INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE
www.govst.edu
THE VALUE OF YOUR INVESTMENT IN GSU Education is a game changer, serving as a catalyst for personal and regional economic growth and security. With each degree awarded, Governors State University positively impacts the lives of not only graduates and their families, but employers who draw on a more skilled workforce, children who are taught by exemplary educators, patients who receive expert social services and medical care, and industries and businesses who are staffed by accomplished scientists and managers. Investing in GSU is an investment in the future of one person— and the welfare of the entire region. The effects of your generosity will ripple through the university: from each new student turning to GSU to fuel their passion to each new graduate facing the world with their purpose defined and the qualifications they need to contribute and succeed.
GSU IS A CENTER FOR LEARNING, ENRICHMENT, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR ITS STUDENTS AND THE ENTIRE REGION.
The GSU Value • A GSU education offers students the highest return on their investment of any state university in Illinois.¹ • Students receive a world-class education while paying the lowest undergraduate tuition and fees in the Chicagoland area. • Governors State serves as a vital economic resource for its surrounding communities, generating more than $275 million in 2016. • GSU is also the largest employer in the region, providing nearly 1,200 jobs that support the economic health of the area.
GSU at a Glance • In the last full academic year, nearly 6,000 students enrolled, approximately 60% undergraduate and 40% graduate. • In May 2017, GSU awarded 1,635 degrees, bringing our total alumni population to close to 51,600. • GSU has the safest campus in Illinois and ranks eighth nationally. ² • GSU has a truly diverse campus. Some examples: xx Our student body is 39% African American and 12% Hispanic.³ xx 44% of our students are traditional age (18–24) and more than 8% are 50+.³ xx GSU’s full-time faculty minority percentage is 2x higher than the national average for American universities, and the number of African American faculty is nearly 3x the national average. • Only full time faculty members teach freshmen. English composition classes are limited to 18 so students can discover their strengths and build on them. • 69% of our freshmen and 49% of our undergraduates are eligible for Pell grants. 3 • GSU was named Best of the Best 2017 by US Veterans Magazine as a Top Veteran-Friendly School for the third year in a row, and our veteran population continues to grow.
1
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2016.
² backgroundchecks.org ³ Figures based on 2016–17 enrollment data.
• GSU’s award-winning Dual Degree program (DDP) provides a guided pathway for community college students to earn both their associate and bachelor’s degrees through a partnership with 17 regional community colleges. 91% of DDP students either have graduated or are on track to graduate. • More than 85% of our full-time (non-DDP) transfer students have graduated or are on track to graduate within six years. • 98% of GSU’s alumni live in Illinois, residing in every county and legislative district. They work in Illinois, too. For example, there are over 400 current CPS principals, assistant principals, and teachers who are GSU alums. • 80% of GSU graduates have jobs within six months. • Most GSU students come from within 25 miles of the university. • GSU’s Center for Performing Arts and internationally acclaimed Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park bring more than 80,000 visitors to campus each year, including a large number of young students attending their first live performance. • GSU’s Family Development Center is NAEYC accredited and provides both an innovative learning environment for children age birth to 12 and a network of support for their families.