"There is a superhero in all of us, we just need the courage to put on the cape."
Superman says this and in the world of higher education, it couldn’t hold more truth. Higher education acts as that cape, empowering individuals to harness their inner superheroes. Despite fewer Americans choosing to earn a college degree, the significance of pursuing a higher education at the University of Illinois Springfield remains profound.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2022, workers with a bachelor’s degree earned a median weekly income of $1,432 compared to $853 for those with only a high school diploma. This income difference adds up to over $30,000 per year. Over a lifetime, college graduates earn on average $1 million more than those with only a high school diploma, as reported by Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce.
Moreover, a survey by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) revealed that 91% of employers prioritize a candidate’s ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems over their undergraduate major. To add to this, college graduates are more likely to receive benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans, with 75% of full-time workers with a bachelor’s degree receiving employer-provided health insurance, compared to 55% of those with only a high school diploma.
At UIS, our students—our superheroes—get equipped with the knowledge, skills and support they need to soar in their careers.
Just look at some of our success stories from this year across diverse industries:
Maxine Touchette: Bachelor’s degree in psychology and visual arts, now a communications associate at the Illinois Environment Council (IEC) in Chicago.
Chance Gilbreth: Master’s in athletic training, now an athletic trainer at Emory Healthcare in Johns Creek, Georgia.
Jessica Lister: Bachelor’s in education, now a first-grade teacher in the Pikeland School District in Pittsfield.
Saad Ali Syed: Master of management information systems, now a business intelligence developer at Deloitte Consulting LLP in Chicago.
McKayla Bartkiewicz: Political science and legal studies major, now a congressional aide in the Office of U.S. Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski in Belleville.
The impact of UIS’s efforts is evident.
According to Director of the UIS Career Development Center Katherine “Kathyy” Battee-Freeman, for the 2022-23 academic year, 46.5% of UIS undergraduate degree recipients are employed full-time, while 31.8% have chosen to continue their education.
"Among our master’s degree graduates, an impressive 78.9% have secured full-time employment," Battee-Freeman said. "We take pride in tracking and reporting these successes, demonstrating the effectiveness of our programs and the achievements of our students."
As Superman said, "Dreams save us. Dreams lift us up and transform us."
At UIS, pursuing a higher education degree is more than just a path to a job; it’s a way to lift oneself up, transform potential into reality, and achieve dreams that might have once seemed out of reach.
