Closing Argument
by President John E. Jones III '77, P'11
Every college president brings their life experiences with them when they take office. So it was for me, when I rather unexpectantly took this post in summer 2021. Many presidents come from academia, but of course, I did not. Still, my work as a lawyer, a member of a governor’s senior team and a federal judge have helped me be a better president.
At the beginning of each year, it is appropriate for us to apply laser focus to the task of enrolling the next great class of Dickinson students. I have taken to referring to myself as the “promoter in chief,” and to that end I spend considerable time both on and off campus speaking to prospective students and their families. During my time in the law, particularly as a trial lawyer, I learned that cases could be won or lost based on the quality of a lawyer’s closing argument. This is also true in the highly competitive world of college admissions. Given that apt analogy and in concert with our great admissions and marketing team members, I carefully curate what I call my closing argument to our prospective students and their families.
The terrific students we seek to enroll are facing some of the most daunting issues in generations. They live in a tumultuous world that has seen almost constant wars, the rise of AI and a roiling economy that imperils their ability to find good jobs. What then could I say that would resonate during this perilous time?
The central theme of my message was this: Dickinson College prepares you for what comes next. I recently read that 70% of the skill sets needed for jobs in the current economy will be obsolete by 2030—the very year our incoming class will graduate. Our task is to ensure that our students are literate, intellectually facile, forward-looking critical thinkers who can adjust to a world that is changing at the speed of light. The development of these skills is at the core of Dickinson’s world-class liberal-arts curriculum.
It is no secret that Fortune 500 corporations across the globe are seeking liberal-arts graduates. Our broad-based curriculum produces lifelong learners, leaders who are unafraid to tackle difficult problems and who know how to tell a story. On that last point, no matter how much AI permeates our world, the liberal-arts graduate who can distill its product into something that truly resonates with humans will always be in demand.
I believe that the liberal arts is enjoying a justified renaissance. In fact, I posit that the best way to AI-proof your job prospects is to acquire the kind of muscular liberal-arts education that Dickinson has provided for centuries. Gone are the days when our graduates would enjoy the stability of a single job for all their work lives. They will likely have many, and they will be ready for the first and last of those jobs because of the passionate work of our faculty, who remain our superpower.
You, our graduates, know these things better than anyone. What would your closing argument be?
Read more from the spring 2026 issue of Dickinson Magazine.
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Published June 9, 2026