Arne Duncan
US Secretary of Education
US Dept of Education
Washington, DC USA
“Find those people who are going to support you in your journey, who will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationArne Duncan
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
Grew up in Chicago attending his mother's inner-city tutoring program. Saw how kids who had challenges at home could succeed if they had people who supported them.
After spending a year shadowing his mother at work, he knew that teaching was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.
Went to Harvard; struggled his first year with grades and homesickness, thought about leaving.
After college, he ran an after-school mentoring program, started a new charter school, then served as CEO of Chicago Public Schools.
Says he never aspired to be the Secretary of Education-in fact, he didn't even know the job existed; wanted to have an impact and connect kids' potential to opportunity.
Still has to pinch himself every day because he can't believe where his path has led, or the opportunity he's been given to make a difference.
Says find the people who will support you in your journey; he's had the same mentor for 40 years.
Says being a teacher requires "a little toughness and a lot of heart," but it's the most meaningful job in the world.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
US Secretary of Education
I work to give children schools that combine passionate teachers and students and the highest expectations.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Government
Teaching / Mentoring
Interviewed By
Why Not Us
Being the first in your family to attend college is daunting, but rewarding.
Follow the journeys of four young people-all first in their families to go to college-as they road-trip across the country to interview inspiring individuals who were also first in their families to pursue higher education.
After gaining wisdom and guidance from trail-blazing leaders-including Anna Maria Chávez, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, Grammy Award-winner John Legend, and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz-the Roadtrippers are emboldened to embrace the opportunities ahead and ask "why shouldn't I succeed?"
