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Career Outcomes

Beyond Graduation

 

Where will your education take you? At Saint Mary’s, we prepare you for what’s next. We’ll help you do more than make a living. We’ll help you make a life.

 

A Saint Mary’s education provides you with the knowledge you need, the hands-on experience and practical instruction your employers will look for, and the critical thinking skills that will help you excel.

 

The Class of 2022*

Our undergraduate class of 2022 has already made their marks off campus — 94% of graduates are employed full-time, attending or applying to graduate school, or participating in a long-term volunteer placement. And of those employed full-time, 81% are working in a field related to their major. These young leaders work at top organizations across the country, among them:

  • Best Buy Corporate
  • Chicago Human Rhythm Project
  • District 196
  • Fastenal
  • HealthPartners
  • Mayo Clinic
  • Minnesota Judicial Branch
  • Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce
  • UnitedHealth Group
  • Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Graduate and Professional School

Eighteen percent of 2022’s graduates have been accepted by some of the finest graduate schools in the nation and region, including:

  • Carroll University
  • Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences
  • Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
  • University of Iowa
  • University of Missouri
  • Viterbo University
  • Winona State University

Graduate Studies at Saint Mary's

Alumni who pursue graduate studies in one of Saint Mary’s 50+ advanced degree programs may find themselves on a new campus or in an online program, but they experience the familiar, supportive, yet challenging Lasallian academic environment and culture.

Forty-two percent of Saint Mary’s graduate students* indicated advancing their career was their primary career goal when they began working towards their professional degree at Saint Mary’s, with 20% aiming to do so in the same industry or job function. While 13% hoped to obtain their first job in their desired field, 11% aimed to move into a leadership role.

Seventy-one percent reported that their salary increased since enrolling in their Saint Mary’s program.

Connections

Saint Mary’s graduates become part of the university’s 58,000+ loyal alumni in Minnesota and throughout the world, many of whom are interested in helping new alumni make connections in their chosen professions.

The TOP EMPLOYERS of Saint Mary’s alumni (undergraduate and graduate degrees) on LinkedIn are:

3M • Allina Health • Best Buy • Fairview Health Services • Hennepin County • Mayo Clinic • Medtronic • Minneapolis Public Schools • Target • Thomson Reuters • UnitedHealth Group • University of Minnesota • U.S. Bank • Wells Fargo

The TOP FIELDS of Saint Mary’s alumni (undergraduate and graduate degrees) on LinkedIn are:

 

Alumni Stories

Where do Saint Mary’s students go from here? Hear from our alumni.

  • laurasondayLaura is a media and marketing coordinator for Bleachr, a mobile sports app startup company based in Downtown Minneapolis.

    As part of the marketing team, Sonday started her new job by going to four professional tennis tournaments across the country, beginning with the Hall of Fame Open in Newport, R.I., the only grass-surface tournament of its kind in the U.S. Currently, Bleachr creates apps for tournaments in four different countries: U.S., Canada, France, and Switzerland.

  • With diploma in hand and dreams of becoming a sport commentator, Ricky Palermo hit the golf course last summer. He was working a post-graduate internship covering a range of communication functions and social media at tournaments for the American Junior Golf Association. A year later, Ricky is on his way to achieving his dreams, working as a production assistant for Fox Sports North and as a play-by-play announcer and host for North Metro TV in Blaine, Minn. Going to a small college meant opportunities to get involved and lead. Ricky served as Student Senate president and campus sports announcer, and directed an award-winning video against sexual assault. The former manager for the Saint Mary’s team now says he’d “like to work my way up through the baseball minor leagues, but the PGA tour would be just as cool.”

  • Allie Thiel managed to “do it all” as a student. Along with a challenging major, she played french horn and ran for the cross country and track teams. She completed the prestigious Mayo Innovation Scholars program with Mayo Clinic, and conducted cancer research supported by R&D Systems and the Beta Beta Beta National Honor Society. Allie was named the top oral presenter at the 2016 Winchell Symposium at the University of Minnesota, and she was invited to present her senior thesis cancer research at the Beta Beta Beta national convention. She is currently a patient care technician at a medical center in Hinsdale, Ill., with plans for medical school to specialize in internal medicine.

  • Katie Leisen was always drawn to a career in science, enjoying the hands-on work and the potential to truly help people.

    Now a research technologist at Mayo Clinic, Katie is well on her way. Having seen members of her family grapple with Alzheimer’s, she sought out a senior-year internship at Mayo’s Anesthesia Department lab, where Alzheimer’s research was being conducted. Leisen knows she wants to obtain her Ph.D. and eventually continue research in Alzheimer’s. “You need to find that passion that wakes you up in the morning every day,” she says, “and I have.”

  • Now attending law school, Manire Vaughn’s interest in becoming an attorney was influenced by the hands-on experiences Saint Mary’s provided.

    Interning at both the Winona County Attorney’s Office and the Minneapolis Civil Rights Department, he educated senior citizens about elder abuse and coordinated partnerships and events in recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Says Vaughn, “I realize that as a college-educated person, I have the unique privilege of using my education to foster change in policy, legislation, and systems.”

  • Preston Black ’15 landed a job with the Los Angeles Rams just two months after graduating from Saint Mary’s University.

    As a data analyst and business intelligence coordinator, Black works in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and deals with all aspects of business for the Los Angeles Rams, from concessions to ticket sales to sponsorships, linking all aspects of the business, from finance to customer service, so each area is in communication.

  • As coordinator of public relations for the Chicago White Sox, Julianne Bartosz ’13 contributed to first baseman Paul Konerko’s nomination for the Roberto Clemente Award (which he co-won and was awarded before Game 3 of the 2014 World Series).

    In her dream job, she also worked on the script for a pre-game ceremony honoring Yankees legend Derek Jeter on the afternoon of his last big league game at U.S. Cellular Field.

  • An entrepreneur and self-proclaimed foodie, Zachary Cizek ’11 turned his love for sandwiches into a successful food-stand business based out of Chicago. From there, Cizek created Bollito’s Tuscan Red Sauce, now sold in Chicago and in all 56 Midwest Whole Foods Markets.

    Currently Cizek has plans to launch additional sauce varieties and also to expand into the salad dressing market.

  • A Chicago native, George Stephenson graduated from Saint Mary’s with a degree in education and went on to attend law school at William Mitchell.

    He has served admirably as an attorney and federal defender for the City of Saint Paul and was appointed and re-elected as judge for the Ramsey County District Court. He is an active volunteer and mentors young lawyers and those interested in a career in law.


  • A professional actress and theatre professor, Celeste Williams’ Chicago credits are numerous.

    She is a member of the Columbia College theatre faculty and has twice received the “Best Featured Actress in a Play” award from Black Theater Alliance Awards, Inc. Williams’ acting career began on a much smaller stage at Saint Mary’s where she received her degree in theatre.

*First Destination Survey, College Class of 2022, Office of Career Services, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
*First Destination Survey, Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs Class of 2022, Office of Career Services, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.