Union University news office
JACKSON — Ninety-eight percent of Union University’s class of 2020 were employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of receiving their degree, according to an “Undergraduate First-Destination Survey” conducted by the Vocation Center for Life Calling and Career.
The placement rate for Union’s class of 2019 was also 98 percent. For the classes of 2018 and 2017, placement rates were 95 percent, and in 2016 it was 91 percent.
These studies were conducted in compliance with standards of the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Union’s 98 percent placement rate is about 12 points above NACE’s national placement rate average of 85.7 percent in 2018 (the most recent available data).
“The year 2020 has been an unusual and difficult year for everyone, but with 98 percent of the class finding placement within six months of graduation, our May 2020 graduates have shown an incredible resilience and persistence as they were sent out into a challenging economy and shifting work force,” said Alex Huguenard, director of the Vocation Center.
“While many institutions were expecting a dip in placement for the class of 2020, Union University’s class of 2020 was able to maintain the same excellent level of placement as the class of 2019,” he said.
Of the class of 2020’s placements, 66 percent are employed, and the majority of those are full-time jobs, Huguenard said. Nearly 16 percent are in graduate school, 14 percent are both employed and in graduate school, and 2 percent are in volunteer work. About 2 percent are still seeking employment or further education.
“The class of 2020 also had an uptick in freelance and multiple job graduates, showcasing just how well Union equipped them to succeed and persevere not just academically, but professionally as well,” Huguenard said. B&R
