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Forbes
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
A Spoonful Of Sugar: How Mary Poppins' Medicine Could Heal Higher Ed
Higher ed is under a lot of pressure right now. Public trust in our college and university system is extremely low. Questions about the value of a degree are creating financial strain for both institutions and students. Artificial intelligence threatens academic integrity. And faculty are feeling anxious and overwhelmed – nearly two thirds of faculty report feeling burnt out according to one recent survey. This summer, while sitting through a theater production of Mary Poppins at the college I lead, I was struck by a strange but compelling thought: maybe all we need is a dose of Mary's medicine. Helen Lyndon Goff was one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, yet most people have never heard of her. That's because, at the age of 24, she left Australia for London and decided to change her name in the process. For her new first name she chose "Pamela," purely for the way it sounded. For her new last name, she chose "Travers," which had been the name of her father, who had died 16 years prior at the age of 44. Leaving her middle name unchanged, she thus became Pamela Lyndon Travers or P.L. Travers for short. It was under this pen name that she published a book in 1934 titled Mary Poppins. According to Disney lore, it was Walt's daughters who first became attached to the book and made their father promise he would turn it into a movie. Walt, therefore, began trying to purchase the film rights in 1938. He did not succeed until 23 years later, in 1961, when he sealed the deal by granting Travers approval rights over the final script. The resulting movie, released in 1964, not only became top-grossing movie of the year but also ended up receiving the most Oscar nominations, a feat that has only been repeated a handful of times in the 97-year history of the Academy Awards. So what made Mary Poppins so special? Various explanations have been offered– from the Sherman brothers' songs, to the groundbreaking combination of live-action and animation, to the chemistry between Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. But what Walt Disney himself knew well – evidenced by his decades-long crusade to obtain the film rights – was that the real magic lay in Travers' original source material. And Travers, in turn, knew the secret to her book's success. If you had asked Travers what made Mary Poppins so special, she would have likely answered, 'Why, Mary Poppins, of course.' For Travers, Mary Poppins was a living person – every bit as living as Dumbledore is to J.K. Rowling. These authors did not invent these characters; they discovered them. They themselves were just as enchanted, surprised, and beguiled by their own characters as their readers would eventually become. Which is why Travers guarded Mary so closely – who else on earth could do her justice? How could anyone possibly capture the confounding complexity of this woman? To say that Mary is a paradox would be a terrific understatement. She is rather a colossal bundle of outright contradictions: strict and lenient, vain and humble, following all rules while at the same time breaking them. She is serious and severe one moment, then silly and whimsical the next. Yet there is no hint of instability -- no capriciousness, nor randomness. Rather, she is always fully herself and always fully integrated. When she is strict and serious, her joy is somehow still detectable, without it making her any less formidable. When she is silly and whimsical, it is with the air of utmost dignity, as though Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious really is the most important word in the world. In other words, she is practically perfect in every way. She is all things, to all people, not because she is a chameleon, but because she's just that big – big enough to give every person she touches exactly what they need, at exactly the moment they need it, in the only form they would ever be able to receive it. Say, for example, there were two small children who were both suffering from two serious maladies simultaneously. On the one hand, they were undisciplined and unruly. On the other hand, they were desperately lacking in childlike joy and wonder. Who else but Mary Poppins could have recognized that these seemingly-opposite problems would have to be addressed together, rather than separately? The reason for this, of course, was that the two problems were actually one, and Mary alone could see the root cause. The children needed a father, just as Travers herself had needed one. Her own beloved father – first a bank manager, then demoted to bank clerk – had drunk himself to death when Travers was only eight years old. The question she was left with was a riddle, simple to ask but impossible to answer: Who, if anyone, could have saved him? The answer finally came to her in a vision -- a woman carrying an umbrella, and riding on the wind. Mary was the only one who could have done it. Only Mary Poppins was shrewd enough to rescue a grown man while pretending to ignore him. Only Mary Poppins was brave enough to walk the tightrope between boldness and deference without falling off on either side. Only Mary Poppins was kind enough to say, 'Sometimes, a person we love, through no fault of his own, can't see past the end of his nose.' Her assignment was as ancient and holy as they come: "to turn the heart of a father toward his children." And the day which she completed it was a holy day indeed. Or, if you prefer the modernized spelling, a holiday, and a jolly one at that. That was the effect she seemed to have on every day, and every person, proving once again that our well-established dichotomies are pure poppycock. There is no true holiness without merriment, and all true merriment is holy. At a time when public trust in higher education is evaporating, faculty are stretched thin, and institutional missions are fraying under financial strain, the temptation is to become further entrenched in the status quo or surrender to inevitable decline. But Mary Poppins reminds us that the path forward is not to collapse into cynicism or retreat into rigidity. It is to hold paradox with grace—to acknowledge pain while still singing, to uphold standards while still embracing whimsy, and to restore courage and joy to those entrusted with the work of transformation. She healed the children. She healed the parents. Perhaps she could help heal the academy, too. No wonder that it's Mary that we love.
