Fixing Higher Education

• Three very successful business people were college dropouts—Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg.
• Statistics suggest that a college degree results in $1 million more in lifetime earnings than not having one. However, recent data indicates it is only true for graduates from the top 150 colleges and universities.
• For decades escalating college tuition has far exceeded the rate of inflation and is predicted to continue to do so.
• In 2010-11, half of all college graduates were unemployed or dramatically underemployed.
• By the year 2018, nearly fourteen million jobs will be available that will require more than a high school diploma, but less than a Bachelors degree.

                                                                                                                     Adapted from Is College Worth It? Written by William Bennett

If you went to college or your kids are embarking on a new phase of their lives, you may wonder what happened to the days when a college degree resulted in a high earning career. That has become a myth. Because of the rising cost of education, students graduate with huge amounts of debt only to find no jobs in their field of study.  I believe that higher education in this country is broken.

Like many others, I have consumed the “product” of a college education by obtaining degrees from two colleges and attending community college classes. I have also experienced the view from the other side by teaching undergraduate courses and working in university administration.

For today’s gift, I contacted the governor’s office and offered my expertise to be a part of the solution to fix higher education. They were excited about my offer and I will give my best.

In giving,

Robin