Late last year, the Yidan Prize honored Northwestern University’s Professor Larry V. Hedges for his achievements in education statistical analysis, and the CEO of online learning platform edX, Professor Anant Agarwal.
Both men had early experiences and circumstances that aren’t what one might assume considering their achievements.
Reaching higher education goals despite the odds
When he was young, Professor Hedges’ parents didn’t believe that university was part of the plan. He grew up in a poor, working class family. They didn’t know anyone who had been to college and his parents discouraged him from thinking along these lines.
While Professor Agarwal had access to educational opportunities growing up in India, he was subject to a school system that relied on traditional teaching, rote learning and memorization. His background also set him apart when he attended Stanford in the 1980s.
Both men have gone on to make contributions to educational access, although each has taken a different route.