I read a great Wall Street Journal article this weekend that profiles Steve Jobs.  The article brought back my own memories of purchasing my first Mac computer in the late 1980s. I distinctly recall lugging that computer between my home in Arizona and college in Ohio whenever I had to write major research papers.  The machine got me through my senior thesis on ethics and US nuclear policy, and, more importantly, got me hooked on what technology could do for me as a historian. 

The genius of Steve Jobs has been highly commented upon in the wake of his resignation from Apple.  For educators, his contributions offer us many lessons.  He is a model of innovation. He courageously took risks.  He brought about numerous revolutions in the field of technology, and, ultimately, in human culture.  It is so rare when one person is responsible for this kind of epic change.

The article quotes Steve Jobs from a 2010 address that really leapt out at me:
"It's in Apple's DNA that technology alone is not enough. It's technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing."

At Colorado Academy, our mission in the liberal arts and sciences is broad. We seek to develop a high level of understanding, but also help students see the interconnectedness of different academic fields.  We know that a focus on STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) is critical for the future success of our students.  But, Steve Jobs reminds us of the importance and relevance of the humanities and arts.  There is interesting work going on at Colorado Academy that works on breaking down the walls that separate various academic disciplines.  Steve Jobs impels us to keep working at it and to never overlook how important the arts and humanities are for success in our modern world.

Here's a link to the article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904875404576532342684923826.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_editorsPicks_2