Denison University announces that it is a founding member of an immersive learning program that bridges the gap between today’s college graduates and the needs of high-growth employers.
The college is partnering with Koru, which runs employer-embedded programs with partners like REI and zulily to give recent graduates the skills, experience and connections they need to get hired and make an immediate impact at leading companies.
“This is a disruptive moment for higher education, which opens room for reinventing the bridges between college and the professions,” says Denison President Adam Weinberg. “Koru is the partner we need to make that happen. Not only are they impacting students, but they are also going to help colleges develop the capacity to rethink and rebuild the process in dynamic, relevant and strategic ways.”
Denison is one of thirteen Koru founding partners and joins Bates College, Brown University, Colorado College, Connecticut College, Georgetown University, Mount Holyoke College, Occidental College, Pomona College, University of Southern California, Vassar College, Whitman College and Williams College on this initiative to give their graduates even more support as they move into the job market.
“Our partnership with Koru is part of a much larger process we are developing to take a fresh look at how we help students build bridges between Denison and the professions. Denison students have always succeeded post-college,” says Weinberg. “As the global economy changes, we need to sharpen, broaden and deepen our support. This will be a major priority for us over the next three to five years.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 44 percent of recent college graduates are underemployed. At the same time, nearly half of U.S. employers report difficulty finding qualified recent graduates. Koru’s programs provide the real-world experience, practical skills and professional networks to launch graduates into their first career job with a great employer. The programs are designed to serve college seniors and recent graduates, augmenting their high-quality, broad-based academic experience, as well as existing career development opportunities.
A core element of the program, Koru works closely with fast-growing, leading employers such as REI, zulily, Trupanion and Smartsheet, which are seeking a better way to recruit early-career talent.
“Koru allows us to see what someone can do far beyond what we can learn from a resume and an interview – and to have confidence that they could contribute to our organization from day one,” says Colleen McKeown, senior vice president of human resources at zulily. “Two or three years from now, I expect the Koru grads will be the ones I’m seeing on the fast track at zulily.”
“We are delighted to be working closely with this group of forward-thinking colleges and universities,” says Kristen Hamilton, Koru’s CEO. “They are individually and collectively committed to providing new options for their students to launch great careers – and we share that commitment to serving their students.”
Four Koru program sessions have been scheduled this summer in Seattle and San Francisco.