This is the best time of the year at the University of Colorado – commencement season – and it gets me thinking about the essence of a university like ours.

We play a critical role in preparing our graduates for their lives after college. Part of that means providing them with the skills they need to excel in their field. We also have an obligation to meet the important workforce needs of Colorado and beyond, and to collaborate with industry to anticipate future needs. Yet a college education entails much more than workforce preparedness. It involves the life of the mind, and of the heart.

We aim to help our students further develop as human beings – giving them the opportunity to build upon the foundation they bring to the university. We do so in part by fulfilling the promise on which CU was founded nearly a century and a half ago, that of a well-rounded education. This adds depth even for those pursuing specialized training in fields such as engineering, healthcare, law, business and aerospace, among others. It’s exemplified for me every time I watch CU Boulder’s marching band at sporting events; most marching band members are in fact non-music majors.

The arts and creative works play a critical role, not just in education but in society. They add value in immeasurable ways. There are many great examples across CU’s campuses of exemplary programs and initiatives. At CU Denver, the stellar all-female a cappella group, Lark, performs on campus and off, offering a showcase of our programs. When I helped with student move-in on the Denver campus last fall, I was heartened to meet many students interested in programs related to the business and entrepreneurship side of the arts world in the College of Arts and Media.

At our Colorado Springs campus, the renowned Theatreworks offers not only a first-class theater experience for the campus and community, but also a valuable experience for our students. It’s a cultural mainstay in the region.

CU Boulder’s Center for Humanities and the Arts fosters interdepartmental and cross-campus dialogue to enhance the profile of the arts and humanities while also building support for creative works and scholarship. It’s an excellent model of how we can create a community of collaboration on campus that can offer an example for doing the same in communities across Colorado and beyond.

At the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, infusing the arts into healthcare education, research and clinical care has long been a focus. The campus frequently hosts art shows, and has permanent displays, photographic exhibits and writings that all contribute an important human dimension to CU Anschutz’s healthcare mission.

These are just a sampling of the great work that goes on around the CU system. There are hundreds more examples. The bottom line is that the arts and humanities add significant value to our educational enterprise. They help us prepare and produce graduates who are curious, versatile and who think above and beyond their training in specific disciplines.

We work to impart to our students the value of working collaboratively with people, whether in their field of study or across disciplinary lines. We want them to understand the importance of giving to others as they make their way in the world, and of being part of their communities. We want them to develop an appreciation for what makes us similar to, and different from one another – whether it’s embodied in people who look different, have different backgrounds or have different ideas.

So when we talk about the value of higher education, of course we will always emphasize jobs, workforce and opportunity. But let’s never lose sight of the value of stretching our minds, nurturing creativity and developing a love of living. Feed the mind … and the soul.

Universities like ours have an obligation to prepare a highly skilled workforce that will contribute to the health and well-being of our state and beyond. We will soon see many of those people walking across our commencement stages. We also have an even bigger obligation in helping people discover their best version of themselves.