Focus on STEM education only, good or bad?

[pmangels17]

Firstly, it is imperative that we give students a well-rounded education. In my college education (albeit only one year so far), though I am an engineer by declaration, the most rewarding classes I have taken have been those that have challenged me to think in a new way about our world, and reconsider my personal stances. Those courses are economics, philosophy, and theology, not physics and math.

There is, however, an important note to make. These courses and types of experiences are not auxiliary to a STEM education, but rather central to becoming an engineer, scientist, mathematician, etc. Engineering isn't only about knowing what equation to plug in, it is about creative adaptations of known principles, and solving problems in interesting new ways. And then, once we have created something, as engineers we MUST be able to communicate our ideas clearly to others, and justify our means and motivations. STEM education is and will be central to our nation's growth for decades, but it is not the only discipline we need.