Mike Bliley: Alternate Topic 3

The Meaning of Undergrad

            At one point in our discussion, we briefly touched over what undergraduate education actually meant; what is its purpose? I personally have a very biased opinion on the matter, but I feel as if the main purpose for undergraduate education isn’t what you actually learn in undergrad…rather, it is the ability to gain knowledge that is honed. A college degree helps substantially in the workforce, even though their major or coursework taken does not apply to their job. Why is this? Because the diploma proves that they know how to work hard.

            This societal system, however, has some flaws. My dad is the most intelligent and hardworking man I’ve ever met. He works for Lifenet Health, Virginia’s organ donation provider. He is the Chief Facilities Manager, and already one of the most important men in the company; whenever something goes wrong, my father is the go-to person to get things running. And with organ and tissue, the stakes are so high that he persistently works his ass off to maintain the systems in place. When he was suggested for appointment to a board of trustees type position, he was immediately turned down; he does not have a bachelor’s degree. I am all in favor of an undergraduate degree being a potential barometer for application skills, but it is not always consistent.

            It reminds me of the debate between knowledge and wisdom. An undergraduate student might be gaining knowledge, but it takes something more than that for wisdom. True wisdom requires experience, dedication, and general will to achieve something greater. Knowledge is short-term (one of my favorite quotes on teaching is “education is what you remember after you forget what you were forced to learn”), but wisdom is long term. The point of undergraduate is to see how quickly, critically, and effectively you can process and remember knowledge…wisdom, however, is tough to prove on any test.