MICUA

Stevenson University

February 2, 2010

After a survey of its December 2008 and May 2009 graduates, Stevenson University reports a 95% job and graduate school placement rate. The statistic—based on responses from 90% of recent SU graduates—bucks a national trend toward decreasing employment opportunities for recent college graduates.

“Stevenson has focused its mission on becoming a national leader in career education and developing innovative approaches that enhance students’ career preparation,” said Kevin J. Manning, Ph.D., President of Stevenson University. “Our efforts are paying off for our students and giving them an advantage in an economy that is otherwise presenting many challenges to college graduates trying to enter the job market.”

Of the recent Stevenson graduates surveyed, 75% were working full-time in their chosen fields or attending graduate school, while 9% were working full-time outside their fields, and 11% were working part-time. A total of 649 students were surveyed throughout 2009 to generate the data.

“We begin the tracking process very early with each class, right before students graduate, and then follow up with them over a year, from December through early January, to confirm their employment status,” said Chris Noya, Assistant Vice President for Experiential Learning and Career Services. “Our Career Services staff dedicate two to four evening hours per week over that time to personally contact graduates and track their progress. We are vigilant in how we obtain and tabulate our data.”

Graduates are contacted five times throughout the year—by phone, e-mail, even LinkedIn and Facebook if necessary—to obtain their employment status. The Office of Career Services and Learning Beyond staff also liaison with the University academic departments and share information so that Stevenson’s schools and departments can assess outcomes for their students, Noya added.

“I see the Stevenson difference is that we start an intensive career development process in the freshman year, whereas many colleges and universities wait until the junior year,” Noya said. “In any one year, more than 80% of our students are involved in one of various experiential learning programs. To a person, the employers and recruiters that we talk to say our students ‘get it’ when it comes to the real world of employment—resumes, interviewing, self presentation, time management, and so on. I think the Stevenson approach makes a difference.”