ABSTRACT
In 1957, just days following the launch of the first Soviet Sputnik satellite, local reporters pressed John S. Allen—president of the newly established University of South Florida (USF)—to explain why American higher education had failed to maintain US technological competitiveness. Allen looked to the liberal arts college as an example of a teaching-oriented institution that embraced liberal education and was dedicated to fostering in students dispositions of civic-mindedness and a commitment to democratic citizenship. Historians have published dozens of studies examining the Sunbelt, its origins, significance, and, perhaps most importantly, whether the term describes an identifiable region with a shared political, economic, and social culture or a "state of mind" characterized by "an evolving brand of modern conservatism". In 1974, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported on a "new vocationalism" in higher education, which it identified as "the most notable trend" among college and university students.
