Expanding the Boundaries of Learning: Greg Swinehart’s MLA Journey
After a career in engineering and business, Greg Swinehart turned to the MLA to explore new intellectual horizons.
As artificial intelligence reshapes education and the workforce, Felix Quayson is asking a pressing question: how can people stay relevant in such a changing world? With a career spanning science of education, workforce development, and higher education leadership, Felix came to the University of Chicago’s Master of Liberal Arts program not to start over, but to think bigger—about technology, human judgment, and what meaningful preparation for the future of work now demands.
We spoke with Felix about his experience in the MLA and how his research connects education, technology, and the future of work.
Having already earned a graduate degree, what inspired you to pursue another graduate degree, and why did the MLA’s interdisciplinary structure stand out to you?
Felix: We are in a different era. Our society right now is run by artificial intelligence and the internet, and with artificial intelligence come many complex problems for our society. I see the world moving toward a two-tier system: those who are competent in AI and know how to use it, and those who have no idea what AI is capable of.
I started thinking about this several years ago and realized that if I went back to school, I wanted to pursue a degree aligned with the current moment and the challenges we will face in the workforce. When I came across the MLA program at the University of Chicago, especially the concentration in Tech and Society, it immediately stood out to me.
For me, the liberal arts are where we develop the skills needed to remain human in the era of AI. They create the space to ask what it means to think critically, to understand ideas, and to consider how I can apply this work in my field. That interdisciplinary perspective is what drew me to the MLA.
Your work has often been at the intersection of education and technology. How do you see the MLA opening up new ideas or perspectives for you beyond that focus?
Felix: What I appreciate about the MLA is that it connects so many different areas of thinking. My work focuses on education, technology, and workforce development, but the interdisciplinary nature of the program allows me to think about these areas together rather than separately.
The liberal arts provide a conceptual mindset that helps us think through the complexities of technology and society. Through the MLA, I am able to look at how these issues intersect across communities, careers, and educational systems. It allows me to borrow ideas from different disciplines and bring them together to better understand how individuals can prepare themselves for the future.
As an Assistant Professor of Practice at Texas State University, this perspective also helps me think about how I can help students position themselves for the future. The MLA encourages us to ask bigger questions and to examine problems from multiple angles, which is incredibly valuable when thinking about technological change and the future of work.
What drew you to your MLA thesis, and what are you hoping to discover through it?
Felix: My MLA thesis focuses on career development and the role of micro-credentials. Micro-credentials are short-term, competency-based forms of education that help individuals develop skills in a focused area.
One of the things I see in the world right now is that many people have degrees but do not necessarily have the skills employers are looking for. Micro-credentials can help address that gap by allowing individuals to develop specific competencies that align with career pathways.
What interests me most is how these credentials can help individuals achieve career security. Job security is becoming more uncertain, but if people continue to build skills and demonstrate competencies, they can position themselves more effectively in the workforce.
My goal with this research is not only to study these systems academically but also to think about how they can help people. I want my work to contribute to solutions that help individuals navigate the future of work and build meaningful careers.
You recently took Bob Martin’s Human Evolution course. What stood out about that experience, and how did it shape your perspective on learning and inquiry?
Felix: Professor Martin’s Human Evolution course was one of the most intellectually challenging and rewarding courses I have ever taken. The course required us to engage deeply with research articles and scientific evidence while thinking critically about human origins and evolutionary biology.
What stood out to me most was how the course encouraged us to interrogate ideas. We were expected to read extensively, develop thoughtful questions, and connect ideas across different sources of evidence. That process really changed the way I approach learning.
The course reflects what I believe is central to the University of Chicago’s intellectual culture. You cannot come to the University of Chicago and not think critically. The program pushes you to examine ideas more deeply and to ask better questions.
Even with multiple advanced degrees already behind me, the experience helped me rethink how I approach scholarship, research, and learning. I’m really grateful for Professor Martin’s guidance and the depth he brought to the course.
Looking back on your career and studies, how do you hope the MLA curriculum will influence the way you approach your work and your thinking today?
Felix: My career has focused on education science, workforce development, and what I call credentials of value. This includes degrees, certificates, industry certifications, micro-credentials, badges, and apprenticeships, different ways people can develop skills and prepare for careers.
As I mentioned earlier, I currently teach at Texas State University in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies. In this role, I work closely with students as they think through their career pathways and educational goals. One of the most rewarding parts of my work is mentoring students and supporting them as they pursue and achieve their ambitions.
Seeing students grow from the beginning of their academic journey to the point where they are pursuing graduate programs, fellowships, or professional careers is incredibly meaningful to me.
The MLA continues to shape how I think about these efforts. It strengthens my ability to think across disciplines and to consider how education, technology, and society intersect. At a time when technological change is transforming the workforce, these perspectives are more important than ever.
For me, the MLA is part of a lifelong commitment to learning. Every stage of my academic journey has led to new questions and new ideas, and the MLA allows me to continue exploring those questions while contributing to conversations about the future of education and work.
Felix’s experience reflects the depth of inquiry and commitment to ideas at the heart of the MLA experience. Alongside a long-standing career in education and workforce development, he continues to pursue new questions with intention and rigor, most recently publishing six chapters in the book Occupational Training in the Future of Work. His journey offers a compelling example of how the MLA can support students in deepening their expertise and engage meaningfully with interdisciplinary study.
If you’re interested in exchanging and sharpening your ideas across multiple disciplines, take our quiz to find out if the MLA is right for you.
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