ALLENDALE, Mich. -- The latest numbers from Grand Valley State
University show that its graduates are bucking reports that college
educated young people are leaving Michigan in record numbers.
The university released its annual Economic Impact Report and its
employment report for fiscal year 2007-2008, the latest year for which
figures are available. The reports illustrate the tremendous impact the
university has on the state of Michigan and the West Michigan economy.
Based on the number of respondents to the Career Services office survey
and the total number of graduates, the university estimates that for the
class of 2008, more than 2,700 are working in Michigan.
President of Grand Valley State University Thomas J. Haas said, “At this
critical moment in Michigan’s economy, Grand Valley is pleased to be
able to show this rate of return to the state’s taxpayers. We are
educating students who in turn are giving real value to employers and
communities around this state.”
Other results show that 96% of Grand Valley graduates are employed or in
graduate school. Grand Valley alumni now number nearly 70,000, with
nearly half living or working in the West Michigan’s tri-county area of
Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon counties. Their fields of expertise dovetail
with the area’s business needs.
Top employers of Grand Valley graduates are hospitals, school districts,
and many well-known West Michigan companies such as Meijer, Amway,
Herman Miller, and Steelcase. The number one employer of Grand Valley
graduates for 2008 is Spectrum Health.
The economic impact of the university’s faculty, staff, and students is
$592.1 million in total sales in the region; the total estimated
employment attributed to Grand Valley is 9,677.
DOWNLOADS:
Grand Valley State University attracts nearly 24,000 students with
high-quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities. Grand Valley is
the comprehensive regional university for Michigan’s second largest
metropolitan area and offers 71 undergraduate and 27 graduate degree
programs. It has campuses in Allendale, Grand Rapids and Holland, and
centers in Muskegon and Traverse City. The university is dedicated to
individual student achievement, going beyond the traditional classroom
experience, with research opportunities and business partnerships.
Grand Valley State graduates are Brain Gain in Michigan
May 5, 2009
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