Ithaca's Newest Alumni --

-- Making the Grade at Grad Schools Nationwide

Ithaca College has long been viewed as a premier undergraduate institution, and the 2004 graduating class is further reinforcing that reputation. While many students are embarking on careers or taking a breather from study, a growing number of newly minted graduates of the School of Humanities and Sciences are going off to graduate school. This growth reflects a national trend toward graduate education with Ithaca's status rising as an excellent source of candidates for graduate schools.

"Students nationwide are pursuing graduate degrees more than in the past," said Dean Howard Erlich. "But what's really exciting is the success H&S graduates are having getting accepted to quality programs. It's a testament to our graduates, our talented faculty, and our philosophy of student-centered education."

This year's graduate acceptance roster is extensive. Graduates from Ithaca's prelaw advisory program have earned admissions to law school at Notre Dame, Boston College, Duke, Northwestern, and Indiana, to name a few. Sociology graduates have been accepted to Syracuse, Pittsburgh, George Washington, and Tulane. Psychology grads have received offers from Harvard, Columbia, Fordham, and Hofstra, among others.

The accomplishments of Ithaca's 2004 class continue a tradition of postgraduate success for the College. According to the College's annual alumni survey, more than a third of H&S graduates are attending graduate school. Comparative data from a higher education consortium indicate that IC graduates are more likely to plan graduate study than grads from similarly prestigious colleges. Based on statistics from the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), the acceptance rates of Ithaca graduates to medical schools are unusually high compared to other colleges. And based on statistics from the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), Ithaca's acceptance rates of alumni to law schools are also consistently higher than the national average.

The H&S hands-on approach to education is a key factor in the high acceptance rates. The experience of biology and philosophy major Seamus Levine-Wilkinson, who was recently accepted to medical school at Johns Hopkins University, is indicative of Ithaca's approach to preparing students for graduate education.

During his career at Ithaca, Levine-Wilkinson worked closely with assistant biology professor Marina Caillaud, researching behavioral genetics. A paper they coauthored covering aspects of the work appeared in the journal Molecular Ecology Notes.

Levine-Wilkinson received honors from the biology department and credits the lab experience he gained at Ithaca with making him a desirable candidate at Johns Hopkins.

"My two years of lab work at Ithaca definitely helped," he said. "Your love of research and lab work are the ultimate egalitarian agents for admission to graduate programs in the sciences."

For Rebecca Hession, an English education major, Ithaca's innovative study abroad program led directly to graduate school admission in London. "It was an unbelievable experience that changed my life and broadened my horizons tremendously," Hession said. "The programs I took part in through IC undoubtedly put me ahead of other graduate candidates." Hession will begin her graduate studies in multicultural education at Goldsmiths College, University of London, this fall.

"We are immensely proud of all our graduates," said Dean Erlich. "Whether they are continuing their education or moving into careers, we wish them all the greatest success." HS