SLU Earns Recognition for Alumni Network, Internships
St. Lawrence University’s Alumni Network held onto its No. 3 position for a second year in a row in The Princeton Review’s most recent publication, The Best Value Colleges: 200 Schools with Exceptional ROI for Your Tuition Investment. The University also made its Top 25 list of Best Schools for Internships.
According to The Princeton Review, the 200 schools that made Best Value Colleges all share three exceptional features: stellar academics, affordable cost and strong career prospects for graduates. “Only 7 percent of the nation’s four-year colleges made it into this book,” noted Robert Franek, its lead author and The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief. “They provide their undergrads with career services from day one plus strong networks of alumni connections.”
This year, St. Lawrence was named to two of The Princeton Review’s seven ranking categories: Best Alumni Network and Best Schools for Internships. Both are based on college student ratings of alumni activity and visibility on campus as well accessibility of internship placement.
“The Laurentian Community has much to be proud of, as this exceptional ranking reflects the dedication, generosity and service of thousands of alumni across generations,” said Joe Keniston ’05, director of Laurentian Engagement. “This willingness of alumni to give back to students as well as—each another and their alma mater—showcases what sets us apart as a network.”
St. Lawrence’s Office of Career Services in partnership with the Office of Laurentian Engagement and Career Connections offer a number of signature career programs that are designed to engage alumni and parents with current students. Programs such as SLU Connect, LINC, Shadow-A-Saints, Laurentians In Residence, and Career Boot Camp all give students the opportunity to network with successful alumni and parents of students in a variety of career fields.
“St. Lawrence values experiential education both in the classroom and beyond it,” said Ron Albertson, director of Career Services. “Internships are ‘built in’ to many of our study abroad programs, for instance, and with special programs such as SLU PIC and Internship Fellowship funding, there are so many ways for students at St. Lawrence to learn from direct experience.”
Geoffrey Falen, director of Career Connections, said internship participation at St. Lawrence has jumped to 72 percent for the Class of 2017 from 53 percent for the Class of 2009. He said that regardless of academic program, students are able to incorporate internship credit into their curriculum.
“St. Lawrence has been embedding high-impact experiential learning components—including internships—in many of its academic program requirements, including, but not limited to anthropology, sociology, business in the liberal arts, and the new public health minor.”
The Princeton Review looked at more than 40 data points to tally return on investment (ROI) ratings that determined the 200 schools selected for the book. Topics covered everything from academics, cost, and financial aid to admissions selectivity, environmental awareness, overall student quality of life, and even fire safety. The college preparation company chose the 200 schools based on a comprehensive analysis of data collected from its surveys of administrators at more than 650 colleges in 2017-18, which broadly covered academics, cost, financial aid, career services, graduation rates, student debt, and alumni support.
The Princeton Review editors noted: “St. Lawrence students are rather fortunate in that they can both tap into a great alumni network and take advantage of a fabulous career services office. In fact, undergrads here make a point of mentioning that the office does ‘a good job with providing resources for students.’ Indeed, it’s one of the school’s ‘greatest strengths.’”
According to a 2018 Career Services Follow Up Survey, more than 97 percent of recent St. Lawrence University graduates were either employed or attending graduate school less than one year after graduation. Many of those working indicated they had found employment directly as a result of a Laurentian connection.
The Power of Connections, which aims to strengthen its already highly engaged Laurentian network, is one of the four fundraising priorities during St. Lawrence’s The Campaign for Every Laurentian.
In August, The Princeton Review commended St. Lawrence’s excellent Career Services office, active student government and overall smooth operation in its publication The Best 384 Colleges: 2019 Edition. The guide described St. Lawrence as a place with “a strong sense of community and a dedication to academics.” The Princeton Review also included St. Lawrence in both its 2018 Green Colleges and both editions of its Colleges That Create Futures publication.
