As members of Otterbein’s Class of 2022 begin their careers, they have reason to be optimistic, considering the outcomes of other recent graduates. A survey found that 99.2% of Otterbein’s Class of 2021 were employed full-time, enrolled in graduate school, or serving in the military within six months after graduation.

This level of success is not new to Otterbein — even during a pandemic 96.1% of the undergraduate Class of 2020 reported being employed full-time, enrolled in graduate school, or serving in the military within six months of graduation. This information is collected annually by Otterbein’s Institutional Research and Student Success and Career Development (SSCD).

“Otterbein has always been committed to helping students develop the skills and experiences needed to be successful,” said Jennifer Bechtold, assistant dean for student success. “We have and will continue to adapt as the needs of employers and industry partners change and evolve. Our curriculum is designed so that students gain both the depth of knowledge needed in their major and also the breadth of experiences and skills that a liberal arts education provides.”

While national data is not yet available for the 2021, Otterbein’s Class of 2020 was 50% more likely than their nationwide peers to be employed full-time within six months of graduation, according to national data collected by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

“The student placement data is a reflection of hard work, perseverance, and commitment from our students,” Bechtold said. “The students who have graduated from Otterbein in the last two years have persisted through an incredible number of obstacles thrown in their way by the pandemic. There were a lot of reasons students could have given up, but they didn’t.”