Forbes
05-06-2025
- General
- Forbes
Education Success: How To Successfully Graduate
Graduating is not just a milestone—it is a mission. Whether you are returning to school mid-career, picking up your education after years away, or navigating college for the first time, the road to graduation is rarely a straight line. Success is not driven by talent alone, nor by sheer willpower in isolation. It requires a thoughtful blend of strategy, structure, and support. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), adult learners, first-generation college students, and individuals juggling work and education often need tailored strategies and dedicated institutional support to stay on track and complete their degrees. This makes it clear: effective graduation planning must account for real-life responsibilities and provide students with systems that support—not just expect—success. This article outlines the core practices that help learners stay the course and cross the finish line with confidence. According to a 2024 survey published in Higher Ed Dive, students often don't leave college due to a lack of intelligence or motivation. This research shows that Financial hardship (86%), emotional or mental stress (80%), family or job responsibilities (73%), health issues (66%), misalignment of courses with career goals (65%), lack of belonging or campus engagement (65%), technology challenges (59%), and inconsistent campus support (57%) are among the top factors impacting students' ability to persist in higher education. These factors, combined with emotional burdens like burnout or imposter syndrome, can make it exceedingly difficult for students to persist in their academic journeys. But here is the thing: the students who do finish often have something powerful in common, they know why they are doing this. As per the research by Tope et al. (2020), students who utilize effective coping strategies, including mindfulness and emotional regulation, tend to develop greater academic resilience, which supports improved academic performance and helps them overcome challenges more successfully. Not just vaguely. Not just 'to get a better job.' Their why is personal, urgent, and emotionally anchored. It is what keeps them going when motivation runs dry and life throws curveballs. So before diving into study strategies and time hacks, take a moment to reflect on these three questions: Write down your answers. Keep them on your phone, post them on your wall, or even turn them into a screensaver. When midterms get rough or you feel like giving up, return to your 'why.' Let it speak louder than your doubts. Every winning team needs a playbook. Your graduation game plan should include: Grit is the ability to keep pushing forward when things get tough—and they will. Deadlines, unexpected life events, or a disappointing grade can shake your confidence. What makes the difference? Resilience. To build grit, break down overwhelming tasks into manageable steps, celebrate small wins along the way, and regularly reflect, adjust your approach, and keep moving forward. Angela Duckworth's research on grit shows that perseverance, not talent, is the key predictor of long-term success. She suggests that grit may be even more crucial than intelligence, as students who cultivate grit tend to recover more effectively and come back stronger after facing setbacks. Seek Resources Before Crisis Hits Do not wait until you are overwhelmed to seek help. Most colleges provide a variety of support services aimed at helping students succeed, such as tutoring and writing centers, mental health counseling, financial aid advising, and faculty office hours. Accessing these resources early demonstrates proactive commitment to your education and is a smart strategy for graduation—not a sign of weakness. As Gray and Swanston explain in their Forbes article, colleges typically offer a comprehensive range of services, including libraries, tutoring services, writing centers, mental health services and medical care. that support students throughout their academic journey. Align Your Environment With Your Goal Your physical and digital surroundings play a crucial role in your success. Create a dedicated study space free from distractions, limit screen time during critical focus periods, and use apps like Forest or Freedom to block distractions. As James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, reminds us, quoted in Homayun's Forbes article, 'You do not rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.' In other words, the habits you develop and the environment you create ultimately determine your success. Graduation Day getty Finally, hold a mental picture of your graduation day. Picture the gown, the applause, the sense of achievement. This vision anchors your 'why' and re-energizes you in tough moments. Graduating is not an accident. It is the result of purpose, planning, perseverance—and people. Whether you are juggling work, raising a family, or simply navigating a challenging curriculum, you can graduate. The key lies in doing it deliberately. With a clear mind, the right habits, and a supportive circle, your path to the finish line is not only possible—it is inevitable.
