letter From the editor Jim Welp ’81 | jwelp@bellarmine.edu New research shows that college is awesome There’s Been A loT of deBATe in The MediA lATely ABouT the value of a college education. It’s no secret that jobs are hard to come by for young people and that college is expensive. Some pundits have even gone so far as to claim that a college degree might be less than officers of the university totally awesome. A new study shows, however, that these pundits are Dr. Joseph J. McGowan, President “crazy.” What’s more, the study goes on to show that college is both Dr. Doris Tegart, Provost awesome and aMAZing. Dr. Carole Pfeffer, Vice President for Academic Affairs Before I get into the hard data, it’s important to step back and look Dr. Fred Rhodes, Vice President for Student Affairs at some of the negative claims about higher education being tossed Mr. Sean Ryan, Vice President for Enrollment Management Mr. Glenn Kosse, Vice President for Development & Alumni Relations around in the media, often by people who have actual college degrees Mr. Hunt Helm, Vice President for Communications & Public Affairs themselves and, frankly, should know better. Mr. Bob Zimlich, Vice President for Administration & Finance Some naysayers are citing the weak job market as evidence that a college education is a bad investment. The cost of education and the debt incurred by many students is often a tough mountain to climb Bellarmine magazine staff when high-paying jobs aren’t readily available. Editor-in-Chief Countering that argument is an even higher mountain of evidence, Assistant Vice President for Publications and Electronic CommunicationsJim Welp ’81 including a recent study by the Pew Charitable Trusts showing that for jwelp@bellarmine.edu young Americans, the drop in employment and income during the re- Managing Editor cession was much harder on people who lacked a college degree. Those Carla Carlton with a bachelor’s degree weathered the downturn better than those Director of Development Communications with an associate’s degree. Those with a high-school diploma fared even ccarlton@bellarmine.edu worse, with a staggering 53 percent unemployment rate. (To read about Creative Director & Designer the study in an article not written by a biased smart aleck, google “Ben- Brad Craig ’01, MAC ’11 Director of Strategic and Creative Communications efits of College Degree in Recession are Outlined” to find the New York Times story.) The bottom line: The key to opportunity and social mobil- Art Director ity is still a college degree. Assistant Director of Creative ServicesKatie Kelty ’07, MAC ’10 So I decided to do some scientific research of my own, which con- sisted of walking up to random students on campus and asking them if Maria González, Administrative AssistantEditors they thought college was A) a risky investment amid a tough job market, or B) awesome. The results are Contributors Fr. Clyde Crews, Chris Kenning, Emily Ruppel ’08, Amber Sigman The recession was was B) awesome. Full disclosure: Printed byin, and 100 percent said college much harder on Some also said, C) Do you know Clark and Riggs Printing people who lacked anybody who’s hiring? a college degree. Obviously, it’s no laughing matter when young people can’t find jobs. And taking on a lot of debt is also a tough way to start a career. But college students from Allen letters/Comments Hall to Timbuktu know what the pundits don’t: Better, more rewarding jwelp@bellarmine.edu | 502.272.7492 jobs at better pay go to people with college degrees. What surprised me was that not a single student thought money was the point. I think one Bellarmine Magazine is published for and distributed to the alumni, parents and friends of Bellarmine University young man I spoke with put it best: “When I came to Bellarmine, I was by the Office of Communications and Public Affairs. a kid. Bellarmine is where I grew up. College is the link between being a kid and being an adult. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” He thinks he Bellarmine University 2001 Newburg Road and his parents made an awesome investment, and so do I. Louisville, KY 40205 www.bellarmine.edu 4 BELLArMinE MAgAZinE
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