Greater Grads Blog

State is retaining more college graduates than anytime in past 50 years, surveys show

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

It wasn't until close to graduation that Dallas native Erik Salazar realized Oklahoma was home.

He is among a new demographic of college graduates deciding to start their careers in this state rather than seek career opportunities elsewhere.

"My whole plan was to do my four years and then go back to Texas, because that's where all the jobs are," he said.

For more than three years at the University of Oklahoma, where Salazar studied accounting and finance, he counted the days until his homecoming.

An internship with the Federal Aviation Administration the summer before his senior year changed all that. Eight years later, the 30-year-old owns a home in Oklahoma City and works full-time for the FAA as a financial analyst.

"I didn't even know the FAA was here in Oklahoma City until I did the internship," he said.

Recent surveys indicate more balance exists today between immigration and out-migration of the young and college-educated in Oklahoma than has existed for a half-century.

And though figures from the 2010 census will not be released until next year, interim reports have convinced economic development officials that a vibrant Oklahoma job market is limiting some of the "brain drain" that saw some of the state's best and brightest leaving soon after graduation.

"Overall, we think there's more coming in than are going out," said Drew Dugan, vice president of education and workforce development at the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce.

A recent Advertising Age analysis ranked Oklahoma fifth in the nation for its increase in the number of residents ages 25 to 42 since 2000 (12.2 percent), and annual population surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau indicate positive net migration in nearly all the state's demographic subsets.

Oklahoma received 1,008 new households in 2011 compared to 966 households that left the state, according to Atlas Van Lines, which reports annually on migration trends. In 2002, it was 1,053 households out and 820 in.

Census estimates indicate a positive net migration of about 80,000 people ages 20 to 29 in Midwest states in 2011.

Net migration for the same age group in 2001 was negative by 18,000.

Dugan attributes the turnaround to a combination of commercial and cultural revitalization that came to fruition in the middle part of last decade.

The completion of several multimillion capital improvements projects - one of which brought an NBA team to Oklahoma City - complemented growth in the energy and biotechnology sectors to make the region a more attractive destination for young professionals, Dugan said. Oklahoma's unemployment rate has consistently been low compared to that of other states.

I think it's better because our economy is good, we've got good employers that are treating our students right and they're starting to realize there's plenty to do here and a nice quality of life," Dugan said.

For decades, though, young people consistently left the state.

According to an analysis released by the U.S. Census Bureau in mid-April, the outflow of this particular demographic set in Oklahoma for 1965-2000 exceeded the inflow rate by more than 10 percent.

In Oklahoma City, the number of young, single and college-educated residents leaving after graduation was double that of those coming in during that same time period, according to the report. This was despite a mostly positive net migration for the city's population as a whole during that time.

Ben Hardcastle, director of communications for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, said the state's colleges and universities are reporting successes in their attempt to curb brain drain.

About 70 percent of graduates who received a bachelor's degree from an Oklahoma higher education institute in 2004-05 were employed in Oklahoma after five years, Hardcastle said. That's compared to 59 percent of 2001 graduates who were employed locally in five years, he said.

At Oklahoma State University, 71.5 percent of 2008 graduates remain in Oklahoma, a 7.6 percent increase over 2004 graduates who remained in the state.

Hardcastle said schools have been most effective in placing graduates with Oklahoma employers by developing curricula and programs focused on specific employer needs.

Rose State College, for example, is collaborating with Tinker Air Force Base to develop young professionals for the growing aeronautics industry. Similar programs have been developed for energy, engineering and wind energy careers, Hardcastle said.

"Our institutions are doing a better job of aligning the skill sets that go with that degree to meet the needs of Oklahoma employers," he said.

Still, there will always be plenty of young people who feel the need to leave.

Daniel Harbour, who graduated last year from OSU with a master's degree in business administration, said he had a difficult time finding an in-state job that met his standard of pay.

Financial jobs in Oklahoma seemed to be focused exclusively on accounting or engineering, he said, with not a lot of specialized options available for young graduates. The 23-year-old accepted instead a position as a statistical services analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City.

"It was real hard to find a job that paid what I felt I was worth and had the benefits I wanted," he said. "If you went to one of those career fairs, I would say probably within the 70 percent range are going to be energy jobs, like engineering or IT, or something one of the big energy companies would want."

