The Ambition to Make an Impact

The interview I recently read with Rutger Bregman brought to mind our mission statement: to develop interesting, inquisitive, and passionate young people who have the skills and desire to make an impact. 

Bregman is the author of Moral Ambition, a best-selling book that challenges traditional definitions of career success. Bregman encourages readers to channel their skills and energy into tackling urgent global problems. One of the questions I’ve started asking students in our first session is, “What problem in the world would you like to solve?”

Results of the American Freshman Survey, which annually polls incoming college students on their life goals, have undergone a significant shift. Today, nearly 90% of students identified making money as being essential or very important. In the 1960s, that number was 50%. The numbers flipped for students asked about the importance of developing a meaningful philosophy of life. To Bregman, the reversal “shows that this is not human nature. It is culture. It can change.”

Another fascinating study showed that most people define success as being good at something they care about, whereas they think other people define success by how much they make. 

It’s important to start asking students to consider their values and priorities, how they think about success, and what their college degree is for. There are no right or wrong answers, but there are intentional choices.