Making the Case for College
The American system of higher education—from its community colleges and vocational schools to its expansive state universities and prestigious private colleges—is among the country’s greatest and most Important strategic assets. Whether you have a degree or not, college has improved your life in countless ways. As the world continues to change rapidly, maintaining the strength of our many colleges and universities is vital to the nation’s future. Just look at the research.
Economic Prosperity
The rise of the United States as a global economic power during the twentieth century took place alongside the dramatic expansion of college education. This was not coincidence. Today, college continues to provide the foundation on which our national prosperity rests, fostering new research and ideas, driving technological innovation, and propelling economic growth for everyone.
Skilled Workforce for the 21st Century
American business runs on know-how, and in today’s rapidly changing, highly competitive global economy, employers depend more than ever on the nation’s colleges and universities to produce graduates with the knowledge and skills they need to keep pace.
American Democracy
American democracy cannot function without an educated citizenry, something we have understood since the country’s earliest days. Ironically, in today’s social-media-driven information age, separating fact from fiction seems more difficult than ever, and our politics has suffered as a result. Now more than ever, Americans need their colleges to stand as a bulwark for knowledge, research, and verifiable truth.
National Security
America’s ability to project its power and safeguard democracy has always depended on harnessing our collective intellectual, economic, and technological might—all products of a nation with a strong system of higher education. Today, our national security depends more than ever on a highly educated, well-funded, and technologically capable military. Maintaining our colleges is essential to protecting our country.
Health, Happiness and Wellbeing
Imagine life without doctors and nurses, without social workers and high school counselors, without the miraculous and life-saving medicines upon which we all rely to treat our illness and stave off disease. Study after study shows clearly the benefits to our health and well-being that come from education. Communities with high percentages of college graduates consistently report higher rates of happiness, fewer crimes, and improved overall health.
An Ever-Expanding American Dream
There are many ways to define the American Dream, but at its core the phrase has always meant an open, competitive, entrepreneurial society in which the opportunity to succeed is widely available, and honest hard work yields the chance to succeed. Education is a vital component in building that kind of society. College, for those who want it, must remain an available pathway, so that we can all enjoy the benefits that higher education brings to American life.
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