Given their sizes and resources, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) are performing far better than expected to prepare their students for jobs, a new report by American Indian College Fund and Gallup has found.
During the survey of graduates from nine such institutions, the report found higher rates of workplace engagement among TCU graduates than among other college graduates nationally.
Most of the TCU alumni reported working in education, training and library areas, followed by healthcare, community, social services, law or public policy and finance.
About 40 percent of TCU graduates reported that their institution prepared them well for life outside of college, compared to 27 percent of college graduates nationally who feel so.
More than half of them strongly agree that they are deeply interested in the work they do and have a job that gives them the opportunity to do work that interests them.
TCU alumni are nearly two times more likely than their peers nationally to thrive in all elements of wellbeing including physical, community, financial, social and career.
“TCU alumni report better outcomes than graduates from other comparison groups in their community, social and career wellbeing. These graduates possess a strong sense of engagement in the areas where they live, have strong relationships and love in their lives, and feel fulfilled in how they occupy their time by liking what they do every day,” the report reads.
TCU graduates are also most likely to give back to their own community. Three fourth of them reported primarily being employed in areas related to American Indian communities or tribal lands, and many work directly with their tribe.
Majority of HBCUs’ Graduates Earn Middle-Class Incomes [Report]