Our co-operative education program has been the cornerstone of the education Drexel provides its students since 1919. Co-op consistently receives outstanding evaluations from students and earned the highest rating of any Drexel program in the 2000 annual survey of freshmen and seniors.

The findings of a survey of co-op employers during fall/winter 2000-01 co-op cycle indicate that employers are highly enthusiastic about the program and say the academic preparation at Drexel University is oriented toward the needs of their organizations. Highlights of the survey, reported by the Career Management Center, include:

• Among the job performance measures, more than 80 percent of the students received either “good” or “outstanding” ratings on each criterion.

• In terms of overall performance, employers rated the performance of nearly half (47 percent) of the students as “outstanding,” while another 38 percent of the students were rated as “good.”

• Most students received high ratings for attendance, dependability, relations with others and their attitude toward work and learning.

• Approximately 92 percent of the students were preferred for a future co-op assignment.

In a 2000 survey of Drexel alumni five years after their graduation, the majority said that the co-op program was the most rewarding aspect of their education at Drexel. Nearly 70 percent of the alumni surveyed said their co-op experiences were very important in increasing their knowledge in their field of study and in helping them find a job, and 30 percent of the alumni had accepted job offers from a former co-op employer following graduation.

Our co-op program is thriving – more than 2,900 businesses and organizations in 27 states and 12 countries abroad participate as employers – triple the number six years ago. Co-op remains popular because it works. Through learning by doing, co-op adds important academic value to a Drexel education. The program does more than provide students with professional skills; it fosters the maturity and responsibility they need to succeed in their careers.

C.R. "Chuck" Pennoni Interim President