Should A University Drop Out Run?

Taualumna · #1 01-19-2004, 07:05 PM

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2...313091-cp.html

(scroll down to see her profile after clicking)

Ms. Stronach is running for the leadership of Canada's Conservative Party. She could potentially be a really good role model for young women, especially if she succeeds. However, she dropped out of university after a year. I'm not sure if that's all that positive. I'd rather have a leader who has a degree. What do you think?

**NOTE** A Federal Party Leader automatically is Prime Minister if his/her party has an elected majority.

DeltAlum · #2 01-19-2004, 07:38 PM

A college degree does not make you smart or wise. Likewise, the lack of one does not decrease your ability to be one of the very best.

Just look at the list of her other accomplishments.

It would be interesting to know why she dropped out.

Taualumna · #3 01-19-2004, 08:12 PM

Right, but she's also the daughter of someone really successful. If she were a "normal girl" who dropped out, she wouldn't have had such accomplishments.

DeltAlum · #4 01-19-2004, 09:01 PM

And theoretically, if George W. Bush wasn't the other George's son he might not be President of the United States. He allegedly had a less than steller career at Yale -- and some say wouldn't have been accepted there if it weren't for his dad and grandfather. I don't know that to be true.

The fact is that money brings power in many ways.

Let's face it, at least in this country, high level politicians are generally personally wealthy -- whether they got there through their family, or are self-made, they are still wealthy.

I don't think that Harvard or the US Chamber of Commerce would have a rich idiot in it's masthead, so I suspect this woman is something pretty special.

Taualumna · #5 01-19-2004, 11:18 PM

At least Bush has a degree. Ms. Stronach doesn't (other than honouraries), and I don't think that's all that positive considering that she could very well be a role model for girls. I just don't want girls to go around saying "Hey, if Belinda Stronach can get where she is without a bachelor's, then I'll drop out too!"

ETA: I know that everyone's going to say something about Bill Gates having dropped out. However, this seems a little different.

CC1GC · #6 01-20-2004, 12:45 AM

She's a hot 'coug...if i ever vote, it'll be for her!

Taualumna · #7 01-20-2004, 12:52 AM

LOL CC1GC!

bcdphie · #8 01-20-2004, 12:34 PM

There are a lot of intelligent people who go to university and drop out simply because it is not their thing. It is not because they are lazy or don't have half a brain (well sometimes it is attributed to this, but not always).

If Belinda Stronach is elected leader of the new Conservative party, I will have to look at the Party platform and see how she deals with Canada's hot topics.

Taualumna · #9 01-20-2004, 12:43 PM

Yes, but it's not like she dropped out of school because something she was working on "took off". She basically took over from her father. While I'm not saying that she was a party-girl-a la Paris Hilton, she very well may have been. I don't know. I don't know enough about her to say anything. I just don't think a drop out, no matter how successful is necessarily a good role model for people.