Ethan Parker

I’m ‘o done gra-gee-ate with some kinna edu-kashun this week!

Pretty exciting! Finally the quest for a bachelor’s degree is over at barely the age of 24. O happy day. It started with a year at Arizona State followed by three more at Brigham Young University. It began with Industrial Design and ended with Accounting. It commenced with me wanting to make cool products and lots of money, it ended with a man wanting to make a real difference for good to as many people as possible . . . . . uh . . . . and lots of money.

BYU’s accounting program is fabulous because of the people in it, not just the reputation. It’s known all across the business world as being # 1 or #2, but also for having hard-working graduates with real integrity. Visionary professors and administrators have worked for two decades to make the program what it is today. It’s Dean, Kevin Stocks, was just named the President of the AICPA, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is a good man and gave a devotional at BYU.

I must say that it’s tempting to say that any man can be “self-made” and “make it” in this world. It’s true, any man or woman with a brain and a will can make a living, even a great one, and survive. I am now realizing how much I value education. When I spoke to the Micro Business group a few weeks ago it dawned on me that the major reason for any career success of mine is surely the wonderful people I met on college campuses. It’s not the name or the degrees that matter, but the compassionate intellectuals that swarm this country’s universities. You have to seek out and find them, but they are there.

I met my business partner, Benjie, in the junior year of our accounting degree. He has totally changed the potential and future of Parker Planners.

Conclusion: School rocks! Obtain the best schooling available, because you’ll meet great people there! Get good grades for the simple purpose of being able to surround yourself with tomorrow’s Edisons, Carnegies, Luther Kings, and Lincolns!

Love,

Ethan