Employers constantly tell us that our graduates bring unique and valuable qualities to the workplace. What are these qualities that we hear about, again and again? Collectively, we call them “The ‘Why?’ Advantage,” and here is one explanation of how this advantage plays out:
A good employee masters procedures quickly, asking “What do we do, and how can I do it well?” But a great employee examines preexisting assumptions, asking “Why do we do it, and how can we do it better?” This “Why?” advantage is the St. John’s difference: our college develops in students the skill of asking the most important, and often overlooked, questions before coming to conclusions.
This precision of thought means that Johnnies are rarely satisfied with the accepted answers. Instead, they provide fresh insight in a hyper-complex world; independent analysis in markets overwhelmed by “groupthink;” and wisdom that develops from 3,000 years of multidisciplinary exploration and knowledge.
Together, these qualities are what the future demands—and where Johnnies’ competitive advantage lies. St. John’s graduates have gone on to become Pulitzer-winning journalists, finance CEOs, tech entrepreneurs, healthcare executives, vaccine researchers, winemakers, architects, school founders, and much more.