>>Narrator: How do I know which path is best for me?

Is it possible to take on these challenges and obstacles?

Where do I even start?

What should I do with my life?

Sometimes, the only way to find out is to go see what's possible Since 2001, we've been sharing the stories of people who ventured out and explored different career paths and different possibilities for their futures.

This is one of those stories.

This is Roadtrip Nation.

>> Eric: We've been traveling in a big green RV for the last week and a half.

We're having conversations with people about how higher education has shaped their lives, and how education systems can improve.

>> Ruby: It's crazy to think about all these experiences, how they change you.

>> Eric: I've never been on a trip as long as this one, so for me to finally be able to be on my own while spending such a long time in such a small space with new people, it's been good.

>> Aislynn: I got to pump gas for the first time.

I'm from Jersey, and it's actually illegal to pump your own gas there gas there.

So I've never done it before.

>> Ruby: I'm gonna be honest, it doesn't take three people to fill up a gas.

>> [LAUGH] >> Eric: Being able to spend all this time on the road, getting to meet new people, seeing the amazing landmarks, and just driving on the road, driving the RV is so, so, so cool.

[MUSIC] >> Eric: We are going to interview Ted Mitchell, the president of the American Council on Education.

With my interest in public policy, I'm super excited to talk to someone who has a background in this space.

>> Ted: When I was at New Schools, the superintendent of the Chicago schools whose name is Arne Duncan, his best friend in Chicago was Barack Obama.

Fast-forward, President Obama wins the election, Arne Duncan becomes the Secretary of Education.

Arne calls me and says, would you like to come to Washington?

So wow, yeah, [LAUGH] I'm on the plane.

So I went to Washington and became the under secretary of education, working directly for Arne, and had the biggest impact that I've ever had there.

What I really found fascinating was, what's the connection between education and economics.

How do we distribute education in society?

And that put me in the middle of a discussion that I've carried on throughout my professional life about what's education for.

We've made this whole college thing into a competitive race.

There's no need to do that.

>> Aislynn: I feel like I have to get a bachelor's degree or more just because I want to live a good life.

>> Ted: And you have your hands on one of the hottest debates of whether you really need a bachelor's degree.

There's a mystery about what's the connection between a degree and skills?

That's just kind of black box that nobody really has been able to figure out.

So people are moving more toward assessing the skills, which is why competency-based stuff and action learning is, in many ways, the future.

So that you're not just labeled with a degree, but you are a compilation of skills, attitudes, and beliefs that people can access and say, yeah, that's who I want.

>> Eric: Think that's a lot more realistic.

>> Ted: Well, we're not there yet.

And so we're all in this spot where the degree still matters.

And I think it also builds a set of networks and a set of social connections that are really important for your growth and development as a human.

The other place it's happening is that institutions are becoming much more willing to take transfer credits.

>> Eric: Interesting.

>> Ted: Dual enrollment is the fastest.

Did you do dual enrollment?

>> Ruby: I did do dual credit.

I have my certification in criminal justice.

>> Ted: Perfect, right?

I think for your generation it's exactly the right kind of thing.

It's not saying you have to stay right here until everybody else is ready to move.

It's no, I've got this interest, it's over here and I wanna go do it, and then I want credit for it.

We're recognizing that when we think about diversity, we're thinking about people who learn in different ways.

And it creates an extraordinary opportunity for higher education to rethink itself from giving you knowledge to saying, okay, you have these Lego blocks of knowledge lets us help you figure out what it means together.

That's all about your generation being well-equipped and to figure out where to learn something.

And then it's up to the institutions to be able to receive that packet of learning and help you amalgamate it into something where the whole is greater than the - just the sum of all the little Lego blocks, >> Eric: I was contemplating taking a gap year between college and high school, and I wanted to be in the arts.

And then during my last few years of high school, I did a lot of stuff with public policy and political science.

I was like, I wanna do that.

But I also have been kind of playing around with maybe a minor in education.

>> Ted: Nice.

>> Eric: But, yeah.

