Beyond Cap and Gown: The Journey of Lifelong Learning

By Sharon Fleshman

Congratulations to those who graduated earlier this week!  Commencement often comes with a somewhat bittersweet transition to a new season of life.  The good news is — whatever your future plans, the learning continues. You will have the chance to learn more about yourself as you evolve and have new experiences.  Hopefully, you will be open to gleaning from others with different perspectives.  Technology affords access to learning by way of forums such as Coursera or LinkedIn discussion groups.  You can facilitate learning by sharing your own wisdom with students following in your footsteps.  In the meantime, I leave you with these thoughts on learning as well as my best wishes for a bright future.

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”  Mahatma Gandhi

“It is not that I’m so smart. But I stay with the questions much longer.”  Albert Einstein

“I’ve seen how you can’t learn anything when you’re trying to look like the smartest person in the room.”  Barbara Kingsolver

“I believe that we learn by practice. Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living, the principles are the same. In each, it is the performance of a dedicated precise set of acts, physical or intellectual, from which comes shape of achievement, a sense of one’s being, a satisfaction of spirit. One becomes, in some area, an athlete of God. Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired.”  Martha Graham

“The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.”  B.B. King

Author: Sharon

Sharon Fleshman is the Senior Associate Director of Career Services for students in Education, Nursing and Social Policy & Practice.