Westminster celebrates inauguration of new president

"He's lived the dream, and he wants to make sure other students have that opportunity," he said.

Levin-Stankevich said keeping costs for students low is particularly important in today's economic climate, where the value of education — particularly liberal arts — has come under fire.

Tuition at Westminster is higher than at the state's public colleges and universities, but Levin-Stankevich said nearly 90 percent of students receive some form of financial aid, which contributes to graduate indebtedness being comparable to other Utah schools.

He also said he was encouraged by the number of speakers at Gov. Gary Herbert's Education Summit last week who talked about the strengths and advantages of liberal arts, as well as the general commitment to investing in education through the Prosperity 2020 initiative.

The vision at Westminster, Levin-Stankevich said, is to stress learning more than teaching and focus on outcomes. Preparing students to work in a particular field is only part of a comprehensive education, he said.

"So much of the national dialogue these days has focused on one aspect of college and that's preparing you for a career," Levin-Stankevich said. "It shouldn't just prepare you for a job. It should prepare you for a lifetime of jobs that are going to change and to which you're going to need to adapt."

E-mail: benwood@desnews.com