The Changing Façade of USP - University of the Sciences in ...

Proud Alumni Want to Give Back to USP2006 Response to Alumni SurveyBy Carol R. CoolHow likely would alumni beto attend USP if they had it todo again and how likely wouldthey be to recommend USP toothers are among the questionsalumni are asked each year inthe Alumni Survey.KEN LEIBOWITZ, MA, designs thesurvey each year to help the Universitylearn from its alumni. Leibowitz, anassistant professor of communication andthe director of special assessment projects,has conducted more than 40 surveys for the95% percent of alumni agreed thatgraduating from USP was a source of pride.From lecturing and teaching inthe classroom or the lab to takingin students for preceptoring/internships/clerkships,USP alumni canfind a multitude of ways to connectwith current USP students. Formore, please visit www.usip.edu/alumnifriends/stay_connected/students.shtml.University, including surveys of faculty,staff, students and, of course, alumni.For the record: Seventy percent ofalumni said they would choose to attendUSP again (with 20 percent undecided).Even more alumni, 76 percent, said theywould recommend USP to others, with15 percent undecided.Proud to Be a USP AlumnusWhile some alumni are unsure if theywould make the same college choice,almost every one of them is proud that theydid. Ninety-five percent of alumni agreedor agreed strongly that the fact that theyhad graduated from USP was a source ofpride to them. “Our alumni are receivingpromotions; they’re proud and prepared,”said Leibowitz. “They are working hardand achieving success, and they recognizethat USP helped them achieve the successthey have today.”Indeed, 80 percent of alumni said thatUSP had helped them achieve their goals.Additionally, 87 percent said the Universitywas highly effective in giving them an indepthand detailed knowledge of onediscipline or professional field (for 10-yeargraduates, the response was an overwhelming95 percent).TIZIANA M. FOX P’84, PharmD’02,who is the senior director of medicalcommunications for Ortho-McNeil JanssenScientific Affairs and is the USP AlumniAssociation president-elect, knows that“going to USP is very difficult academically.In the end, however, when you are outpracticing or working, you recognize thatthat experience has really set you up wellfor success in your career. You have a betterappreciation as alumni for the educationthat you’ve received.”Another key for success, accordingto LOUIS LUPO P’76, who is employedat Bristol-Myers Squibb and is the USPAlumni Association president, is interactionamong alumni. “Informal alumninetworking at both meetings of professionalorganizations and alumni activitieson the USP campus provides exposure tojob opportunities for all alumni, no matterhow recently they graduated,” said Lupo.The fact that I graduated fromUSP is a source of pride to me.