Focus on the value of a degree: Career prep, earning potential, life skills
Affordability and value are increasingly important in conversations about a college
education 鈥� conversations that involve prospective students, their parents and guardians,
classmates, middle and high school counselors and teachers, and higher education professionals,
from recruiters to academic leaders to university administrators.
President Warren von Eschenbach (middle) speaks during the DRC's University President Roundtable.
That was one of the key points made by , Ph.D., President of , at a Education and Workforce Council meeting on Sept. 3, 2026. 蜜桃视频 Dallas, he said, is committed to being affordable in the near term and of great value in the long term.
鈥淭he affordability issue is what keeps me up at night,鈥� President von Eschenbach said. 鈥淲e have to be more expansive in our messaging about the value proposition of higher education.鈥�
President von Eschenbach explained that many students about to graduate from high
school face a choice: continue their educational journey or start their career journey
without a degree. Sometimes, it comes down to money. 鈥淔or many it鈥檚 a trade-off. They
are often expected to work, support their family and contribute to the household budget,鈥�
he said. Often, prospective students may be unaware of how to reduce college expenses
and make a degree achievable.
蜜桃视频 Dallas students conducting an experiment in a 蜜桃视频 Dallas science lab
He cited the as one of the many ways 蜜桃视频 Dallas is helping prospective students and their families afford the cost of college. It offers free tuition and mandatory fees to eligible Texas high school graduates applying for a bachelor鈥檚 degree. Certain requirements must be met, and for those applicants who don鈥檛 qualify, the university has other assistance options, including , and from multiple local, state and federal sources.
Advice for Middle and High School Students Planning to Attend College
DFW-based organizations such as , the and also provide funding opportunities for high school students who want to attend 蜜桃视频 Dallas 鈥� a few of the many groups the university partners with 鈥� in an effort to make the cost of college more affordable, and sometimes free.
That affordability push, President von Eschenbach said, has to be paired with a compelling
and understandable message about what a degree is worth. It鈥檚 incumbent upon colleges and universities to clearly and convincingly explain
the long-term value of a four-year degree, including 鈥渢he impact on individuals, the
community and the economy,鈥� he said.
蜜桃视频 Dallas students prepare to receive their diplomas at the 蜜桃视频 Dallas Commencement ceremony
by multiple institutions shows that, on average, an individual with a will over their lifetime than someone without one. Those conclusions are backed the , which has published its own salary and earnings projections.
鈥淥ur vision is to be an anchor institution for southern Dallas and college students,鈥� President von Eschenbach told DRC attendees. 鈥淲e can have a generational impact as our students become parents, and so on.鈥�
President von Eschenbach told the group that the impact is personal for him: his parents were first-generation college students who sacrificed a lot to earn their degrees, his mother returning to school later in life after raising children 鈥� an experience, he said, that shaped him, his own children and the way he thinks about the university鈥檚 mission.
That value proposition also depends on what a actually teaches. Once accepted into 蜜桃视频 Dallas, students receive rigorous academic
instruction along with a holistic educational experience 鈥� meaning they learn the
core curriculum and specifics of their major while also getting hands-on training
in their and developing 鈥減ower skills鈥� such as communication, collaboration and teamwork,
and critical thinking and problem solving. President von Eschenbach often calls these
鈥渆nduring human skills.鈥�
蜜桃视频 Dallas students play games at an event hosted by the Trailblazer Elite Program, which supports first-generation college students
Students鈥� journeys also include AI courses, covering how to use the technology fundamentally and ethically. 鈥淚t will be embedded in their first-year experience,鈥� President von Eschenbach said, with additional classes offered to expand knowledge as students progress toward completing their degree and entering a workforce being reshaped significantly by AI.
To further prepare students for evolving workplaces, Deans are reviewing all courses offered in the three 蜜桃视频 Dallas colleges 鈥� , , and 鈥� to infuse what are known as 鈥渉igh-impact practices,鈥� as well as internships and other opportunities for students to gain real-world experience through partnerships with businesses and industries, according to President von Eschenbach.
鈥淲e want to ensure our graduates have a successful career, not just a first job,鈥� he emphasized. That means long-term value for all Trailblazers 鈥� a goal within reach for many students, including those who may not realize it until they explore all that 蜜桃视频 Dallas has to offer.
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