June 09, 2010

Class of 2000 gives high marks to alma mater

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- According to a recent survey of Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumni, 97 percent said they would recommend SIUC to prospective students.

Institutional Research and Studies at SIUC prepared the survey of baccalaureate alumni from the class of 2000 as part of routine post-graduation follow-up research. Alumni who received the survey had the option of responding by mail, e-mail or by going directly to a web link.

The survey revealed that 83 percent of survey respondents have a “strongly positive” or “positive” attitude toward SIUC. It also indicated that 87 percent of 2000 graduates hold full-time employment, with a median annual salary of $62,000.

The survey covered such areas as post-graduation employment, pursuit of further education, and satisfaction with the undergraduate college experience.

On the employment front, the survey indicates that 93 percent report job satisfaction, with 71 percent noting that their jobs are related to the majors they pursued at SIUC. A further 20 percent noted that they deliberately chose jobs that were not directly related to their majors.

Of the graduates who responded to the survey, the highest percentage held careers in management, followed by education and then engineers and related technicians. Other careers into which a significant number of graduates found their way include business operations, community and social service, protective services and computer specialists, though graduates found careers across the job spectrum, including in the arts and humanities, law, media, entertainment, forestry, life and physical sciences and architecture.

According to the survey, 36 percent of baccalaureate graduates went on to pursue advanced degrees. Of those, the majority is earning academic or professional master’s degrees, with a further 17 percent working on doctoral or law degrees.

Effective faculty, meaningful coursework, and caring advisers contribute to a high percentage of former students reporting positive feelings about their SIUC experience.

Here are some highlights from that section of the survey:

  •  
    • 95 percent -- The faculty in my major program effectively communicated the subject matter.
    • 93 percent -- The faculty in my major program were very good instructors.
    • 95 percent -- The faculty in my major program provided me with timely feedback on my performance.
    • 91 percent -- The faculty in my major program were accessible outside of class.
    • 92 percent -- Courses in my major helped me develop my ability to think critically.
    • 93 percent -- Courses in my major helped me develop my ability to communicate my ideas to others.
    • 85 percent -- Courses in my major helped me develop my ability to understand other people.
    • 88 percent -- Classes in my major improved my ability to write more effectively.
    • 86 percent -- There was a balance between the practical and the theoretical in my major classes.
    • 95 percent -- In general, the size of my classes in my major program was conducive to a quality educational experience.
    • 94 percent -- Classes in my major program were offered at convenient times.
    • 96 percent -- Classes in my major program were offered in a logical sequence.
    • 92 percent -- My program of study challenged me.
    • 83 percent -- The knowledge and skills learned in my major program are applicable to my field.
    • 80 percent -- Advisers in my degree program were effective in informing me about future course offerings/scheduling.
    • 84 percent -- Advisers in my degree program were effective in informing me about degree requirements.
    • 88 percent -- Advisers in my degree program were available when I needed assistance.

The survey included the option of including comments. Survey respondents were asked for their comments on significant out-of-classroom experiences, particularly those that helped students stay in school, and also for advice they would give to a new student.

Many of the respondents credited involvement in campus activities with providing them with the inspiration, motivation and direction to continue their studies. Others praised the friendliness of people on and around campus, the support of individual faculty members, and research and internship opportunities. Many said they still have ties to Carbondale and their classmates at SIUC. Other high points students noted include the natural beauty on and near campus, relative affordability of an SIUC education and on-campus employment. Several students mentioned meeting their future spouses on campus.

The annual Baccalaureate Alumni Survey is accomplished through a cooperative relationship with the Provost’s Office, Alumni Services, Institutional Research and Studies, Printing/Duplicating, the Illinois Board of Higher Education and Instrument Evaluation within Morris Library.

An overview of the survey, and other, similar surveys, is available at http://www.irs.siu.edu/webroot/AlumniSurvey/survey1.htm.