I didn’t follow the traditional timeline with my education. After high school, I started out at a junior college, but then got promoted with my job and moved to a different state. I guess I was waiting to see where my life was heading before deciding where an education fit in.
I was good at what I did for work, but eventually tired of it. Ultimately, I had many different jobs before returning to school at the age of thirty. Going back to college was different than the first time around. I enjoyed learning more than I had at a younger age. College was more stimulating and engaging than anything else in my world at that time, and I didn’t want to stop. Opening my mind and learning new things felt good. So, after getting my undergraduate degree from Arizona State University, I continued my education and eventually obtained a master’s degree from Emerson College in Boston.
I was the first person in my family to go that far with an
education. Both of my parents were there to witness my graduation, and they were oh, so proud.
What I have realized since then, is that the degrees don’t
matter as much as the act of learning does. Knowledge
provides a fresh perception. Once you have opened your mind and learned new things, whether you are presented with a
degree or not, that knowledge has the power to change how you look at the world. This new knowledge is yours, and no one can take it away from you.
I believe that once you stop learning you stop growing.
Ultimately, learning fuels our personal and professional development, enabling us to reach our full potential, and lead fulfilling, enriched lives.
Here’s to continuing to learn, always.
Lisa Petty, Editor
Equal Opportunity Employment Journal