On Education and Passion

At my daughter's graduation a few years ago at University of California at San Diego the keynote speaker was one her professors, the noted neuro-scientist/behavioural neurologist V.S. Ramachandran (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilayanur_S._Ramachandran). The speech was short, and the only point he made was the importance of one following his/her passions. I do not know if it made an impression on her, but one started freshman year as a molecular biologist she became a journalist.

One example of some one who blended passion with decent living is the developer of my favourite band, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in New Orleans, the late Alan Jaffe. He graduated from the Wharton School, but his passion was the tuba (his father had been a tubist). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Jaffe