With undergraduate commencement ceremonies on the horizon and a
war being fought abroad, many UCLA seniors are reconsidering the
value of their education.
As summer nears, the idea of graduation sparks many students to
think about their years spent studying and experiencing life at
UCLA ““ and, on occasion, think about the significance of
their education.
Meanwhile, their peers serving overseas are fighting a war in
Iraq ““ a war that did not exist when they first came to UCLA,
but from the first time U.S. bombs dropped in Baghdad, one that has
dominated the headlines and claimed the lives of more than 800 U.S.
soldiers.
While most of this year’s graduating class never thought
of war as an alternative to higher education, combat is becoming an
option for an increasing number of high school graduates, several
of whom hope to return and obtain a college degree.
Valued throughout society, college diplomas can be found almost
everywhere, from dentist offices to fireplace mantles.
“Growing up, my mom always stressed getting a college
degree. No matter what, get a degree,” said Alison Garrett, a
graduating third-year English student.
Yet for many high school students from low-income communities,
the thought of higher education and an eventual degree seems
elusive and unrealizable.
“I see so many kids with dreams, but they don’t have
a plan. The environment they are in doesn’t allow them to get
(to college),” said Sergeant Stephan Bell, who recruits Los
Angeles high school students for the U.S. Army.
The obstacles students face in attaining a college degree
include a lack of discipline and the notion that “college is
not for everyone,” said Sergeant Maselino Pese, another Army
recruiting officer in the Los Angeles area.
The financial burden of paying college fees is also among the
primary obstacles students from low-income communities face, Pese
said, but the military has tried to address this issue.
Stressing the importance of a college education, President
Franklin D. Roosevelt first signed the GI Bill of Rights into
legislation on June 22, 1944. The purpose of the bill was to
provide veterans with money to continue their education, according
to the GI Bill Web site.
Today, the GI Bill contains the Montgomery GI Bill and the Army
College Fund, which together can provide fully enlisted students
with up to $50,000 dollars to pay for their education upon the
termination of their enlistment, Bell said.
The monetary incentive has encouraged many students to enlist in
the military as a means of attaining a college diploma.
“A good 60 percent join the military to help fund their
education, and the rest is skill training or service of
country,” Pese said.
In light of the fact that many students are now overseas
fighting in the military and simultaneously earning money for their
college education, UCLA students say they have mixed feelings about
the situation.
“I think it’s incredibly beneficial, and I
definitely understand the reasoning,” Garrett said, referring
to the decision to serve.
Garrett has a cousin who is currently serving in the Army and
will be returning to Iraq in a few months. She says that her cousin
is excited about the money he will be able to use for college.
Still, Garrett is skeptical about the benefits offered by the
military and the GI Bill.
“I feel almost like it’s a bribe. … They risk
their lives for something that we should all have equal access
to,” Garrett said.
Many UCLA students feel the value of their education has not
changed in light of the fact that their peers are serving in the
military to gain the same education.
“(Education) is a finding process for me. It’s about
learning about myself, that’s all,” said Maggie Zheng,
a graduating applied mathematics student.
The reason the value has not changed lies in the common belief
that students entering college already sufficiently value their
education, Garrett said.
“Most of the time it’s not a privilege. It’s
something required and mandatory that I have to get through,”
Garret said.
Many graduating students say the value of the experiences
they’ve had at UCLA, both inside and outside the classroom,
is independent of the war abroad.