Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Higher Education Retention topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Student retention council presents findings to Senate committee, urges internships and local career pathways to keep graduates in state
Summary
Students from the Higher Education Partnership’s Student Retention Council presented research showing that networking and internships are primary drivers of graduates’ post‑college location choices and proposed statewide internships, fellowships and civic-engagement pathways to retain graduates in Alabama.
Members of the Student Retention Council told a Senate committee that internships, networking and clearer career pathways are key to retaining recent college graduates in Alabama.
Leslie Walton of the Higher Education Partnership said the council represents students from the state’s 14 public four‑year universities and that cohorts of student leaders have surveyed peers and built initiatives since 2022. “The student retention council was born with two goals in mind: to act as a messenger to our peers and also serve as a voice representing our peers,” Walton said.
Student presenters shared survey and outreach results: the cohort reported reaching more than 1,000 student leaders this year and more than 4,500 over three years. A post-presentation survey found 80% of student respondents said they were more likely to consider Alabama as a post‑graduation job destination after the presentations, and 96% learned something new about the state’s advantages, the students said.
Students recommended investing in knowledge-based career pathways (medicine, law, finance and marketing), expanding internship opportunities and building civic‑leadership programs and local fellowships. “We aim to create pathways and to see civic leadership, giving my generation the tools to shape and serve our communities well,” said Haley Hoggle, a student presenter.
Committee members praised the students’ work and encouraged them to continue their outreach to peers and employers. One senator told the students that personal networking and “the human touch” are key to helping graduates find work and stay in the state.
—
Details: The council’s findings emphasize low cost of living, career opportunities and quality-of-life amenities as assets; students reported networking as the leading route to employment.
