VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSU) – Valley City State University (VCSU) announced that 98% of all reporting graduates earning their degree in the 2022-2023 school year are either employed or continuing their education.
Of all reporting graduates earning an education degree, 62% are employed in North Dakota. The remainder are working or pursuing additional degrees in 19 different states from South Dakota to Florida to Alaska. The data was released as a part of the annual VCSU First Destination Report.
“Our graduates’ success in their desired career fields shows the continued value of a VCSU degree,” President Alan LaFave said. “The experiences students have at VCSU help prepare them for a fulfilling and productive career. Many go on to be important members in our North Dakota communities, and we are happy to support our state by offering affordable educational opportunities that lead to the success of communities and individuals.”
“As I have worked through my first year of teaching, I can confidently say that VCSU helped prepare me to be a successful, well-prepared, and effective teacher in so many ways,” Spring 2023 Elementary Education graduate Mariah Topp said. “One of the strongest pieces of the VCSU Education Program is the amount of hands-on teaching experiences. Teaching is a profession that improves with practice, and I was provided with a large amount of exposure through hands-on experiences and mentorship from seasoned educators I observed.”
Alumni earning undergraduate degrees in other areas (non-education) reported 98% employment or continuing education status. Of all reporting non-education graduates, 70% employed indicated they are employed in North Dakota, and 52% of graduates continuing their education are enrolled in a North Dakota school. During that same time frame, 32 students completed internships with a variety of businesses and organizations.
“Double majoring in psychology and human services provided me with the background knowledge I needed to pursue a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling,” Kasen Anderson, Human Services and Psychology Graduate, said. “After interning with the Abused Persons Outreach Center and the Community Green Dot program, I felt even more prepared for my future. I will forever be thankful for my time at VCSU, the people I met, and the opportunities I had and continue to have because of my time there.”
One hundred percent of reporting graduates that earned a Master’s degree indicated they were gainfully employed, 74% of them in North Dakota.
“Our graduate programs help individuals expand their horizons through education,” said Dr. James Boe, Dean of Graduate Studies. “With graduate programs for those in education and a Master of Science in Business Information Systems, the programs we offer have helped many people achieve their career goals.”
“When I decided to make the change from being a stay-at-home mother of three children to pursue a career in teaching, I was excited but also overwhelmed. I felt well equipped in my subject area but ill equipped in my knowledge of structuring a classroom environment. Each of my classes in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at Valley City State University added pieces to the puzzle that I was missing,” recent graduate Cherise Pfaff said. “My professors were engaging and actively involved in my success. I began teaching as I was completing my degree, which allowed me to implement the strategies I was learning in real time. By the end of the program, I had all the information I needed to be an effective teacher. Through this program and my experiences in my own classroom, I have fallen in love with teaching and plan to continue for years to come.”
The First Destination Report is published by the VCSU Career Services Department. It is developed following the standards of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).