When I started college, I was focused primarily on my academic goals and social plans (the friends I would make, the city I would explore, etc.)
What I didn’t anticipate, but what actually were my favorite and most-formative aspects of college, were the experiences that helped me discover and pursue new passions. One of those experiences was my work as a Resident Assistant, which helped me discover that I wanted to pursue a career working with college students.
A good friend just sent me an article that tells the story of two students with disabilities who are pursuing their passions at UC San Diego, one through his participation in the Semester at Sea Program, among other things, and another who is pursuing her dreams of a career in medicine.
The article is a great reminder that drive and dreams trump disabilities. It also is a testament to the support these students received from their university.
While the stories of these two students, Jacob Robinson and Alesha Thomas, are inspiring, there is a larger point to be taken from the article: Every student, whether with disabilities or without, should use his or her college years not just to meet the requirements to graduate or to enjoy being part of the campus community, but also to explore different paths to identify and then pursue what they are most passionate about. It requires courage and effort, but those investments will be returned many times over in terms of a fulfilling career and life. A closely related point is that in selecting a college, it’s important to look beyond majors and campus size and distance from home and consider how well-suited the school is to facilitating that sort of exploration.
While the stories of these two students, Jacob Robinson and Alesha Thomas, are inspiring, there is a larger point to be taken from the article: Every student, whether with disabilities or without, should use his or her college years not just to meet the requirements to graduate or to enjoy being part of the campus community, but also to explore different paths to identify and then pursue what they are most passionate about. It requires courage and effort, but those investments will be returned many times over in terms of a fulfilling career and life. A closely related point is that in selecting a college, it’s important to look beyond majors and campus size and distance from home and consider how well-suited the school is to facilitating that sort of exploration.
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| In the spirit of inspiring exploration.. here's a picture of a ship used in the Summer at Sea program from; |
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