>> Ted: Be great if you had an opportunity to step back and say, I'm gonna dive into this one for a year.

I can say, and this is statistically true, you become more attractive even to those most elite institutions if you take some time off.

You just become a more interesting intellect.

I think it's a plus.

Legislative policies are directly affecting students having access to higher education.

Do you think politicians have the perspective that they need to really drive forward our generation's education?

>> Ted: No, [LAUGH] the more the legislature pushes down a one-size-fits-all model that ruins the thing from the beginning.

Because everything that we've been talking about has been about mirroring the patterns of your generation, which aren't linear, and we need to be in touch with that.

The truth of the matter is, though, you have incredible power over higher education institutions.

You get to vote with your feet.

You get to vote with your money and your family's hard earned money.

You can help institutions change by changing your demand profile.

And you can go not to the highest ranked college.

You can go to the college that has the best program for what you wanna do, that teaches in the way that you want it taught, and will send you off into the workplace and the community with the skills that you need >> Eric: I was inspired by him and the work that he's doing >> Ruby: It does make me feel very hopeful for the future of education and how accessible it's going to be for everyone else >> Eric: Right now, we're so divided that we're letting political parties play a part in providing education to people, which I don't think is okay.

He knows that there's an issue there, and he kinda talked a little bit more about how he really wants to involve more voices, and I think that that's important.

I feel more confident that my voice belongs in the education space, and I definitely wanna help shape the future of education back home in Hawai'i.

[MUSIC] >> Ruby: Going to Kansas City, we actually stopped at the zoo.

>> Eric: We got there, we were greeted by the polar bear, literally on the glass, which was incredible.

What's up, bro??

>> Aislynn: It was just really, really cool.

We got to see a lot of the animals.

I don't really get to go to the zoos often, but I had so much fun there.

>> Eric: [SOUND] >> Ruby: Seeing the shark, I thought it was awesome.

I love nature.

I love learning new things about the animals.

Long story short, I really loved the zoo and I really loved the aquarium.

It was magical for me.

>> Eric: We're going to be going to Jefferson City.

>> Ruby: We're about to meet the Chief of Police.

>> Aislynn: Officer Gary Hill.

>> Ruby: As of right now, I am going to pursue obtaining my associate's degree in criminal justice.

If this is a career that I'm very passionate about, I want to understand what I'm going into.

>> Gary: I got into this because I wanted to change.

I want people to rehumanize law enforcement.

We're on a historically Black college.

So we get kids here from the bigger cities, where maybe they don't have the best relationships with police.

They get to come and see how police are trained, and how they should be trained, and the conversations that should be happening.

We get to have those here because I'm the director [LAUGH].

I did not take school very seriously when I was in high school.

I couldn't get into any of the bigger colleges.

I was gonna go into the military like my parents.

And I had an aunt that was up here at Lincoln University at the time, and she's like, no come up to Lincoln University, we'll get you taken care of.

So when I got up here to Lincoln University, because of my GPA and because of my ACT score, I had to take a whole semester of classes first that didn't account for college credit.

And so Lincoln University kinda saved my life, because I actually have absolutely no idea where I would have been.

So I ended up graduating in 2001 with my criminal justice degree.

I went back to school and got my master's degree in criminal justice from Columbia College.

And as of this week, I'm preparing to defend my dissertation for my doctorate in criminal justice.

>> Aislynn: So what makes this police academy unique?

>> Gary: So Lincoln University of Jefferson City, Missouri is the only HBCU in the nation to have a police academy on their campus.

And so the police academy was founded specifically to try to increase the minority pool for local law enforcement agencies around the area.

I think HBCUs need to play a big part in police reform because a lot of the things affect people of color.

>> Aislynn: I feel like my experience in college was so much more valuable because I took all of the opportunities that I could.

But do you feel like education loses its worth when people just don't really care?

>> Gary: You have to look at college in perspective and for what it really is.

It gives you the opportunity to go and meet other people that don't look like you, that don't believe what you believe and get different perspectives on the world.