Program works to keep graduates in Oklahoma

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Oklahoman

Coordinators of a program that aims to keep Oklahoma college graduates working in the state are reporting success.

Greater Grads, a program of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, has proved to be an effective way of fighting so-called brain drain in the state, said Joyce Burch, manager of graduate outreach and internships for the chamber.

The program holds an annual career fair that invites exclusively Oklahoma City employers and hosts a website that connects potential interns with employers seeking help and vice versa.

Greater Grads also hosts a series of weekly luncheons for the interns to acquaint them with the city's business and cultural centers and introduce them to its political and sport scene, Burch said.

Last year, 282 interns from 21 states and representing 76 different companies participated in Intern OKC. Since the program began in 2006, nearly 1,500 students have gone through the program.

Another 100 or so students are introduced each year to 1,000 Oklahoma businesses at the career fairs, Burch said.

"We try to talk to them about 'these are different places that are maybe a little off the beaten path,' and we'll talk about cultural activities and just try to get them a little more involved in what's going on," she said. "Another reason we do it is for them to make connections with their peers because that is really a big part of them deciding to stay in the city."

Sixty-seven percent of last year's internship program participants indicated before the Intern OKC lunches that they would like to live and work in Oklahoma City post-graduation, Burch said. By the end of the program, that shot up to 88 percent.

Mary Hestilow, who will graduate from the business college at University of Oklahoma in May, said Greater Grads was responsible for her decision to pursue a career in Oklahoma City.

The 24-year-old former Oklahoma resident moved to San Antonio with her family after graduating high school, but transferred to Norman after two years of college in Texas.

Hestilow said she never intended to make Oklahoma her permanent home. But after completing two internships and accepting a fellowship at a downtown nonprofit, she said she is attracted to the "feeling that this city is progressing."

"I have a lot of interest in urban renewal, so seeing the steps this city was taking to improve its urban core and the central business district was really cool for me," she said. "I liked the size of the city and I liked the feeling that we're going some place here."

The 2012 Intern OKC program will kick off June 13. Topics of the luncheons will include the local political scene, a seminar on 'pursuing your passion' and the city's cost of living and economic climate.

Among special guests this year: Former Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphries, who will debate Pat Hall, a former executive director of the state's Democratic Party; and Tulsa businessman David Box, co-owner of the WNBA team Tulsa Shock, who will talk about developing his own business.

Research shows jobs, affordability attract young professionals to state

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Oklahoman

You've seen them - around the Chesapeake campus, walking through downtown, moving into the house just down the street. They're young professionals, people in their mid-20s to mid-30s, who've chosen to build their lives in Oklahoma. And their numbers are growing.

According to Advertising Age, the percentage of Oklahoma millennials - or people age 25 to 34 - rose by 12.2 percent from 2000 to 2010. Our state ranks fifth in the nation for increases in that key demographic, a predictor of economic growth.

"This age group is critical to a state's future because they represent the next wave of new families, new homebuyers and big spenders," the magazine noted in July.

"Over the next 10 years, they will move into the 35 to 44 cohort and increase their average household spending by 23 percent, a jump of more than $10,000 per household."

It's no accident that Oklahoma's millennial population is increasing. In the early part of the 2000s, state and community leaders recognized the need to attract young people to the state and retain those who were born here.

"We specifically asked young people what would make a difference in convincing them to come here," said Dana Shadid, former executive director of the Oklahoma Community Institute.

"It was very interesting what they said, things just as basic as quality-of-life issues, beautification issues."

And jobs.

In 2006, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber launched a program called Greater Grads, which aims to connect college students and graduates with Oklahoma employers through internships and career fairs. Tulsa has a similar program. The idea is that once young people realize how much Oklahoma has to offer, they won't want to look anywhere else.

"We've learned from the college kids," said Drew Dugan, the chamber's vice president of education and workforce development.

"At first we thought all they'd be interested in was the night life and what was happening downtown." Instead, they said, "What about jobs?"

Oklahoma's job market suffered less than many other states' during the economic downturn.

The combination of career opportunities and affordable living is attractive to young professionals, he said.

