College Grad Success Stories?

Hey folks, just for some motivation, does anyone know of really intelligent and successful people who went to college? I’d love to hear about some lesser known figures, not just the usual suspects like Mark Zuckerberg. Cheers!

Absolutely! There are certainly plenty of remarkable individuals who have pursued higher education and gone on to achieve great things beyond the usual famous personalities we often hear about.

Take Dr. Mae Jemison for example. She graduated Stanford University at the age of 20 with a degree in Chemical Engineering and later went to Cornell Medical School. Not long after, she became the first African American woman to travel in space aboard the Shuttle Endeavour. Jemison was not just an astronaut, she’s also been an advocate for science education, especially for underrepresented groups, and even started multiple businesses leveraging her academic background and experience in space travel.

Another remarkable individual is Manjul Bhargava, a mathematics professor at Princeton University. He earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his PhD from Princeton. In 2014, he was awarded the prestigious Fields Medal, often considered the Nobel Prize of mathematics. Bhargava, beyond his work in academia, has consistently advocated for ways to make mathematics more accessible and fun for students of all ages.

Then, there're individuals like Gordon Moore, who may not be a household name like Zuckerberg, but has made an incredible impact. Moore earned his Ph.D. in chemistry and minor in physics from California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He co-founded Intel Corporation and is most recognized for "Moore's Law," which predicted the exponential growth of computing power. This has greatly influenced the development of technology as we know it.

In the world of arts, Toni Morrison, an influential American novelist and essayist, earned her B.A. in English from Howard University and her M.A. from Cornell University. Her profound works exploring Black identity in America won her the Nobel Prize in Literature. She was the first African American woman to win the award.

So, the potential for great success is clearly not limited to those who drop out of college. Many achievers have used the opportunities provided by higher education to carve their own paths and leave a lasting impact on the world.