It's supposed to open your mind in the sense of that there's just not one way of doing things.

It helps you learn how to research things and go after the truth.

It teaches those hands on skills that you may need to be able to do many different jobs.

And because of my education I'm able to rise through the ranks, I'm able to be promoted, I'm able to be considered for certain other jobs that other people didn't.

>> Ruby: What role do you think education plays whenever it comes into social justice within your community?

>> Gary: The more people that are educated, the more we know, the better we are to be able to move forward as a society because we're not arguing about something that isn't true.

It helps not being able to spread bad information.

And so whatever you decide to get your degree in or get a certification in, make sure that it's your passion.

And so please take some advice, stop, take some time, smell the roses, and figure out something fun that interests you, that you like to do.

Because anybody can have motivation, but when something is your passion, it's not gonna matter how much money you make.

You're gonna enjoy doing it because this is who you are.

[MUSIC] >> Ruby: Talking to him felt like a jolt in my brain where it's like this, this is what I need.

I need to figure out who I am and before I put my entire life into something that I don't even know I want and if it's something that I might trick myself into wanting because I believed in it for so long.

>> Gary: Be the best person you can be to be for yourself, guys >> Eric: Awesome, thank you so much.

>> Gary: You're welcome.

My own personal truckers hat.

>> Eric: Yes, sir.

>> Ruby: And some stickers.

>> Gary: [LAUGH] Thank you guys.

>> [MUSIC] >> Eric: So today, were going to interview two people who work in the fashion industry.

>> Aislynn: I'm interested in the sustainability portion of fashion marketing and merchandising.

I'm not sure if it exists out there, but I'm looking for my next steps.

Jamie is a fashion designer and professor of fashion sustainability, and Peyton works in apparel design and is also a teacher at his school.

>> Jamie: And I love that marriage of the creative and the technical that you get in something like fashion, when you're all talking about like, what's my next step?

What do I do with this degree?

I definitely know what that feels like.

>> Payton: I am a master student in the Department of Design and Merchandising, and I'm doing my research on the kind of ins and outs and processes involved with 3D garment prototyping and production.

I love doing this.

The problem solving components, the stylistic components, everything to do with techniques involving around pulling off your creation in your own mind.

>> Jamie: I honed my skill set, kind of learning how to sew in a high end fabric store.

So I took a year after college and worked in a boutique, and I was friends with all the stitchers, and they would tell me stories of exploitation, both in their home countries, but then also here in the US, including here in Chicago.

So I became aware that it was just very normal.

And so my consciousness was raised, and I wanted to kind of switch the focus of my work to how do we do something more ethically?

How do we create change in the industry?

And so I went back to graduate school and got a master's degree from the University of Chicago, technically in social work, but I was really looking at labor rights in the garment industry, and then did a lot more advocacy work.

I also worked on fair trade campaigns, so I've kinda been really trying to practice what I preach in my life, this allowed me to kind of put everything together, the creativity, the business, and the focus on sustainability and labor rights.

>> Payton: If you were like setting out to find a career, you give yourself a gap year, or you just give yourself space once a week to kind of really get your feelers out in the world and try and stumble across something that might inspire your career.

I think that's kind of just really solid, especially with taking time to figure that out.

>> Aislynn: And something that I was looking into being is a buyer perhaps, but take it from a sustainability perspective and try and guide towards better, more ethical clothing.

Is that something that I could do?

>> Jamie: Yeah, it's a job that already exists.

Larger companies now realize that sustainability is super important, and so they have someone specifically looking at that and vetting the companies that they're buying for.

But yeah, it's definitely an important job.

Your dream job exists.

>> Aislynn: When Jamie said that the job that I want exists, it felt really good.

I didn't know if it was something that I would be able to blend into one position, knowing that it's something that I can do and something that is already being done.

It's really good to know.

>> Eric: Jamie said I should try on the jacket and it's a very, very nice jacket and I actually really like leather.

Do you really need a degree to really thrive in the fashion industry.

