Liberal education aspires to excellence through the cultivation of free human beings who excel in thought, word, and deed. But what exactly is excellence, and why do we admire it? How do we conceive of what is excellent? What constitutes excellence—either for human beings, or in the realms of philosophy, literature, science, and politics? Why is excellence an aim of liberal education? What kinds of texts, courses, and inquiries contribute to achieving this end? Such questions animate the studies herein. The essays in this volume reflect on the idea of excellence embedded within core texts, as well as how such texts influence and ennoble higher education. In its chapters, we consider rival forms of excellence from ancient Greece and Rome, through modern Europe and America, and beyond. The world of antiquity and its accounts of excellence, as represented in the works of Euripides, Aristotle, Plato, Archimedes, and Cicero, are here brought into dialogue with diverse modern perspectives on excellence, as articulated by Shakespeare, Descartes, Newton, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Austen, Darwin, Lincoln, Tennyson, and Nietzsche, as well as (more recently) by John Dewey, Martin Luther King Jr., Cardinal Newman, and Eboo Patel. Our desire to seek and understand excellence transcends borders, and the purpose of this volume is to help perpetuate in contemporary higher education the study of core texts essential to the cultivation of excellence in the liberal arts and sciences.

The story of Valley Christian Schools in San Jose, California.

Bob was an incredible coach and mentor. The lessons he taught me have guided my life, both personally and professionally. There is no better way to describe Bob than "coach", and like the great basketball coaches from his favorite sport, Bob instilled a daily commitment to excellence. If you were fortunate enough to work for Bob, you worked hard, you practiced and refined your craft, competed to win, and took better care of your clients than anyone else. Those lessons learned early on, not only served me well in each step of my career, but i hope made me a better husband, father, son and friend. In the Quest for Excellence Bob shares this game plan for success in business and life. There are countless people Bob mentored over the years that have gone on to become incredibly successful. Erik Hellum Chief Operating Officer Townsquare Media

This book investigates and analyses critical issues in education reform and discusses possible pitfalls in the current global drive to promote excellence. Instead of documenting the successes and frustrations encountered by education reformers in specific jurisdictions, this book aims to offer directions for education reformers, and sets out to be prescriptive rather than descriptive. While the cases covered here are focused on Hong Kong, they are no less useful in throwing light upon the direction of education reform all over the world. The first section of the volume, “Conceptual Framework”, provides the theoretical underpinnings for the design and implementation of education reform. The next two sections, “Reform of Tertiary Education” and “Experiments, Dilemmas, and Risks in Secondary Schools” look at reform at the tertiary and secondary levels in greater detail. The final section, “Ideals vs. Reality: the Interplay of Diverse Interests and Diverse Perceptions”, looks at the conflicting goals and perceptions of different “stakeholders”, with a concluding chapter that summarizes the main lessons to be learnt. This book will be of interest to scholars, educators, parents, policymakers, politicians, and all who are concerned about our younger generation and their future. “The editors, Lok Sang Ho, Paul Morris and Yue-ping Chung are to be congratulated on producing a volume which is both hard-hitting and insightful about education reforms in Hong Kong. The range of experiences of the contributing authors contribute to a most interesting mix of perspectives about education reform. The focus is squarely on Hong Kong, in terms of general policy and reform issues, followed by more specific chapters dealing with issues of graduate teachers, English as a medium of instruction, and the role of the media. However, the issues raised are very applicable to many countries. This book is a valuable contribution to the literature on education reform.” —Professor Colin J. Marsh, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia

We are called to excellence in all aspects of our lives and activities, and not least in our character. Andreas Köstenberger summons all Christians, and especially aspiring pastors, scholars, and teachers, to a life of virtue lived out in excellence. Köstenberger moves through Christian virtues chapter by chapter, outlining the Bible's teaching and showing how Christ-dependent excellence in each area will have a profound impact on one's ministry and scholarship. Virtues covered include grace, courage, integrity, creativity, eloquence, humility, diligence, and service. This unique book is an important character check for all Christians engaged in teaching and ministry, and especially for those in training. Köstenberger's thoughtful volume will be a valuable touchstone for readers, for one's character is a critical matter in both scholarship and ministry.