Provost's Office

Dr. Constance Rogers-Lowery, College Provost

Welcome to Catawba College! As the chief academic officer, I hope that you have found an academic program at Catawba that is both a personal interest of yours as well as one that will challenge you for your future.

As a faculty member at Catawba since 2006, I recognize the value that our institution gives to helping prepare Catawba students to reach their highest potential, and that starts with the first line of our mission statement: that we will provide an education "rich in personal attention that blends the knowledge and competencies of liberal studies with career preparation."

In today's working environment, employers are seeking college graduates who excel in key areas: communication skills, critical thinking, analytical problem-solving, and leadership and team work. It is our faculty's mission to provide academic programs that prepare Catawba students not just for their first job after graduation, but for the job that our graduates will retire from.

One example of this philosophy of bringing the qualities of the liberal arts together with career preparation is a document that the faculty endorsed overwhelmingly regarding a "liberal education" for Catawba graduates. The main point is expressed in the following statement:

"A liberal education unifies the ideas of liberal arts education and professional education into one overarching educational philosophy; it draws on the strengths and distinctive aspects of both the liberal arts and professional studies in preparing today's college students for success in their future pursuits. By intentionally combining and merging the qualities and characteristics of what Catawba College has often thought of as liberal studies and career preparation, a Catawba liberal education will prepare graduates who embody common hallmarks: knowledge of the cultural, natural, physical, and societal dimensions of our world; proficiency in communication; ability to think critically and creatively; ability to apply analytical and problem-solving capabilities; possession of moral and ethical reasoning in their decision-making; and knowledge of what it means to be a citizen at the local and global level. These can be viewed as the broad key learning outcomes of a liberal education, which ultimately is a Catawba education."

Along with the entire faculty, I hope that you, as a prospective or current student, will realize these qualities in your educational experience at Catawba. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about what makes a Catawba education one that prepares individuals for a life of learning possibilities