Success Stories and Outcomes

Pursuing your passion works, and our graduates are proof of it.

Lake Forest College students don't have to choose between practicality and passion, and it pays off. 

Our entire campus has made a true commitment to the effort of outstanding career support, culminating in a stunning career success rate. We are intentional in our approach to ensure all students flourish after graduation, and the liberal arts education they receive sets them apart as competitive candidates to take on the challenges presented in today’s professional world.

97% class of 2023 grads are pursuing chosen opportunities: 78.5% employed, 14.6% grad school, 2.8% seeking employment, 1% applying to grad school, 3.1% pursuing other options

98 percent of graduates have jobs, enter graduate school, or pursue other avenues of success within six months of graduation.

*3-year average 2017-2019, over 73% of graduates reporting

Where our graduates land

Graduate at graduation

Career Placements

A strong base of employers based in the Chicago area and beyond routinely hire our students, recently including:

AbbVie  Medline Industries 
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago  Mintel 
Aon  Morningstar 
CDW  Northwestern University (Feinberg School of Medicine) 
Citigroup  Peace Corps 
Coyote Logistics  Walgreens Corporate 
Epic  The Art Institute of Chicago 
EY (Ernst & Young)  U.S. Department of State 
Goldman Sachs Ayco  U.S. House of Representatives 
Grainger  Starcom, a Publicis Company 
IBM Shirley Ryan AbilityLab 

Graduate Schools

Lake Forest College students go on to top graduate schools across the nation, recently including:

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (IL)  Rush University (IL) 
College of William and Mary (VA)  Illinois Institute of Technology (IL) 
Northwestern University (IL)  Washington University in St. Louis (MO) 
University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign (IL)  New York University (NY) 
Loyola University Chicago (IL)  Case Western Reserve University (OH) 
DePaul University (IL)  University of Chicago (IL) 

Our graduates have the skills employers want

Employer critical thinking skills

In a recent survey 98.5% of employers cited critical thinking and communication as “very important” or “extremely important,” ranking them as the most important skills for college graduates to have to enter their workforce. Our interdisciplinary curriculum hones these skills in and out of the classroom, setting our graduates apart as competitive and uniquely qualified candidates across industries. 

Competencies Weighted Average
Critical Thinking 4.57
Communication 4.56
Teamwork 4.49
Equity and Inclusion 4.33
Professionalism 4.2

*National Association of Colleges and Employers  Job Outlook 2022 Survey,  5-point scale, where 1=Not at all important, 2=Not very important, 3=Somewhat important, 4=Very important, 5=Extremely important

How the Class of 2022 made it

Emma Remish

Make a difference: Emma Remish '22 | Physics Major

Emma works as an associate scientist in analytical research and development at Pfizer

“Throughout my education at Lake Forest College, I participated in multiple lab groups and teaching opportunities beginning freshman year. These experiences made me stand out during the interview process and prepared me well for working as a scientist, as I learned how to adapt and succeed in a variety of laboratory settings.”

Sergio Bardesi Texocotitla

Make your own future: Sergio Bardesi-Texocotitla '22 | Religion Major

Sergio works as a quality manager at Epic.

“I'm grateful that I received so many opportunities for development and important growth at Lake Forest College. The Religious Studies, Spanish, and Journalism departments challenged me academically and creatively. Along with Lake Forest College's Career Advancement Center, I had multiple opportunities to grow and secure a job in today's market.”

Yuxin Chen

Make your mark: Yuxin Chen '22 | Studio Art Major

Yuxin works as Event and Graphic Design Associate at Becker’s Healthcare.

"The most important thing I learned at Lake Forest College is how to handle feedback, being responsive, and [taking] initiative. Those qualities are as crucial as the creative skill sets for a designer." 

Make it happen: Mizraim Hernandez ’22 | International Relations Major

Miz works as Chief of Staff for State Senator Adriane Johnson.

"Attending Lake Forest College means being immersed in a lively community of students, faculty, and staff who want to get things done. Beyond my classes, I  have pursued my passions in student organizations and internships, and even led a campaign to change campus policies. Having the skills to not only organize but mobilize such a diverse community unquestionably made me stand out as a candidate." 

Make it your way: Gwen Baker '22 | Communication Major

Gwen works as a coordinator of public relations at the John G. Shedd Aquarium.

“Lake Forest College prepared me to be confident in approaching new projects independently and taught me skills for finding solutions and thinking outside the box, which has helped me to succeed in my professional experiences.”

Make it beyond: Benjamin Reynaldo '22 | Biology Major

Ben is earning a masters in nursing at Rush University.

“Meetings with my faculty advisor and internship advisor helped me find out more information about Rush and how I could be a standout candidate to them. My internship advisor at the Career Advancement Center was able to set me up with two internships that would give me great experience and prepare me for nursing school.”

Dream it. Make it. Pursue it.—Alumni talk about
how their time at Lake Forest helped shape their current career path.

Finley Jones

Finley Jones '21

Currently I am a Development Intern at the Ravinia Festival focusing on the Ravinia Steans Music Institute (although I used to be a Director of Marketing for a Company in Chicago)

Molly Gniady

Molly Gniady '21

Graduate school: Masters of Finance at Case Western Reserve University. Employment: Quantitative Modeling and Analytics Rotational Analyst, KeyBank

Kayla Goelz

Kayla Goelz '21

Corporate Sales Coordinator at Uline

John Colasacco

John Colasacco '21

Assistant Project Manager at Clune Construction

Audrey Paglia

Audrey Paglia '21

Lake Forest College- Masters in the Arts of Teaching (Elementary Education)

Bringing leadership skills to her future classroom

Cassia Baker

Cassia Baker '15

Remaining curious to what's possible

Read more alumni stories