leave the calculator at home. In-depth research projects include how to get a tax refund regardless of whether you pay taxes and the New York real estate market: why you'll never be able to afford more than a studio apartment.

Craftsmanship: Skills that will wean your dependency on big box stores

This course is ideal for students who have never pounded a nail beyond a late-night game of Stump. You'll bypass the bookstore for the lumber yard and finish with a fine collection of homemade items like a bar, coffee table, and mahogany bookshelf for showing off your collection of political science tomes. A craftsmanship senior seminar will be offered for those who had the laundry service throughout their four years and have questions about powder vs. liquid and drying temperatures.

Street smarts: Why knowing how to make a GIS map doesn't mean you won't get lost on the subway

Paying particular focus to students who might leave rural Vermont and live in the city one day, this course improves urban savvy and "street cred." You'll learn why an umbrella beats GORE-TEX and how to get on a guest list. One afternoon will be given to the proper folding technique of a daily newspaper when in crammed, public transportation environments.

With a Skillz requirement, that Painter cane will feel a little more sturdy. Now, if only I could make out the fine print on my Visa statement.