How American Universities Cultivate Our Most Precious Resource

Dr. Kelly LambertWhat’s the best investment we can make for our future? Based on nearly four decades of neuroscience research, I’d argue it’s not what’s in our wallets — but what’s in our brains. When housed in stimulating environments with space to explore, toys to manipulate, and peers to interact with, rats develop more resilient, complex brains. In my lab and others, these enriched conditions have been shown to improve learning, reduce stress responses, and even protect against age-related decline. No drug or surgical procedure comes close to replicating these widespread benefits.

Lately, I’ve come to realize that one of the most powerful real-world parallels to these enriched environments is the American university campus. From dorms and lecture halls to labs and student clubs, these institutions function as scaled-up enrichment ecosystems for young adult human minds — and their payoff, both neural and societal, is profound.

Unlike many global models, American universities foster a unique educational ecosystem. Residential living is common, boosting student engagement and peer interaction. Courses are frequently taught by active researchers, often involving students in the discovery process. This teacher-scholar model helps students experience the thrill of curiosity and innovation firsthand.

I first experienced this enriching world as a commuter student at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Each time I turned onto campus, I felt like I was entering a different kind of world — lush green lawns, majestic academic buildings, and the hum of intellectual life. Though I couldn’t afford to live on campus, even my intermittent exposure was transformative — so much so that I never left the enriching academic ecosystem.  I have been a professor of behavioral neuroscience on academic campuses my entire career, currently teaching and conducting research at the University of Richmond.

Convincing data from multiple sources confirm the value of educational experiences. A college degree has a measurable economic impact, with college graduates earning roughly $32,000 more annually than those without a degree. The American Association of Universities estimates a 12.5% return on investment for students. On a broader scale, every $1 of NIH research funding to universities generates $2.46 in economic output, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in related activity.

However, the benefits extend far beyond financial gain. Research indicates that non-pecuniary advantages of a college education include increased happiness and protection against age-related neural decline. Furthermore, graduates are civic-minded, as they are more likely to volunteer in community activities and participate in voting.  And, they can continue these activities for longer periods of time, considering that by age 65, their life expectancy exceeds that of non-graduates by approximately seven years.

Historically, American universities have been at the forefront of integrating education and research. While Harvard was the first U.S. college (established in 1636), Johns Hopkins University (JHU), founded in 1876, became the nation’s first true research university — modeled after German institutions that emphasized the creation of new knowledge. In his inaugural address, JHU President Daniel Coit Gilman emphasized that teaching and research were not separate endeavors but rather synergistic ones. This idea soon spread to other campuses across the nation. The importance of research and discovery was echoed by 19^th century French microbiologist Louis Pasteur when he suggested that …”knowledge belongs to humanity and is the torch that illuminates the world.”