For me, education is important for lots of different reasons. It is not just a prerequisite or direct line to get a job that pays you the most money. Of course, you need to think about what you want to do in life, and certain professions require a much stronger base of requisite classes. But part of your education, no matter what you are trying to be in life, should fulfill that part of you that just wants to know more—about a certain topic, a particular perspective, a different way of being.

Humans have a great capacity to learn—to discuss and grasp different ideas—and the more you are exposed to those ideas, the more well-rounded, and frankly, the more interesting you become. Our greatest leaders are able to “connect the dots” from different people and situations to come up with insights which change the world. Theater, geology, history, philosophy, and religion are some of the cornerstones of a healthy education. How do you construct a story or a situation? What encompasses the earth, the very foundation on which we live? Does history really teach us a lesson? Where is that person coming from? And how do different religions bind us in all of our differences? These are the classes which give us the ultimate perspective to solve problems creatively and to improve processes and outcomes.

Given that, you still need to take the coursework which allows you to know the basic skills of the profession you are targeting. Internships and direct experience with an employer are also important components to demonstrate that expanding your mind has a practical component. In the world of MBAs, business graduates, and very practical degrees, show me someone who has a liberal arts background and related work/internship experience, and that is the person who will get the interview, and oftentimes the job. Think of education as a time to explore and grow—the rest will come.