As a high school dropout who later went on to obtain a GED, serve in the military and obtain my Bachelor's Degree in Computer Information Systems, it has been a long road. Without education, it is hard to get a decent job, be respected or fit in with the mainstream crowd who goes off to college. While my friends were being accepted into schools like Penn State, Drexel, Boston University and Temple, I was trying to survive and working minimum-wage jobs in Philadelphia. Despite dropping out, I had a skillset in computers and would regularly take them apart and put them back together as a kid. I even ended up becoming a professional gamer in a PC game called Starcraft. I eventually obtained my GED at the age of 19 and ended up in the Coast Guard serving in the military the following year. Traumas, hardship and losing my mother to lung cancer slowed me down, but once I hit the gas, at some point, I picked up speed and never looked back. I believe education is important because it can help fill in the gaps that experience or anecdotal evidence cannot. It also helps to keep the mind sharp, healthy and flexible. Having a sense of purpose, achievement and curiosity also go a long way. I'm a lifelong learner and get excited when it is time to learn something new. The process of going through school can also help you to become disciplined, meet new people and learn how to work in team settings. Education coupled with practice and repetition can help expand the capabilities of the individual taking part in it. They may grow in ways that they never imagined just by testing themselves. Education can also bring credibility and confidence. When you know you have worked hard and completed something, it shows. You also may garner more trust from others by having a degree. Education in itself can be inside and outside of the classroom and be formal or informal. I learned a lot by just hanging with other students and speaking about topics that had nothing to do with the class. You also get to know people a lot more when it is time for a group project. Oftentimes, conflict arises and it is what you do in those conflicts that can help you grow and learn. No one truly grows when things are easy and going completely smoothly. As an entrepreneur and graduate student studying for my Master's in Business Administration with an emphasis on Organizational Leadership, I have been challenged many times along the way. Without those challenges, I would not have been prepared for this program, nor would I have been able to start my own business. I have learned IT, Marketing, Sales, Psychology, Accounting and human dynamics throughout college. I also learned a great deal about time management, writing things down and holding myself accountable. When you are assigned to a team, it is even more important as everyone is relying on you. This is not far from the real world, where you are dependent upon and must learn to work independently and be interdependent. In conclusion, I believe education is important to bring the world closer. You don't know what you don't know and many problems can be avoided, resolved or tolerated with proper education. I will forever advocate for education and recently I have been selected as a Brand Ambassador for my school, National University. I couldn't be more honored. Thank you for your time.