Do Good; Do Well
Alliance institutions graduate civic-minded individuals engaged in their communities.
Our institutions and students serve Oregon for the greater good.
Alliance students often seek career paths that make an impact on their communities. As one Willamette University alum put it, he sought a career where he “would always have the power to do something in the face of a problem.” Others volunteer their time to start initiatives and/or get involved with programs to help their community.
Guided by philanthropic missions to serve humanity and fight poverty through education, many Alliance institutions foster a campus culture of civic engagement and volunteerism among their students. For many, it instills life-long values of service and civic engagement.
How do graduates use their skills to actually make a difference?
In addition to a successful career as a civil engineer, Gustavo Vela-Moreno (’13) has helped launch a mentorship program in his hometown of Woodburn for high school students who will be the first in their families to attend college.
Students serve in their communities
Reed’s Science Outreach program brings science to some 500 students at seven schools every semester, most of them at schools with high numbers of low-income children.
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With more than 260 areas of study among them, Alliance institutions contribute significantly to Oregon’s talent pool, conferring:
31.5% of Oregon’s
Education Degrees
(Undergraduate & Graduate)
18.5% of Oregon’s
Business & Marketing Degrees
(Undergraduate & Graduate)
39.9% of Oregon’s
Health Profession Degrees
(Undergraduate & Graduate)
50.6% of Oregon’s
Legal Professions and Studies
(Undergraduate & Graduate)
Source: 2017 National Center for Education Statistics
Oregon’s private colleges and universities strengthen local economies and save taxpayers money.
When Oregon students enroll at Alliance member institutions instead of state colleges and universities, it reduces pressure on state resources:
When Oregon students choose private colleges
instead of public ones,
it saves Oregon taxpayers
$199.1 million dollars in public
education costs
Source: Public University Budget Report Summary 2017-18,
published February 2018 by the HECC.
Students on Alliance institutions spend
$1.1 million per day in their
communities on lodging,
transportation, and
personal expenses
Source: National Center for Education Statistics.
Ready for the workforce
Graduates of Oregon’s private independent colleges and universities enter the workforce equipped to compete in today’s global economy, In addition to specific subject-matter knowledge, they have acquired valuable skills obtained through internships, collaborative research, and other experiential learning. Rather than training for a single occupation, liberal arts graduates are prepared for careers that require adaptable skills and life-long learning in a world characterized by constant change.
And employers seeking to build highly-skilled and talented teams find liberal arts graduates as valuable as ever.
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What employers say about liberal arts-educated graduates:
Have a liberal arts degree? These companies want to hire you...
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The surprising thing Google learned about its employees—and what it means for today's students
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1 out of 3 Fortune 500 CEOs has a liberal arts degree—why top tech favors liberal art degrees
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A crazy Microsoft dream comes true
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Southwest Airlines Marketing internship takes flight
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George Fox engineering develops medical equipment to improve the life of patients
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What do our graduates do?
CEOs with liberal arts degrees:
Richard Anderson
Political science major
Christopher Connor
Sociology major
Robert Iger
Susan Wojcicki
History and literature major
Ken Chenault
History major
Leslie Moonves
Spanish major
Alliance institutions employ