“I know that no university exists that can provide an education:
what a university can provide is an outline, to give the learner a direction and guidance.
The rest one has to do for oneself.”- Louis L’Amour
Our daughter graduated from high school a year early, and at 17 was not to excited about the idea of college. She was already earning more than most college graduates as the owner of her own company. When she was 14 she started doing photography. She sought out mentors to help her develop her career quickly, and by the time she was 16 she was earning enough to move out on her own, which she did at 17.
We had to encourage a college education; which she somewhat begrudgingly agreed to pursue. Receiving a nearly full paid scholarship, she decided to make the plunge and slow down the pace of her business for a time.
This week Sarah will graduate from college, and we of course as any parents are proud, but for us there are specific things that make us proud.
Sarah didn’t need to go to college so she could get a job, she already had a business. She went to get a different view of the world.
William Deresiewicz, author of “Excellent Sheep” said, “The most practical thing you can do is to give yourself a real education where you learn not just to think, which is hard enough to learn in college, but how to make smart choices for yourself. How to find an inner compass, an inner sense of purpose because you know this is going to last you the rest of your life. College education isn’t just for [your] first job, although that’s obviously important. It’s for the rest of your life.” We know Sarah had an excellent inner compass, but there is no doubt college has helped improve it. Not because the university supported her worldview, just the opposite, the university challenged her worldview at every corner and helped her question it and develop her own.
Over the last four years Sarah has supported herself. She ran a business, a home, and school with no support, not because it wasn’t offered, but because she didn’t need it. She is accomplishing what so many millennial's are failing to do…grow up and grow up well.
Not only is she completing her degree, she is graduating Magna Cum Laude in the top 1% of her class at Texas Wesleyan University. We are proud that she took the tasks seriously and applied herself to excellence.
This task in life is complete for her, and now the real education, the one university can never provide, continues. The combination of schooling, travel, work, play, friends, family, great books, and experiences will continue to collide in the development of her unique life path and lifelong learning.
Congrats Sarah! Well done.