Eric Glustrom: Education for Next Generation Leaders

Yasmin Valdez | 22 de octubre de 2020 | Vistas: 119

Antigua Forum Education Entrepreneurship social entrepreneurship

Eric Glustrom, founder of Watson Institute and Educate, was part of the Antigua Forum 2020. During this interview, he shared his experience with education and how it is highly related to entrepreneurship and economic development.

When Glustrom was 17 years old, he applied to a program in Western Uganda to work with a refugee community. During the application process, he was rejected but decided to go on his own. In this new place, he met a group of people that came from the Congo, Sudan, and different parts of Africa. They expressed to him that education was what they needed to solve their problems and become the leaders to bring prosperity to their countries.

Education is not just, going to secondary school, you can go to universities or get a job, education is about an investment in the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs." — Eric Glustrom

He then explained the relationship and importance of Entrepreneurship, education, mentorship, and economic development. Emphasizing that a mentor cannot teach someone a step by step process to improve the world. For Eric, the core characteristics of a good mentor are:

It's a good listener.
Can see students in a new light and help them reveal their potential.
Use their experience to guide but not prescribe with it as a formula to success.
Empower someone to live the life they meant to lead.

This generation can be the first generation in the history of humanity that sees the end of extreme poverty, the transition of renewable energy and a world in which every child has access to a quality education worldwide."— Eric Glustrom

He shared that the Watson Institute aims to develop new young leaders and entrepreneurs by running programs in partnership with leading institutions. One of them being at Universidad Francisco Marroquín, the first international program of this initiative.

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