Fueled by right-wing leaders, a growing discontent for intellectuals and academics is brewing among Americans. According to the Pew Research Center, around 60% of Americans in 2019 said higher education was “going in the wrong direction” and nearly 40% said that colleges have a negative impact on our country. Academics and intellectuals are increasingly seen as elites who distort truth and have little in common with the majority of America.
Although this populist anti-truth movement is baseless and harmful to our democracy, the feelings that sparked it are not hard to trace. Isolated places of study for the liberal arts can be seen as a breeding ground for elites who have no connection to the real world. When considering the economic and geographic isolation of Furman, it is clear why Americans are supporting figures who disavow intellectuals.
Furman, while offering an excellent education in many ways, shelters students, many of whom have already been sheltered their entire lives by familial wealth. The median household income among Furman students in 2017 was $181,500, with 71% of students coming from the top 20% of wealthiest families, according to the New York Times. In comparison, according to the United States Census Bureau, the median household income for people in the Upstate was $74,624, nearly two-thirds less. The typical Furman student has lived without the same economic realities and struggles of the average Greenvillian. This economic disparity can breed a lack of understanding and compassion that is exacerbated by our isolated campus.
Furman’s current campus is gated and nestled in a small residential area. Although the area is nice, American suburbia does not bring community identity in the same way that urban or even rural areas do. Suburbia brings homogeneity and safety that limits connection across difference. This geographic isolation separates students from the lower-income communities that form a vital part of the Upstate.
A strong connection to our community is vastly beneficial to us as students. A study on the interactions between mental health and our sense of community found that community connection gives people something to care about and a network of support. It also increases the visibility of the pressing issues that pervade our communities. Exposing oneself to a variety of perspectives is a key part of the educational process, and an ability to connect with and relate to diverse people will not only make you a well-rounded person but also a capable negotiator and communicator.
The disconnect of language and culture, which can be seen at Furman, is symptomatic of our greater societal division: the working class and the elites. To create change, we need to take intentional steps to integrate Furman with Upstate communities.
Though many campus organizations have these actions as their mission, for most students, this type of engagement is easily avoided. Community engagement should be promoted much more by our university communications, if not through implementing something like a required service credit. The Cultural Life Program already provides students with a non-classroom graduation requirement, so expanding this program into more community education or involvement initiatives is possible.
A less extreme alternative is a large-scale push by Furman students to be more active in their communities. Through community service, students can engage with diverse communities, make meaningful connections and create change. Supporting local art and theater and attending community events can also expose students to new perspectives.
Our university is designed in a way that isolates students from the surrounding community. Furman and its students have a responsibility to remedy this situation by more intentionally making connections outside of the Furman bubble.