Blackburn Institute

Fellow Starts Company Aimed at Global Education

February 10, 2009

Like many students at The University of Alabama School of Law, fellow John Joseph (2004-2005) accepted a lucrative position in his field of interest following graduation. After working in real estate and entrepreneurship, John realized that it was time to answer Dr. John L. Blackburn’s call for leadership in the community. A simple conversation about a colleague’s student loans crystallized what John had been hearing from educators and students for years—in a global economy, higher education will be necessary to access most desirable opportunities, but no longer sufficient. What started as a simple exploration of ways to improve student learning in higher education, has now become a full-time vocation. In 2009, John will officially launch Global Grad. John stated, “Global Grad will help incoming college students understand exactly what they must do to succeed personally, academically, and professionally in college. Because we are all tired of shortcuts that never seem to deliver results, Global Grad’s curriculum is grounded in research-backed best practices as well as the lessons of high school. We want every student to finish college as quickly as possible, with as many opportunities as possible.” Rather than joining the chorus of voices focusing on what colleges must do to help students succeed, Global Grad focuses on helping students understand and carry out their responsibilities as lifelong learners. John said, “Clearly colleges play a vital role in educating students, but the research shows us that students have a part to play as well. Educations are not passively attained; they are actively earned. If a student does not choose to commit himself or herself to success in college, that college should not be blamed for disappointing outcomes.” A diverse, nationwide advisory board supports Global Grad and includes professionals from the higher ed, K-12, legal, business, social work, non-profit and other communities. In the process of creating Global Grad’s curriculum, John spoke personally with Dr. Blackburn, the Blackburn staff, and even hosted a focus group with Blackburn fellows. John acknowledges that his experiences as a Blackburn fellow have impacted his work with Global Grad, stating “One of the most important lessons I have learned as a Fellow is to do the slow, painstaking work of building a consensus for change.” For more information about Global Grad, please contact John at: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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