Leaders of Purpose Through Education by Samuel

Leaders of Purpose Through Education by Samuel - April 2015 Scholarship Essay

There are a seemingly endless supply of educational clichés, "Knowledge is Power," "nothing you learn ever goes to waste," "education is a lifelong process," and many more. And yet the true meaning of education still seems abstract. What is it for? What is the benefit? What is the purpose? It's true that there is real "value" in having a good education. But even "value" seems to have a somewhat static meaning: make more money. So then, is the real value of an education just to make more money? Even that seems somewhat unsatisfying.

I think in order to grasp the true purpose of these clichés and find a more dynamic meaning of education we have to first understand ourselves. Education is a deeply personal experience. Two people can read the same book or poem or newspaper article and have two completely different understandings. And those two understandings may be different still from what the author intended it to mean!

In my personal pursuit of education I am constantly trying to find a way to move myself forward. I am always trying to glean pieces of information on how to better myself. I’m not delusional or egocentric enough to think one day I’ll find nirvana, but I am motivated enough to become a leader of purpose. My goal with education is to step out of my own comfort level and start thinking about how an action is perceived by other people. What decisions are we making that will affect other people or other cultures or future generations? The purpose of education is to help facilitate constructive conversations and perspectives that otherwise may be ignored. It is to allow for dialog through which better decisions can be made. Whether in public policy, business, literature, mathematics or any other field of study the purpose of education is to provide the platform whereby we can have conversations in a safe atmosphere. We can respect each other even when we disagree. The purpose of education is to engage each other so we may have a better understanding of the world in which we live.

The willingness and desire to engage each other in academic conversation will inevitably lead to greater academic perspicacity. The opportunity to learn (in a very draconian sense) will be provided and we’ll absorb that information as if through osmosis. The true purpose and value will be in our engagement with others. Our ability to see the world through their eyes will provide infinitely greater potential for leadership and purpose.