Column: The President's Message
Ignorance isn't Bliss
Sumitted By: Jim Giovannini
Published: August 2011
I’m a dreamer - always have been and always will be. Sure, on the surface I run the rat race like everyone, but inside I never shake that same desire I’ve had since childhood. I want to change the world. Yes, it’s idealistic. I don’t care. My instinct says you feel exactly the same because you’re an education entrepreneur. If you didn’t want to change the world, you would have opened a restaurant.
The thought of global change isn’t new, but in today’s technological world it is closer to reality than ever. The world is a smaller place. No longer can an entrepreneur with a dream sit back and say it’s impossible to affect change globally because opportunity is everywhere.
If we examine most of the world’s great problems, there is a common thread weaving them together: a lack of education resulting in an abundance of ignorance. Why do young men in America’s poorest neighborhoods join gangs and lose all respect for their own life and the lives of others? Why do young men in certain parts of the world allow themselves to be recruited by terrorist organizations? Why, in much of the world, are women still marginalized? Why do certain nations insist on ignoring science while causing irreversible damage to the world’s ecosystems? Why is the chasm between the haves and the have-nots growing deeper each day in many nations? Simply put, there is a lack of education and understanding in much of the world – even in our own nation.
Ignorance and marginalization breed contempt. And without positive outlets for their anger and fear, those who are marginalized eventually react out of desperation. Now imagine a world where true equality and economic opportunity are realties for all people - globally. In this world, a world filled with freedom of choice and opportunity, prosperity becomes a reality. If we strive to educate the citizens of the world, ignorance will begin to dwindle and desperation will lose its grip.
I know it’s a dream, but it’s my dream and hopefully yours, too. In my early career as a high school history teacher, I was idealistic and believed I could make a difference. Twenty years later, now as a successful education entrepreneur, I find my dream is the same. I want to change the world. The only difference now is that we all have the capabilities to impact global change through technology. As the Education Industry Association grows and adapts to new challenges, I ask each of you to find a way to change the world through your business ventures.
Published: August 2011
I’m a dreamer - always have been and always will be. Sure, on the surface I run the rat race like everyone, but inside I never shake that same desire I’ve had since childhood. I want to change the world. Yes, it’s idealistic. I don’t care. My instinct says you feel exactly the same because you’re an education entrepreneur. If you didn’t want to change the world, you would have opened a restaurant.
The thought of global change isn’t new, but in today’s technological world it is closer to reality than ever. The world is a smaller place. No longer can an entrepreneur with a dream sit back and say it’s impossible to affect change globally because opportunity is everywhere.
If we examine most of the world’s great problems, there is a common thread weaving them together: a lack of education resulting in an abundance of ignorance. Why do young men in America’s poorest neighborhoods join gangs and lose all respect for their own life and the lives of others? Why do young men in certain parts of the world allow themselves to be recruited by terrorist organizations? Why, in much of the world, are women still marginalized? Why do certain nations insist on ignoring science while causing irreversible damage to the world’s ecosystems? Why is the chasm between the haves and the have-nots growing deeper each day in many nations? Simply put, there is a lack of education and understanding in much of the world – even in our own nation.
Ignorance and marginalization breed contempt. And without positive outlets for their anger and fear, those who are marginalized eventually react out of desperation. Now imagine a world where true equality and economic opportunity are realties for all people - globally. In this world, a world filled with freedom of choice and opportunity, prosperity becomes a reality. If we strive to educate the citizens of the world, ignorance will begin to dwindle and desperation will lose its grip.
I know it’s a dream, but it’s my dream and hopefully yours, too. In my early career as a high school history teacher, I was idealistic and believed I could make a difference. Twenty years later, now as a successful education entrepreneur, I find my dream is the same. I want to change the world. The only difference now is that we all have the capabilities to impact global change through technology. As the Education Industry Association grows and adapts to new challenges, I ask each of you to find a way to change the world through your business ventures.
About the EIA President
Jim Giovannini
Jim, along with his business partner Patsy Prince, has established learning centers throughout the Chicago area that meet a vital need in the communities in which they serve: the need for quality private individualized tutoring that builds students’ skills as well as self esteem. As Academic Tutoring Centers grew over nearly two decades, so did Jim’s vision as to whom he could reach with his passion for learning. Each year, Academic Tutoring Centers serves thousands of students and employs hundreds of teachers. The experience in guiding the expansion of his own business prepared Jim to assume leadership roles in national organizations such as The Education Industry Association (EIA) and the Education Industry Foundation (EIF). Jim currently serves on the Board of Directors of both organizations and is the current EIA president.
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