Walking Interviews by Hans Christianson, Stacia Hernstrom and Lauren Montz, ’05 Photography by Jon Pattillo
It takes years of hard work to finish inis a degree, to be able to walk across the stage and get your diploma. ma. But there’s always a moment orr two tw that stand out, a teacher or two who turned your world upside down. Here, meet six students who aree walking this semester — and six professors who enlightened the journey. w ourney
How Personal Are We? Student Engagement
Retention on the Rise
What our Graduates Say
In the 2004 National Survey of Student Engagement, 162,000 randomly selected students at 472 four-year colleges and universities weighed in on their educational experiences — and students at St. Edward’s ranked the university above the national average in all areas: academic challenge; active and collaborative learning; student-faculty interaction; enriching educational experiences; and supportive campus environment.
Nationally, universities experience the biggest attrition rates between students’ freshman and sophomore years. But at St. Edward’s, about 84.1 percent of the students who were freshmen in Fall 2003 enrolled for Fall 2004, up from 79.4 percent from Fall 2002 to Fall 2003. This success is due in large part to nationally recognized freshman-focused programs related to recruitment, admission, transition to college life, and learning and development.
About 97 percent of graduates from Summer 2002 through Spring 2004 were satisfied or very satisfied with their undergraduate education, according to a recent report from the university’s Office of Institutional Research. Ninety-five percent agreed or strongly agreed that St. Edward’s helped them meet their goals, while 77 to 84 percent said they had made great or very great progress on skills including writing ability, practical application of knowledge and appreciation for diversity.
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