Beyond the Cap and Gown: What College Should Really Be About
First… huge congratulations to every student walking across a stage this month. I had the honor of watching many of my students this weekend at Houston universities, and I couldn’t be prouder. Earning a degree takes sacrifice, grit, and relentless perseverance. YOU DID IT… congrats!
But when I recently saw a university post saying, “This is what it’s all about,” with students crossing the stage, I paused. Because while it’s a powerful moment, and one worth every bit of celebration, I think we should also ask: Is this the ONLY thing it should be about?
Degrees Aren’t the Finish Line
I say this as someone who has earned multiple degrees and teaches at three universities. So, I’m not anti-degree, far from it. If anything, those experiences also give me a close-up view of what higher ed could be doing better.
It can sometimes feel like higher education treats the conferral of a degree as mission accomplished. The box is checked. Job done. (Now, go do great things and donate some money back to us… ha.)
The problem with that mindset? It’s dangerously short-sighted.
It reminds me of my time in IT. We'd install a system over a weekend, verify it worked, and declare success. But come Monday morning, users would show up confused, slowed down, surprised at the new icons on their desktop, asking, “What is this?”
Technically, it worked. Box checked. Success from the IT side. But if no one could use it to get something done, what was the point?
Education Has to Be More Than a Transaction
I get it. For some university models, it can feel like: “You pay us, we give you a degree.” And if both sides are satisfied with that transaction, so be it. But for many students, that’s not enough.
Having the privilege to teach undergrads, grads, and returning students… the message I hear is pretty much the same. Sure, some come just for the love of learning, but if we’re being honest, most students don’t enroll in college to collect a piece of paper. They come to learn something useful, get a better job, and change their lives; yet…
Let that sink in.
Shouldn’t we be asking: Did this degree give you real tools, connections, and experiences that set you up for a better life? For your family? For your community? To help you make an impact in those spaces and on the world?
What Burdens Me Before Every Class
Maybe I’m biased. I teach entrepreneurship… lessons that are immediately applicable in everyday life. Students should be able to use what I teach them right after earning the degree. No, scratch that… they should be able to apply what they learn after each class!
That’s because I purposefully design my classes so that students leave with something they can use right now: A mindset, a tool, a strategy they can apply the next day… not five years from now, and not just on a resume.
Because from my perspective, education shouldn’t just be informative. It should be transformational.
And if we’re not aiming for that… what are we even doing?
So, yes… Let’s Celebrate the Moment
To all my students: You’ve earned this milestone, and I’m genuinely proud of your achievements. Congrats!. I celebrate you… and none of this should diminish your accomplishment.
But PLEASE don’t stop here.
Use this degree as a launchpad, not a landing pad.
Take what you’ve learned and build something… for yourself, your family, and the world that needs you.
Because that… THAT… is what it’s all about.
Jeff Frey
Founder, FurtherFaster & Prof of ENTR at Rice University, University of Houston, The Citadel
#HigherEducation #WorkforceDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #CareerReadiness #Graduation2025 #CollegeToCareer #TeachingForImpact #LifelongLearning #StudentVoices #DegreesWithPurpose #BeyondTheDegree #FutureOfWork
I worked to bring something back to CRX, Inc. Structural Restoration & Waterproofing after every class during my time at Rice Business. Each course had something unique to offer. The key is doing it after graduation. Great article!
So true! We have to embrace lifelong learning as a disciple.