Ouachita reports 99% placement rate for most recent graduating class
January 04, 2019
- OBU News BureauOuachita Baptist University announced today that 99 percent of the recent graduating
class are employed in some capacity or furthering their education. That number exceeds
the national average for colleges and universities by 15 percent.
The results are based on Ouachita’s Senior Survey, relying on standards established
by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). In the survey, graduates
fall into one of the following categories: full-time employment, graduate school,
part-time employment, and those who are still seeking employment.
The timeline established by NACE for collection and reporting of employment data is
December 31 of each year.
The results generate a “career outcomes rate,” sometimes called a placement rate.
Ouachita’s rate of 99 percent compares to a national average of 84 percent. More than
80 percent of Ouachita’s recent graduating class completed the survey compared to
a national average of 64.5 percent.
“I am very proud of our graduates,” said Rachel Roberts, Ouachita’s director of career
and calling. “Employers continue to express how well-prepared Ouachita students are,
both in their approach to the job search and for on-the-job responsibilities. They
are well-rounded employees with excellent relational and technical skills, integrity
and work ethic.”
Of the recent Ouachita graduates, 43 percent report attending graduate or professional
school, which is the highest in recent history.
“Ouachita’s commitment to strong career outcomes for our graduates has led us to start
a new bachelor’s degree in nursing, explore new graduate programs and strengthen key
partnerships with those who will employ our graduates in the future,” said Dr. Ben
Sells, Ouachita president. “Ouachita is rising to anticipate, innovate and achieve
so that the students of today will be able to rise to the challenges and opportunities
of tomorrow.”
Sells said that this success indicates that Ouachita students are able to graduate
“doubt-free.”
“They know what they want in their careers, and employers as well as graduate schools
seek our graduates in greater numbers because of the faith, scholarship, growth, character
and community that an education from Ouachita imparts,” he said.
You Also Might Like
Recent
