In such courses, students learn that knowledge is connected in often unexpected ways. The level of sophistication that such courses require has a profound impact on the intellectual environment here. Colorado College alumni report that their experiences in interdisciplinary studies have served them well. They have learned to work collaboratively. Most importantly, they see the complexity of issues, avoiding the trap of thinking that there is a simple solution.
Faculty also benefit enormously from interdisciplinary work.
Through collaborations across boundaries, they have created a lively intellectual community that brings these seemingly distant specializations in closer cooperation. It's a form of faculty development that encourages risk-taking and promotes intellectual growth. Let me give just one example of what this has meant. Almost 30 years ago, a group of faculty members in the arts and humanities developed a new vision of interdisciplinary study in the arts. They placed themselves and their students at the intersections of the traditional disciplines of music, drama, art history, philosophy, film study, and so on.