Dear Graduate School Alumni,
Happy New Year! As we reflect on the progress we have made in the Graduate School, I am excited to share updates that underscore our ongoing commitment to advancing graduate education and supporting student success.
In 2022, we launched an Enhanced Funding and Support Model for Doctoral Education supported by the Provost. This initiative directs $5 million annually to key areas such as recruitment, research, professional training, advising, degree progress, and job placement. These efforts are already making a meaningful impact on the graduate experience.
To help measure our progress, we have gathered data across the student lifecycle. A recent survey of incoming Ph.D. students revealed that nearly three-quarters of respondents found our stipends competitive or higher than other offers they received, and had one to five other offers of admission, but chose Vanderbilt.
Midway through their programs, third-year Ph.D. students complete a student experience survey. We are pleased to report that eighty percent of students report being satisfied with their experience, and the vast majority (89%) feel supported by their advisors in pursuing any career path. The survey had favorable results compared to student satisfaction data at peer institutions. A strong sense of belonging emerged as a common theme, with most students, including international students, reporting high levels of connection and satisfaction.
We have tracked alumni outcomes through a partnership with Academic Analytics. For the Class of 2023, data were gathered for 85% of alumni (at one-year post graduation). Forty-nine percent are working in academia and of those, 62% are at R1 institutions. Others are excelling in industry (39%), government (7%), and non-profits (6%).
These insights reflect the strength of our graduate programs and the promising futures of our students. As alumni, your successes and ongoing engagement inspire and inform our work.
Thank you for being an essential part of our Vanderbilt community,
