The Chronicle of Higher Education is a weekly news journal and website. Jonathan Zimmerman is a historian of education, who has made contributions to The chronicle. Specifically, Zimmerman’s piece titled, “Why Colleges Should Require a Gap Year”, shares his opinion on why colleges and universities need to “step up”. Throughout the article, he conveys the idea that colleges and universities can find a way to receive national service and that the benefits would be “extraordinary”.
The thesis that I uncovered after reading the article was, “Although the federal government is unlikely to require national service, we could. And the benefits would be extraordinary — not just for our students and our country, but for higher education itself” (Zimmerman). I believe that this is the thesis because when reading the second paragraph, Zimmerman emphasizes that authorities like Buttigieg who argued, “Americans need a shared enterprise to bind them together One thing we could do that would change that would be to make it — if not legally obligatory but certainly a social norm — that anybody after they’re 18 spends a year in national service” (Zimmerman) also this didn’t even make it to a floor vote in 2013.
He supports his claims by stating that authorities dislike them (colleges and universities). I believe that by doing this Zimmerman has gained the insight of his audience (that consists of college and university faculty, and Student Affairs professionals) and beings to connect with them. He continues by saying, “A compulsory-service year would provide one very clear answer: We’re creating better citizens, and a better country. It isn’t just that required service would benefit our students, who would be exposed to the diversity and complexity of America” (Zimmerman). He argues that maybe letting students have a gap year and go out in the real world and experience what responsibility is then it would create “better citizens”. I believe that this is Zimmerman’s way of making the audience feel like they can ‘help’. As a result, Zimmerman connects with his audience through emotion.
As a student, I wouldn’t give Zimmerman’s proposal serious consideration because I believe a gap year wouldn’t benefit my family or community. In my opinion, a gap year would lead to students either not wanting to go back to school or students becoming dependent on their ‘lifestyle’ during the gap year. I say this because they might enjoy having a gap year and making it a permanent thing. Not only that but students will also become comfortable, there shouldn’t be a gap in their education. Zimmerman suggests options like, “Some people might elect to do their service right after high school, taking a ‘gap year’ before starting college. Others might do it after a few years of study. But no students could graduate from college without serving their country. And both the college and the country would be better for it” (Zimmerman). However, I wouldn’t risk having the option available to students, but students having the option to do it will just make it okay if they decide to not continue their education.