Whether you have an “International Relations” paper due Thursday or a “Microeconomics” midterm on Friday, it’s easy to overlook the value of creative expression. However, the benefits of engaging in art — whether it’s painting, sculpture, music or dance — deserve more serious consideration. Participation in the arts offers numerous advantages from fostering essential life skills — like collaboration, communication and problem-solving — to improving cognitive abilities and focus. Instituting more physical arts classes into the Georgetown University Core Curriculum would not only enhance students’ academic performance but also support personal growth, creativity and well-being.
During the fall semester of my first year at Georgetown, I decided to take “Acrylic I” — a decision that led to one of my favorite experiences here overall. After the first couple of classes, I could tell the environment was vastly different from the other classes I was taking. Unlike the competitive, individualistic nature often found in more traditional academic settings, the students in this course were eager to take risks, to experiment with techniques and to help one another.
The collaborative dynamic I experienced in the studio aligned with broader research on the social benefits of practicing physical art forms. Engaging in physical arts fosters crucial social skills such as collaboration, communication and teamwork. For instance, painting or sculpting in a shared studio space naturally fosters collaboration and mutual respect, while playing in an orchestra requires an aspect of teamwork and communication.
Moreover, according to a study conducted by Kelly Leroux, participation in the arts leads to increased civil engagement and social tolerance. This finding underscores the broader societal impact of arts education beyond just individual skill development. By placing students in less conventional learning environments, universities can cultivate essential interpersonal abilities that traditional classroom settings may not adequately address.
The practice of physical arts also enhances cognitive development by boosting memory and learning while also improving problem-solving skills. According to a study conducted by Northwestern University, musical training enhances auditory processing and improves attention, which in turn benefits language and reading skills. Another research study published in the Arts Education Policy Review demonstrates that engagement with the arts — especially visual arts — helps students develop the ability to think critically and solve complex problems. As these studies show, the arts complement traditional academic subjects, leading to well-rounded students who perform better in all areas of their education.
Any student who is familiar with the Georgetown Core may claim that this is the purpose of the “Humanities: Arts, Literature, and Culture” (HALC) requirement. As stated on Georgetown’s website, these classes are intended to serve an entirely different purpose. While the “HALC” requirement aims to encourage students to share findings with a wider audience and engage with different perspectives — undoubtedly important goals — not all of these classes provide students with the unique skills acquired through practicing physical art forms.
Rigorous academic institutions, like our university, often place a heavy emphasis on performance and grades. Thus, many students might feel anxious about being evaluated in physical art courses, especially if they don’t consider themselves “good” artists or if they lack prior experience. The fear of receiving a bad grade in an art class may discourage students from choosing physical art courses to fulfill their “HALC” requirement.
For these reasons, I propose making physical art classes for the “HALC” requirement pass/fail. In a pass/fail system, students wouldn’t be concerned with achieving perfection or meeting a subjective standard of excellence. Instead, they could focus on exploring their creativity and improving their skills. The value of arts education lies in the process of creation rather than the physical end product. Students should be encouraged to experiment, make mistakes and learn from those experiences. A pass/fail grading system would prioritize growth, effort and engagement, allowing students to take risks in their artistic endeavors without worrying about how it will impact their GPA.
It’s time for Georgetown to take the next step in developing the whole student, a principle embodied in the core value of cura personalis. Georgetown should seriously consider instituting more physical arts classes into their curriculum. By adding more art classes, the university would not only foster creativity and collaboration but also equip students with essential life skills that extend far beyond the classroom. It’s time to fully embrace the idea of cura personalis and ensure that every student has the opportunity to grow through creative expression.
Charlotte Hibbert is a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences.