And if you do, what are the differences between getting one and versus not getting one?

>> Payton: I mean, I've definitely enjoyed my stint here at university, but sometimes maybe that just doesn't make sense.

I mean, everyone really learns how to read, write do basic arithmetic, mathematics, whatever.

But at the end of the day, do the programs offer you some type of competitive edge with your skill set?

Or do they offer you a network that actually allows you to get in the door more easily?

And the other funny thing too is that a lot of apparel, especially as we get more technically advanced, has a lot to do with engineering.

And to kind of reference earlier what I was talking about with specialized tools, that is just so nice for us if you have access to the equipment that helps you learn those things.

Because the more and more specialized the knowledge that you possess is, the more and more valuable you'll actually be in the marketplace.

>> Ruby: So you mentioned that you're a teacher now, I was wondering if you've seen a change in education from whenever you were in school compared to now?

>> Jamie: Typically, you kind of need a degree in order to even get your foot into the door, because it's such a competitive industry.

The fashion industry is changing.

I think the more forward thinking universities are starting to shift a little bit and understand that, one, the business side of fashion, not just the creative side, is super important.

And also, as we talked about earlier, kind of that focus on sustainable and sustainable business practices, sustainable design practices.

None of that was happening 20 years ago, no one used to care and now, Columbia College where I went for my fashion degree, they hired me to teach the inaugural sustainable fashion practice course, and they now actually have a minor in sustainability, so that's so great.

>> Aislynn: I really, really connected with the initiatives that she's been able to help with and the things that she's been able to do.

And I would love to generate the same kinds of changes that she has in the fashion industry.

I also really enjoyed the interview with Payton.

Seeing the machinery and seeing the specifics of how they use fabrics and different materials in their design lab, it shows that hands-on learning and experiential learning are sometimes far more valuable than traditional classroom learning.

[MUSIC] >> Eric: So today, we are at Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Missouri.

>> Ruby: It's so surreal to think that we've been traveling for three weeks, and we're on our way to our final interview in Wheeling, Illinois.

>> Eric: We're going to interview Lázaro Lopez, who is the chairperson of the Illinois Board of Community Colleges.

>> Ruby: He's gone above and beyond to help set up these courses to help first generation students grasp the concept of a higher education.

>> Lazaro: But everyone has opportunity and being able to access those opportunities is is the purpose of public education.

And as community members, you can ask your public schools to support that and support your students.

That's what they want to do.

But it does require us to rethink to some extent the role of high schools they have to be relevant to their community.

They have to be pertinent, they have to mean something to students.

>> Eric: Hearing and seeing what he has implemented in his school district is incredible.

To see these world class facilities that are at research levels in a public high school campus is unheard of.

And I think that it does raise the discussion of, why don't more communities have this?

The schools that offer those are preparing their students for college by giving them skills and hopefully this thing here that seems so innovative right now will become the norm.

>> Lazaro: Our goal for students is that when they cross that stage in high school, that in part they've discovered as much what they didn't wanna do as what they did wanna do, but that they can make a better decision.

So that students actually in the safe place that does not cost them money can explore and discover what their future could be.

>> Eric: So what are your thoughts on how a smooth transitions should go from a student that is exiting high school and going into either community college or a four-year university?

>> Lazaro: Those need to be seamless transitions, so we need to help put them in the driver's seat of their future.

Right now, there are a lot of barriers that are put in place and a lot of students are choosing the pathway of doing nothing.

If you are like me or maybe a first-gen college student, you may not view yourself as that this is a possibility for me.

So we need to help those students see it.

But also, let's ensure that every student's getting a direct admin into one of the public universities in each of their states that they know from the get go what financial aid might look like.

And surprisingly enough, it might be less expensive than you think.

And the reality is, is that the experience after high school, whether it's a four year institution, a community college, a trade school, a technical school, some type of credentialing program is essential for everyone.

Every graduate today needs something beyond a high school diploma to be competitive and economically mobile.

