Gallup Survey: Ohio State alumni retain firm friendship with institution

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Epifluorescence microscope image of Halanaerobium bacteria cells -- one of the bacteria species which Ohio State researchers and their partners have discovered thriving in hydraulic fracturing wells. Image by Michael Wilkins, courtesy of The Ohio State University.
Cross-section of the hydraulic fracturing process. Image by Michael Wilkins, courtesy of The Ohio State University.

Cross-section of the hydraulic fracturing process. Image by Michael Wilkins, courtesy of The Ohio State University.
Pressure_cell.jpg

Titanium cell used to incubate bacteria under high pressures and temperatures. Inset shows bacteria cells growing in a glass vial taken from inside. Photo by Michael Wilkins, courtesy of The Ohio State University.
Hala.jpg

Epifluorescence microscope image of Halanaerobium bacteria cells -- one of the bacteria species which Ohio State researchers and their partners have discovered thriving in hydraulic fracturing wells. Image by Michael Wilkins, courtesy of The Ohio State University.
Cross-section of the hydraulic fracturing process. Image by Michael Wilkins, courtesy of The Ohio State University.

Cross-section of the hydraulic fracturing process. Image by Michael Wilkins, courtesy of The Ohio State University.
Pressure_cell.jpg

Titanium cell used to incubate bacteria under high pressures and temperatures. Inset shows bacteria cells growing in a glass vial taken from inside. Photo by Michael Wilkins, courtesy of The Ohio State University.

Columbus, Ohio – Ohio State University alumni are more likely than peers from other U.S. colleges to strongly agree that they can’t imagine a world without their alma mater, according to a survey conducted by Gallup this year.

In two separate polls, Gallup and Purdue University surveyed nearly 30,000 college graduates from 108 universities, and Gallup surveyed more than 8,000 Ohio State alumni who graduated with a bachelor’s degree between 1970 and 2014. In Gallup’s report, “Great Jobs, Great Lives,” the results showed that Ohio State alumni had stronger favorable ratings than other universities in the three areas surveyed: workplace engagement, well-being and attachment.

Ohio State alumni were also more likely than graduates of other schools to strongly agree that the university was the perfect college for them.

University President Michael V. Drake said the results bear out the genuineness of the Carmen Ohio phrase, “how firm thy friendship, Ohio.”

“I am gratified that this university – with the education and experiences that alumni take with them – has had a profound impact on our graduates. These results demonstrate the great work of our faculty, staff and Alumni Association and will inform our outreach efforts and alumni resources moving forward,” said Drake.

The full report is available here. Highlights include:

80 percent of Ohio State alumni who were looking for jobs say they obtained a good job within six months of graduation, including 45 percent who say a job was waiting for them.

75 percent of Ohio State alumni are working full-time for an employer, which compares favorably to graduates from other universities with very high research activity (71 percent) and college graduates nationally (68 percent).

Among recent graduates (those who earned bachelor’s degrees between 2010 and 2014), 78 percent are employed full-time. This percentage is higher than the national average of 65 percent among college graduates.

Ohio State alumni are far more likely than graduates of their peer groups to strongly agree that the university was the perfect school for them (43 percent) or that they can’t imagine a world without their school (49 percent). Ohio State alumni are nearly twice as likely as the national average (35 percent versus 18 percent) to strongly agree with both of these statements, indicating that they are emotionally attached to their alma mater.

Ohio State graduates are more likely than graduates nationally (14 percent versus 9 percent) to be thriving in all five areas of well-being that Gallup measures (purpose, social, financial, physical and community).

This study is the first of a four-year survey planned for Ohio State alumni. Findings will be used to enhance the short- and long-term well-being of current students, and to provide data for university outreach efforts.

Ohio State alumni are a large and loyal group. Andy Gurd, interim president and CEO of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, recently presented results of an alumni profile to university trustees: There are 526,306 living university alumni, their average age is 49, they live in all 88 Ohio counties, 50 states and 170 countries, and there are more than 38,000 married alumni couples.