November 19, 2008

Winner in Alaska Race Will Be Only U.S. Senator Without a College Degree

Mark Begich, who skipped college to run his family’s business, has toppled the U.S. Senate’s longest-serving Republican, and will become the only senator without a college degree.

The incumbent, Sen. Ted Stevens, who brought millions of dollars to his state during his four decades in the Senate but was convicted on federal corruption charges just days before the election, conceded defeat this afternoon.

Mr. Begich, the Democratic mayor of Anchorage, Alaska, was first elected to the Anchorage Assembly at age 26. He makes no secret of never attending college, noting in his Facebook profile that he saved the Alaska Student Loan Corporation from bankruptcy, despite his lack of a degree. He headed the corporation from the mid-1990’s until 2002.

His father, Nick Begich, who was Alaska’s third congressman, was among those killed when his plane disappeared over the Gulf of Alaska, in 1972. Mark Begich, who was only 10 at the time, decided to forgo college to run his family’s apartment-building business, according to the Associated Press.

In his education platform, Mr. Begich calls for increased federal support for Alaska Native education, and for career and technical education. He also promises to keep the University of Alaska strong. “College is a necessity that’s priced like a luxury,” the platform says. —Kelly Field

Comments

1. So what? I hope you are not implying that a 4 yr degree is the only valid way to achieve an education? How narrow minded and arrogant of you! Begich is a strong supporter of education for young people as his record clearly shows.

   — Gilda    Nov 19, 10:27 PM    #

2. Does Bill Gates earn a college degree? How many successful businessmen and businesswomen have failed to earn a college degree? Did having a college degree prevent any number of congressmen, senators, governors or Vice-Presidents from making stupid, unethical, or illegal actions? I agree with poster #1. And my guess is that like Begich, those individuals skipped college not because they couldn’t but because circumstances made the choice not to go to college more imperative.

   — NC Arts Dean    Nov 20, 07:29 AM    #

3. I agree this article sounds arrogant. Why not just talk about his support for education and mention that he has no degree within that context. .. but a headline?? what poor taste !!

   — skip    Nov 20, 07:35 AM    #

4. He’s a Democrat — no one will notice the difference……

   — GT    Nov 20, 07:43 AM    #

5. Ah, GT—
   Thanks for that little dose of Republican hate…don’t think I could have started my day without it…..Have you no shame?

   — Kathy    Nov 20, 07:51 AM    #

6. Very good, GT! I couldn’t agree more!!

   — pd    Nov 20, 09:10 AM    #

7. Why does everyone post angry and negative comments? This should be a community, not a bitch fest.

   — Tiffany    Nov 20, 09:11 AM    #

8. Tiffany, I have no shame.

   — pd    Nov 20, 09:27 AM    #

9. I don’t think Mark Begich “toppled” anyone. Ted Stevens toppled himself. I have no problem with Mark’s lack of a degree. He still has time to earn one if he wishes. There are some great distance learning options. Notice that in his quote, he called it a necessity.

   My problem would be the way Sarah Palin was castigated over her “inferior” degree or the fact that she attended multiple institutions. Let’s be fair and apply opinions equally.

   — JP    Nov 20, 09:27 AM    #

10. If the economy doesn’t improve, we are going to see many more people without any kind of post-secondary education because college is becoming almost unaffordable to a vast majority of Americans. Hopefully, the new Alaska senator and the rest of those in Washington will work hard to change this; so all Americans can have the opportunity to have a good post-secondary education.

    — jb    Nov 20, 09:31 AM    #

11. JB, you’re right. What a major in computer science learned in 4 years will not be irrelevant in today ITs jobs. My company hired a HS grad because he got the application knowledge that the BS/MS didn’t learned in college. And college today are not affordable but aren’t most faculties mmebers nationwide liberals? Should tuitions be lowered? Only the rich can afford, and the liberals are rich….

    — Michael    Nov 20, 09:36 AM    #

12. I agree with Tiffany, but that is true of most blogs on this site. More to the point, however, and with regard to the opening posts, I did not find the article disparaging or arrogant. It very positively noted his need to attend to family interests and his success despite not having a college degree. I think that warrants note because it does demonstrate what can be accomplished with perseverance and ability. Yet, despite his personal success he speaks strongly of the need for – and support of – higher education. Take the article for what it says, not what you read into it.

