How do Marian University alumni rate their college experience?
Results from a 2018 “undergraduate alumni scorecard” project led by Gallup, a global research organization known for its public opinion polls, were released August 9.
The findings are impressive, clearly demonstrating that Marian alumni have great jobs and great lives.
Most measures of alumni success focus on household or personal income, but Gallup's scorecard goes beyond that to assess employment status, workplace engagement, and overall well-being. Then they connect reported outcomes to key student experiences.
Gallup, along with partners at the Strada Education Network, documented their findings in the Strada-Gallup Alumni Survey, which surveyed a total of 60,000 college graduates nationally.
Compared to peers across state and nation, Marian alumni are more satisfied
Over 1,100 Marian University graduates participated in Gallup’s survey of 21,000 Indiana college graduates.
Here is a summary of Gallup-Strada’s findings about Marian’s undergraduate alumni in several key areas.
College value and preparation
Marian graduates ranked the return on their educational investment higher than their peers graduating from other schools, both in Indiana and nationally.
- 36 percent had a job waiting for them BEFORE graduation, compared to 31 percent nationally and 35 percent in the state.
- 18 percent had a job in two months or less, compared to 15 percent nationally and statewide.
Other findings reported by Marian alumni related to the return on their educational investments:
- 54 percent had an applied job or internship before graduation and were employed full-time in two months or less after graduation.
- 75 percent work in Indiana.
- 76 percent say Marian prepared them well for life after graduation.
- 77 percent agree their education was worth the cost.
- 86 percent are satisfied or extremely satisfied with the education they received.
Workplace fulfillment
Compared to other college graduates, Marian alumni reported higher levels of satisfaction with their work.
- 36 percent report they have “the ideal job,” compared to 29 percent nationally and 26 percent statewide.
- 49 percent said their job gives them an opportunity to do work that interests them, compared to 42 percent across the nation and 43 percent in Indiana.
- 51 percent are “deeply interested” in their work, compared to 42 percent nationally and 45 percent statewide.
Personal well-being
In total, Gallup’s survey explored five “thriving elements” of well-being. The number of alumni scoring highly across all five was relatively low, but Marian graduates scored 23 percent in all five areas, compared to just 11 percent nationally and across the state.
Specifically, Marian alumni reported:
- 43 percent reported they are well physically, compared to 34 percent nationally and 35 percent statewide.
- 58 percent are financially stable, compared to 43 percent nationally and 47 percent statewide.
- 63 percent reported living in a safe, healthy community, compared to 46 percent across the nation and state.
- 67 percent had a strong sense of purpose in their lives, compared to 53 percent across the nation and in Indiana.
- 67 percent also reported strong social well-being, compared to 50 percent nationally and inside the state.
Student support and experiential learning
The survey also investigated key student experiences related to student support and learning outcomes among the alumni surveyed.
Findings reported by Marian graduates include:
- 30 percent reported being active in co-curricular activities and student groups compared to 20 percent nationally and 22 percent statewide.
- 36 percent reported they had a mentor who encouraged them to pursue their goals and dreams, compared to 22 percent across the nation and in the state.
- 57 percent reported their professors cared about them as a person, compared to 28 percent nationally and 31 percent statewide.
- 74 percent reported they had at least one Marian professor who made them excited about learning, compared to 64 percent nationally and 63 percent statewide.
Attachment to Marian University
The pollsters at Gallup surveyed college graduates about their emotional attachments to their respective alma maters.
Marian graduates reported:
- 36 percent reported they “can’t imagine a world without [their university],” compared to 25 percent nationally and 30 percent across the state.
- 41 percent said Marian is “passionate about the long-term success of its students” compared to 25 percent nationally and 28 percent statewide.
- 50 percent reported Marian was “the perfect school for people like me,” compared to 34 percent nationally and 39 percent statewide.
- 86 percent reported that “if they had it to do all over again,” they would still choose Marian University as the place to earn their bachelor’s degree.
For more information about Gallup and their higher education surveys, visit gallup.com.