Article written by: Mac-Z Zurawski

Reflections on Education, Career, and Civic Life as I Approach Forty

As I approach the milestone of forty, I find myself revisiting a lifetime of decisions with a mixture of gratitude and questioning. The past year in particular has produced waves of emotion: the things I wish I had done sooner, the opportunities I still hope to seize, and the ongoing questions about how education has shaped my path. When I began my M.A. in Political and Justice Studies, I imagined that degree might unlock a dream career—teaching college courses in political science or sociology, having transformative classroom moments or professional breakthroughs. Two years after graduating, I am still searching for that “perfect” job, but the journey has taught me much more than I ever expected.

After earning my master’s degree, I pursued interviews and training opportunities that offered important, practical lessons. Those experiences did not instantly produce the career I pictured, and that pattern is familiar to many Americans who returned to higher education in response to economic uncertainty. For lots of us, going back to school was a strategic response to shifting labor markets, technological change, and professional insecurity. I did not lose my job, but I did lose a sense of professional security. As a union member, I have felt the pressure of anti-union sentiment and rapid organizational change. Friends and family have experienced similar shifts as technology and budget priorities reconfigured workplaces.

Even so, I reject the idea that higher education is merely a bubble. Calling widespread learning an “education bubble” overlooks a more hopeful reality: millions of adults are choosing to expand their skills, engage with new ideas, and deepen their civic awareness. Education has spread beyond classrooms into community centers, nonprofit projects, and informal networks. Conversations that once centered on entertainment increasingly include public policy, social justice, and neighborhood initiatives. People are connecting learning to action—organizing food drives that promote dignity and justice, teaching art alongside civic theory, and creating programs that serve local communities.

Higher education has given many of us frameworks and language to participate more fully in civic life. We hold theories and methods alongside lived experience; we bring analytical tools to community organizing and nonprofit work. This blending of academic insight and practical service produces new forms of engagement: adult education classes that incorporate political science, volunteer projects informed by sociology, and neighborhood initiatives grounded in justice studies. The result is a richer civic landscape where informed citizens collaborate to address pressing local needs.

On a personal level, the degree I pursued has not been wasted simply because my career path did not follow a single, linear route to a tenure-track job. Instead, education has expanded the ways I contribute to my community and the possibilities I imagine for myself and others. I have taken part in civic projects and community programs that benefit from the critical thinking and organizational skills I developed in graduate school. Those contributions are meaningful, even if they do not match the original vision of a classroom career.

Pursuing further education was a deliberate choice to adapt to a changing world. It required sacrifice, persistence, and the willingness to embrace uncertainty. Still, the payoff is visible in unexpected ways: increased civic engagement, the growth of local nonprofit efforts, and the transfer of knowledge across unexpected arenas. When neighbors teach adult art lessons infused with political theory or when volunteer coalitions apply research-based approaches to local problems, education proves its value beyond traditional employment outcomes.

Should I have gone back to school even if my degree is now applied in nontraditional professional roles? Yes. The skills, perspectives, and networks I gained continue to shape my contributions at work and in my neighborhood. My hope is that others will continue to pursue learning—not just for career advancement, but to strengthen communities, sustain civic life, and create opportunities for collective growth.

Education is not a guarantee of any single outcome, but it is a force that changes how we think, act, and organize. As I prepare for the next chapter of my life, I remain committed to bridging the gap between dreams and reality: to help students, neighbors, and citizens harness knowledge for practical, positive change. The pursuit of learning is a long-term investment in resilience, empathy, and civic responsibility—one that I believe will pay dividends for individuals and communities alike.

About the author: Mac-Z Zurawski is an adult educator with degrees in Political Science (B.A. and M.A.), sociology, and justice studies. Her work focuses on connecting education to community action and helping learners transform ideas into real-world impact.