“What are you going to do with that?” is the question that haunts so many humanities curious students and the parents who love them. We sit down with Curry College faculty Lindsay Illick and Robert Smid to unpack why humanities majors have declined, what families are really anxious about, and why a new approach called applied humanities is gaining momentum.

We dig into what the humanities actually are: the study of how humans create meaning, value, and purpose. Then we make it concrete. We talk about narrative as a real workplace skill, from understanding stakes and audience to spotting the power dynamics behind whose stories get heard. We connect that to ethics, where the hard part isn’t memorizing “right answers” but learning how to defend decisions that affect communities, culture, and the common good.

You’ll also hear practical examples from the classroom, like using curation and archiving to reveal what institutions value and who gets access. Along the way, we tackle the “career anxiety” behind choosing a major, the reality of changing careers over a lifetime, and why critical thinking and ethical reasoning may be even more valuable in an AI shaped future.

If you’re in the college admissions process, you’ll leave with smarter questions to ask on tours and a clearer way to talk about humanities skills in resumes and interviews. Subscribe, share this with a parent or student who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find the conversation.

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
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The summer between high school and college isn't just busy—it's a profound transition that transforms both students and parents. This emotional crossroads, where students are "no longer" in high school but "not yet" in college, demands navigation through unfamiliar territory. We did a bit of a turn for this episode as Lynn interviewed Vicki about her new E-book, The Summer Before College: A Parent's Survival Guide from Deposit to Move-In. The book is a comprehensive guide that walks parents step-by-step through the entire senior summer timeline. From the Deposit to the tearful (or celebratory!) drive home after Move-in Day, the book offers a roadmap for parents feeling overwhelmed by this transitional period. In this episode we talk about the crucial shift parents must make from caretakers to coaches, how to guide without controlling, support without hovering, and listen without immediately jumping to advice-giving. The conversation explores specific strategies for developing these skills, including thoughtful questions to ask your student and communication techniques that foster independence while maintaining connection.

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
• Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral
• Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social
• Sign up for our newsletter for ongoing information

Based on an article that Elizabeth wrote recently, Vicki and Elizabeth sat down to talk about the importance of transparency in conversations with your student. Elizabeth brings her LD expertise and discusses how to help your student understand their disabilities and why this understanding can help them advocate for themselves and have more confidence. As she often does, Vicki sees this advice as important for all students (with and without disabilities) so we discuss the importance of the language parents use, the amount and type of support they provide, and how to encourage students to advocate for themselves. You know your student’s needs best, but we encouraged parents to have direct and meaningful conversations with their student.

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
• Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral
• Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social
• Sign up for our newsletter for ongoing information