It is always motivational and an exciting event to see
students realizing their dreams by graduating from college. For some it is a
life-long struggle while others make their way with ease. However, each comes
hoping to achieve something in their lives and find new opportunities. To many,
these opportunities come through education which further helps prepare them to
understand the complex nature of working life in the Internet Age.
As the nation seeks to compete on a global level it is
important to ensure that students are prepared to not only take careers but
also advance within their relevant fields. One of the ways people can do this
is to continue their education so that they can either update their skills or
advance their knowledge on particular topics. Those who have not received a
formal higher education may experience additional financial difficulties in
life as they are pushed into a highly competitive and lower wage market.
Higher education is more than just making money. It is also
part of gaining a wider understanding of the world in which we live. There is a
balance between learning specific skills for quick application in the workplace
and still having a broad enough education to adjust those skills when times
change. It is the concept of specialist versus generalist wherein specialized
skills have practical utility but may lose that utility when fields have
fundamentally changed. Strong businesses
often have a mix of specialists and generalists to encourage efficiency and
adaptability.
Higher education also provides an opportunity to build the
fundamental building blocks to higher order thinking. Each piece of information
creates a framework for understanding the world. Certainly, one can gain that
knowledge by simply having a library card and being an avid learner. They can
also learn it through trial and error throughout their lives. However, the
Socratic method of teaching affords an opportunity to have people challenge assumptions
about those beliefs so that they can create more logical vantage points of
life. College often affords the opportunity to find a guide to developing
higher order critical thinking. What would the world be like without Nietzsche,
Kant, Freud, Spinoza, Einstein, and other great thinkers? Perhaps society would be half of what it is today.
The inspirational speaker this year was a well known actor
that helped to celebrate and create enthusiasm for student successes. LaVar
Barton was involved in a number of important artistic endeavors such as playing
Kunta Kinte in the 1977 ABC series roots as well as Lt. Commander Geordi la
Forge in Star trek the Next Generation. He was the host in the PBS children’s program
called Reading Rainbow. His work in Roots was one of the most important shows
that helped people change the way they view each other.
When and if you are ready to go to college think about what
you want to do, which schools offer the programs you desire, and make sure you
are ready for the commitment. It may just change your life.
You may be interested in the graduation video below:
Beale, L. (1987). Researching tv roots a decade
later. Sun Sentinel. Retrieved May 22nd, 2013 from PQSD