    — Henry    Nov 20, 09:41 AM    #

13. The article’s author seems to just be pointing out an interesting factoid. I think that’s the purpose of this part of the Chronicle, yes? (I don’t see anything in there condemning the man… perhaps some readers are showing their own prejudices about education?)

    It is noteworthy, from a higher ed history perspective, that life experience in place of a college degree is so unusual at this point on the time line.

    — HIED doc    Nov 20, 09:48 AM    #

14. Grasping the first straw. This article sounds complimentary to me. Of course in an age of cynicism people read meanings to statements that are surreptitiously different from what the writer had in mind.

    — sol    Nov 20, 10:32 AM    #

15. Keep in mind that authors of articles often do not compose the heds.

    I have no idea of the Chronicle’s process.

    — M.A. in Interactive Journalism and Department of Education contractor    Nov 20, 11:03 AM    #

16. As to #10 about a college education becoming “unaffordable to a vast majority of Americans.” I hear that a lot, but I’m not so sure it is true. Stanford is not affordable to a vast majority of Americans, but there are many excellent schools that are significantly less expensive and quite affordable, should people choose to spend their money on education. The fact that one does or does not have a college degree is not an automatic indication that the person is or is not educated. A lot of people pass through college (almost literally) but nothing sticks. I am concerned, nevertheless, about an anti-education attitude that seems to be growing at a time when education is becoming a really important public good.

    — Dave    Nov 20, 11:09 AM    #

17. I run the Center for Distance Education at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. We have had a number of legislators take online courses while in office. It is commendable that they support life long learning by doing it. Begich will be a fine representative from Alaska.

    — Curt Madison    Nov 20, 11:30 AM    #

18. Whew, those early posters need to chill out. I sensed no condemnation in this article whatsoever. Not even in the title when I clicked on it to read the story in the first place.

    Are we all just a little too ready for the weekend? Yikes.

    — EAR    Nov 20, 12:29 PM    #

19. #16,

    I’m not sure if an anti-education attitude is growing in America, or if its just an anti non-practical education attitude. Over the last couple of generations we’ve oversold the need for a college degree, when what is really needed to succeed are skills that help increase the bottom line of whatever industry one works for. If a college degree is an accurate indicator of such skills, then it has value to corporate America. Some degrees are, others are not.

    — FB    Nov 20, 12:33 PM    #

20. JP in #9 hits it right on the head. Lots of people commenting on this blog poked fun at Sarah Palin for attending six schools as an undergraduate, and for graduating from what they perceived to be a second-tier state university. Those same people are suddenly silent on a Democrat Senator lacking a bachelor’s degree.

    Dave in #16, while a Stanford degree may be “unaffordable to a vast majority of Americans,” the reality is that few people pay the entire sticker price for a Stanford (or Harvard, Yale, MIT, etc.) degree. Most receive need-based financial aid and scholarships.

    And as to a supposed anti-education attitude, I think what you are really seeing is an anti-education establishment attitude. Virtually everyone agrees that learning is important to the future of our society, they just doubt that our higher education system is prioritizing it. You admit as much when you mention that “a lot of people pass through college. . . but nothing sticks.”

    — J. Ward    Nov 20, 12:34 PM    #

21. What distinguishes Mark Begich from Sarah Palin is their command of facts – and their ability to look for commonalities that facilitate compromise. Begich has both abilities and she does not. Listen to them talk about substantive issues/facts and you will think that it is Begich who has a degree.

    — TDD    Nov 20, 01:20 PM    #

22. TDD, that is probably another way of saying “Begich agrees with my positions, therefore I think he is really bright.”

    — J. Ward    Nov 20, 01:49 PM    #

23. Maybe TDD has been influenced by Mr. Begich’s ability to use sentences when he speaks.

    — perplexed    Nov 21, 12:06 PM    #

24. This is relevant to us readers of the CHE. We believe in the value of higher education and its ability to provide needed knowledge for guiding our nation. Mr. Begich has missed much that he did not obtain in high school: constitutional law, foreign policy, political science, economics, accounting, analytical and writing skills. Perhaps he can enroll in a program while in Wash. DC.

    — G. Gail    Nov 21, 02:49 PM    #

25. If a degree is not important or relevant, then I should just go home instead of working on a Sunday, here at my .edu….

    — joshybear    Nov 23, 04:50 PM    #

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