Undergraduate alumni of Catholic University’s business school are more likely to be thriving in both work and wellbeing than their peers nationally, more likely to have obtained a job shortly after graduation, and are nearly twice as likely to feel engaged in their work, according to a Gallup survey released in December 2021.

“Our mission at the Busch School of Business is to prepare business leaders who understand that business is not only about a financial bottom line, but about human dignity. Ethics grounded in Catholic social teaching is central to our approach,” said Andrew Abela, founding dean. “The survey results are very encouraging because they show the experience here at Catholic University is preparing our graduates to succeed personally and professionally.”

The Gallup survey found that more than 80% of the alumni of the Busch School of Business and its predecessor, the Department of Business and Economics, reported they are thriving in their lives, compared with 59% of adults in the United States. This evaluation is based upon five measures of wellbeing: physical, financial, social, community, and purpose, now and looking ahead five years.

The experience with faculty at Catholic University is correlated with higher engagement at work and thriving on wellbeing assessments. A full 89% of alumni reported having at least one professor who got them excited about learning and 45% had a mentor who encouraged them, compared with 35% of other undergraduate business-school alumni.

They also were more likely to report that Catholic University business school faculty had excellent or good expertise in their field and that they were more available outside of class.

Seventy-four percent of Busch School alumni reported having meaningful internships that allowed them to apply their classroom knowledge compared to just 53% of business-major alumni nationally. They also were more active in extracurricular activities.

Undergraduate alumni of the Busch School also reported religion is an important part of their lives (65%), donate money to charity (68% in the last month), and volunteer (47% in the last month).

Key findings:

• Nearly nine in ten Busch School alumni seeking employment after graduation found a good job within six months of graduation vs. 77% of business-major undergraduates nationally and 74% of all undergraduate alumni nationally.
• 75% are employed full-time vs. 59% of those with business degrees nationally and 57% of all alumni nationally.
• 81% are thriving vs. 59% of all U.S. adults, 71% of all undergraduate alumni, and 72% of business-major alumni
• Nearly 9 in 10 rated the Catholic University faculty as having excellent or good expertise in their field of study, versus 77% of national business-major alumni and 74% of all undergraduate alumni.
• 74% had an internship that allowed them to apply their classroom knowledge vs. 54% of business-major alumni and 53% of all undergraduate alumni across the United States.
  
  The web-based survey of undergraduate business school alumni (PDF) who graduated from Cathoic University between 1973 and 2019 was conducted Sept. 14-27, 2021. Gallup used many questions in the Gallup Alumni Survey so the responses could be compared to a national benchmark.
  
  The Busch School of Business was founded in 2013 and is the only business school in the United States created from the ground up to integrate faith and business. Business is seen as a force for good that advances human flourishing.