Christendom’s recently-graduated Class of 2023 has found great success, with close to 100% of the class — 99.1% — having a positive career outcome or beginning graduate school, according to a new survey recently released by the college’s Career and Professional Development Office. This number far exceeds the national average of 85% and stands as a testament to the robust efforts of the college’s faculty and staff in preparing students for success post-graduation.
“I personally meet with every senior in order to help them find success,” says Kristin Stephens, Director of Career and Professional Development. “Due to the college’s intentionally smaller size, our students are able to receive individual attention and guidance based on their specific interests throughout their time at Christendom. Because of this, we’re able to help put students on the path to success post-graduation.”
Christendom, along with most other colleges in the U.S., surveys its most recent graduating class each year, 6 months post-graduation, to discover the paths the graduates have taken. The results of this year’s survey proved that, once again, the alumni success percentage is well above the national average, with the college setting a new record for alumni success six-months out from graduation.
In addition to the overall 99.1% success rate, 97% of students also said that their college education was worth the investment, exceeding the national average of 66%, and 88% said that Christendom gave them the tools they needed to succeed.
90% of the Class of 2023 further said that meeting with the college’s Career and Professional Development Office was helpful, far above the national average of just 16%. This is a testament to the efforts of the college’s Career and Professional Development team, who work with students throughout the year to help them achieve their career goals, both one-on-one and in the classroom through the college’s “Education for Life” career course. In these classes, students learn important skills such as writing resumes and cover letters, creating LinkedIn profiles, networking, interview preparation, salary negotiation, and financial literacy — all crucial to success after college, but so rarely taught at the collegiate level.
“Having our Education for Life courses built into the core curriculum means our students are thinking about their post-graduation success beginning in their freshman year,” says Stephens. “They are doing work all throughout their time at Christendom so that, when they walk across the stage on their graduation day, they are doing so with the confidence that they have the skills they need to have a positive career outcome from the moment they leave the college.”
The results from this survey provide a counter to the national narrative that liberal arts degrees are not useful in today’s workforce. Instead, the skills provided by a liberal arts education, including improved communication, critical thinking, innovative thought, and leadership skills, are giving Christendom graduates the edge necessary to stand apart from their peers and fulfill their career goals.
Learn more about the Class of 2023’s Alumni Outcomes here.