Moraine Park Technical College Blog - Imagine What's Next
  • Moraine Park Technical College
    • Login
Moraine Park Technical College Blog - Imagine What's Next
General Education

Are You a Hedgehog or a Fox?

Red Fox - Vulpes vulpes, sitting up at attention, direct eye contact, a little snow in its face, tree bokeh in background

Greek poet Archilochus stated, “the fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.”

Let me elaborate on this parable as it relates to a Moraine Park Technical College education, career, learning and life.

It is impossible to know everything, so most of us find an area of interest and become very good at one thing. Perhaps, as a plumber, electrician, nurse, accountant, cosmetologist, etc.

We are a hedgehog, a singular point of expertise and discipline. The hedgehog specializes in areas that they enjoy and produce value for others and makes a living for self and family and it spills over into the community. The skills of a hedgehog are focus, precision, reliability, tenacity, purpose, and completion. Hedgehogs take pride in their work. Technical College education offers this focus.

hedgehog

What value does the fox offer? The fox knows many things that may be connected or not. Curiosity is a favorite trait of the fox. Always looking for new ways to find solutions to complex issues, figuring out problems that did not exist before, taking a different point of view than the majority, questioning why and how things can be improved. The fox knows how to communicate well with others, understands trade-offs, values diversity of thought and ideas, works with uncertainty when things change, knows that ethical dilemmas exist, adopts and values team dynamics, can make computations and thinks critically. These skills are for careers, life and relationships. Thus, the need for the General Education courses offered at a technical college.

The primary focus and credits earned at a technical college education is a major or trade and becoming great at one thing, hedgehog, but the fox knows how to continue to learn, self-improve and contribute to a complex and changing society with General Education skills.

Both expertise is needed for tomorrow’s opportunities and challenges. Read more about General Education and the different programs offered at Moraine Park.

August 23, 2019by Joseph Halter

Follow us on social media

Categories

Achievement Administration Adult Education Alumni Auto & Transportation Business Career Center Clubs & Organizations College Communications Community Engagement Construction and Renovations Cosmetology Criminal Justice Culinary & Foods District Board Diversity Early Childhood Education ELL EWD Faculty and Staff Fair Trade Financial Aid Foundation General Education Graphics and Design Health Careers & Wellness Hired Before Graduation Human Services International Education IT & Web Manufacturing Marketing Natural Resources NEWERA New Student Welcome NTO Phi Theta Kappa Service Learning Student Life Student Services & Support Throwbacks Trades Uncategorized Veterans Video

RSS From our Newsroom

Recent Comments

  • Nancy Esposito on Culinary Students Hold “Chopped” competition
  • Mary Vogl-Rauscher on Passing on the Warmth
  • Kim Schwamn on Moraine Park Students Donate to Operation Christmas Child
  • Beau Gellings on EWD Welding Instructor – Dan Zoschke
  • Mike Gradinjan on Keeping the Lights On- Brad Hetzel
  • Becky Melo on Culinary’s Egg Bread Recipe!
  • Mary Koffman on Culinary’s Egg Bread Recipe!

Latest Tweets

  • Parents, we know your summer schedules fill up fast. Now is the time to register your child for Tech Knowledge Coll… https://t.co/VA9NzRSQmT12 days ago
  • Only one week until the start of the spring semester! Here a few tips that will help ensure a successful semester:… https://t.co/2hFG2rCTyQ14 days ago
  • Would you consider yourself a technology enthusiast? Let’s take your love of technology and turn into to a rewardin… https://t.co/7NFm5o87SM17 days ago

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

"Growing minds, businesses and communities through innovative learning experiences."

© 2021 copyright Moraine Park Technical College // All rights reserved //
imagine what's next