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Despite a difficult economic climate and a worldwide pandemic, members of the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø Class of 2020 successfully began their professional careers.   

Ninety-five percent of bachelor's degree recipients and 97% of master's degree recipients are employed, in graduate school, volunteering or in the military within one year of graduation, reports a survey conducted by ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø’s Office of Career Development and Success. The office surveyed 819 members of the Class of 2020 to learn about their professional outcomes.

"The impact of a ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø education could not be more evident for the Class of 2020," says Kim Barberich, executive director of Career Development and Success. "Despite entering an incredibly difficult job market, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø graduates thrived." 

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø graduates of the Class of 2020 are employed by more than 200 organizations, including Apple, Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson, the U.S. Department of Defense and The Walt Disney Company. Alumni who are pursuing graduate studies are enrolled at a number of prestigious institutions such as Columbia and Georgetown.   

Nearly seven out of 10 employed undergraduate survey respondents gained hands-on experience through Enriched Career Experiences or high impact experiential opportunities including internships, co-ops and student teaching placements. Providing hands-on experience, where students can begin to apply the knowledge they gain in the classroom to real-world situations, is a cornerstone of the University’s Engaged Learning Program.

"ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø offers extensive career preparedness opportunities as early as freshman year," Barberich says. "From internships to conducting research with faculty to career fairs and much more, all these experiences lead to results as graduates enter the next phase of their professional lives."

Experts in Career Development and Success help students forge pathways to their professional aspirations. In 2020, career coaches worked with students in more than 1,200 individual appointments. Career Development and Success organized more than 60 workshops, programs and events that over 1,000 students attended. During multiple career fairs, held virtually in light of COVID-19 restriction, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø students were exposed to more than 300 employers.

In 2021, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½¹ÙÍø launched a new initiative that further reinforces the University's longstanding commitment to providing transformative student experiences that lead to career success. Called the Cranberry Investment, the program guarantees undergraduate students who fulfill their responsibilities will obtain an entry-level job related to their field of study or be accepted into graduate or professional school within six months of graduation. 

Students' relationship with Career Development and Success does not end as a student. The office continues to support alumni with their career objectives, including one-on-one career counseling and assistance with securing job opportunities.