At the end of the day, your journey in life has you sort of pursuing and earning a degree in one area, but you end up applying it and using it in a totally different area that you never would have imagined.

I think part of the difficulty being your age is you're thinking you're choosing for the rest of your life.

The reality is you're choosing for now, but know that whatever choice you make it's the right choice for you now, and that you can always make a different one later.

>> Ruby: Laz has implemented so many things to help these people realize that higher education is so valuable that it just doesn't stop at high school.

Everyone has that equal opportunity to decide for themselves at Laz's school, and that's something that he has fought for.

And seeing how passionate he is talking about his career, it reminds me of whenever I was helping people.

Just the nurturing of education that helped me realize that I love to teach, that it just doesn't stop at criminal justice.

I can become a teacher, I can have multiple degrees, I can keep going, I can keep nurturing my education.

[MUSIC] >> Aislynn: So we've finally made it to Chicago.

>> Eric: I don't know how to describe how it feels.

I'm definitely reminiscing all the good memories because in a few days I'm gonna be back home.

[MUSIC] >> Ruby: So last night, I just kinda laid here, thinking about everything, thinking about some of the words that some people have said.

>> Lazaro: Ultimately, you can make a choice every single day to say this is my day that I'm gonna own and I'm gonna drive, and that I have power and control over.

And part of it is just making a choice to start, and then the next day to keep going.

>> Aislynn: Getting to meet so many people who've had such unique experiences with their education, it's been really, really inspiring.

>> Ruby: So many questions that I've had for so long have been answered in just one month.

>> Aislynn: I really want to continue education.

And after talking to a lot of the leaders, I feel like I'm not really scared to lose momentum just because I'm taking a gap year right now.

>> Eric: I was spending too much time thinking about the future when I need to be focusing on the now.

You gotta live in the moment, but that's something that I've been working on.

Because if you plan too much, one thing could throw off your plan, and then it feels empty, it feels like you lost, it feels like you failed.

But I don't think that that's the truth ultimately.

>> Brad: My advice would be explore.

I think a lot of times, we put too much pressure on students to have to know what they're gonna do right off to bat, so find a place that also provides some flexibility for exploration.

>> Nieves: Be accepting toward changes and don't fear them, you need to be adaptable.

Definitely, I think that's the one advice is, just be yourself, mess up, get dirty, it's okay.

>> Ruby: Um >> Eric: How do we know when it fills?

>> Aislynn: We're really bad at this, >> Ruby: After all the self reflecting that I've done here, I feel a sense of peace.

I'm comfortable in my own skin now.

I don't need approval from people to help me realize that I'm doing the right thing, because I know I am.

>> Eric: You can take an alternative path.

You don't have to be go, go, go.

You can take breaks, you can take a step back, and you can really take time to find out what you wanna do, but also where you wanna get a great education.

And I think that was really nice to hear that from so many different people.

And now, I just gotta really look at what makes me happy, what am I passionate about, and what could I really see myself doing?

>> Aislynn: I think it was really, really cool to hear that the things that I wanna do are achievable and possible.

>> Ruby: Worthwhile education is something that you feel you're passionate about.

>> Brian: And I would just encourage any student who's trying to make a decision about a college or university to consider the diversity of that campus.

I just believe that students who attend diverse learning environments benefit, not only academically, but socially as well.

>> Eric: Colleges need to be student-ready.

They need to be ready for students of all races, all sexualities, all different backgrounds.

And they need to create a space that is friendly, equitable, and a place where every single person that attends that university can thrive.

There needs to be more youth advocacy on all levels, and I think that that's possible.

We're gonna find a way to make change in the country.

>> Ruby: There is always something out there to help you access higher education.

Don't let them put limitations on you, look into more grants, look into certain scholarships, it's going to be difficult, but they're out there.

>> Eric: At the rate that we're going, I feel confident that college is gonna be something that people don't feel obligated to go to, or they don't feel like they're going just to get a degree.

They're going because they want to, they want to learn, and they know that there's so many opportunities and things that are gonna be available for them.

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