Personal Development
While most commentaries on higher education suggest institutions solely exist to provide students the credentials they need to get the jobs they want, there’s more to it. Institutions also exist to develop the nation’s educated citizenry and to help individuals learn, grow and evolve.
CAEL’s 2020 Conference: Opening Access During the Shutdown
Christine Carpenter | Vice President of Engagement, CAELCAEL’s annual conference is going online for this first time in forty years, but that’s not the only update. Attendance will be free for all members, allowing partnerships, projects and…
Student Growth and Lifelong Learning: It’s Just Not for the “Mature”
William Johnson | Student Success Navigator, University of North Carolina at GreensboroIn academia, we often apply the term “lifelong learner” to mature or non-traditional students, but all students should reframe their higher education experience to include explorative, self-directed and self-initiated learning…
Growth Year vs Gap Year: The Catalyst for Change
William Johnson | Student Success Navigator, University of North Carolina at Greensboro“What now? What’s next?” Surveys show that 16% of high school seniors (The Hechinger Report) and 20% of college students (American Council of Education) plan to take a gap year…
Finding a Voice: Five Ways to Develop Resilience through Liberal Arts Education and Life
Jose Coll | Fellow, American Council on Education—Co-written with Eugenia Weiss | Associate Professor, University of Southern California— My (Jose’s) 18-year-old son, who graduated from high school in May, told me he was excited to be done…
Commoditization Lessens the Value of Higher Education to Society
Tom Castle | Dean of Adult Programs, Mount Mercy UniversityWhat is the value of a college degree? Politicians and pundits seem very concerned with this question, particularly in light of our current budget challenges and economic performance. While the…
Strength of Character: The Unique Good of Higher Education
Andrew Roth | President Emeritus, Notre Dame CollegeRecently, the question surfaced: “What makes education, as a ‘good,’ unique compared to other goods or services?” The question also asks, is education a good or a service? In economic…
My Educational Experiences and Future Plans
Moon Soe | Student, Metropolitan State UniversityThe following is one of two winning essays composed for the 2012 The Mary Cone Barrie Scholarship. The scholarship is one of few annual awards that recognize non-traditional students and…