"We've got the jobs. We've got the great lifestyle," he said. "Why should they leave?"

Josh Waddell, career services director for Oklahoma City University, has steered students into Greater Grads and mentored two of them from Alaska and Arkansas.

Waddell grew up in Oklahoma, went away for college, lived out of state for about 12 years and then came back.

"Most students look mostly at the jobs," he said. "They don't do as good a job about researching the intangibles as far as quality of life and commuting. ... I took a train and a subway and walked and spent an hour and 45 minutes a day commuting for six years. That was miserable."

Students who've grown up in Oklahoma may not realize how lucky they are to have easy commutes and plenty of affordable housing, he said. Out-of-state students are more likely to recognize those benefits.

Other programs, such as LOYAL - acronym for Linking OKC's Young Adult Leaders - provide professionals under 35 with access to business and civic leaders, mentors and networking opportunities. The program includes a series of short sessions teaching leadership skills for volunteers. Class members also participate in a community project.

"I love that program," said Christy Zelley, deputy director of Leadership Oklahoma City, which provides the LOYAL program. "It's so hard for young people to meet new people after college, and this is a good way to do that and network, too."

The Oklahoman talked to some millennials about why they chose to stay.

Jodi Lewis, 30, Piedmont
Lewis, a native Oklahoman, worked with Shadid at the Oklahoma Community Institute after graduating from Oklahoma State University in 2004.

"At that point, it seemed like the 'brain drain' term became really popular," she said. "People were always saying we're losing our best and brightest to places like Dallas. That was really offensive to those of us who chose to stay.

"We're buying homes here. We're getting jobs here. We're growing our families here. I felt as if they weren't sending the right message. We want to keep all our best and brightest here, whether they're from here originally or came here for college."

In her work for the institute, Lewis surveyed students pursuing particular majors at a variety of Oklahoma colleges and universities. Among other things, she asked where they planned to live after graduation.

Nearly all students seeking master's degrees in business administration planned to leave Oklahoma, she said. Pharmacy and optometry students said they'd go wherever the jobs were. Others, including those studying education and economics, wanted to stay within 25 to 30 miles of their current locations.

For her, leaving Oklahoma wasn't a consideration.

"It's the sense of community, I think," she said. "It seems a little more personal here. I know Oklahoma City is becoming more and more enticing to people in my age group. You've got Bricktown. You've got the Thunder, relatively low crime rates, housing fairly stable and relatively low unemployment.

"No one in my peer group is unemployed right now. ... I've got friends who live and work in Dallas, and to go visit them, everything seems so expensive. Your dollar can go so much farther here."

She thinks Oklahoma offers more opportunities for advancement, too.

By age 26, she was executive director of the institute, a statewide nonprofit. She served three years on Piedmont's city council. For the past several months, she has been executive director of a Christian charity group, Revive Inc. She plans to step down and join the board.

"I purchased a Lawn Doctor franchise last fall," she said, "so I'm in the process of getting it up and running. We picked a good time. ... There was no winter to speak of, so we are blessed that there are a lot of weeds this year. We've gotten a high number of clients."

Lewis' territory includes Edmond, Jones and Arcadia. She hopes to expand into northwest Oklahoma City at some point, but that'll have to wait: She and her husband are expecting their second child.

"We're going to wait to find out if it's a boy or a girl," she said. "It's kind of the last great mystery out there for us."

She remains committed to life in Oklahoma and thinks others will be, too.

"If the state can keep new college graduates with good opportunities and play up the great quality of life that Oklahoma City and Tulsa offer, once they're married, you're going to keep them forever," she said.

Chad Previch, 31, Oklahoma City
Previch is well-known to The Oklahoman. When he left his native Michigan at age 23, he came to work for the newspaper.

"Before I graduated from Michigan State (University), I applied to The Oklahoman, and they hired me on as an intern," Previch said.

"It turned out that the internship was basically a job interview for a full-time job. They hired me, and I've been in Oklahoma ever since."

Michigan's economy was struggling long before the meltdown of 2008. Previch cast his net wide, fearing he wouldn't be able to find work in his home state. Oklahoma seemed the most attractive option.

"Oklahoma City was in the initial stages of enjoying the success of MAPS when I moved here," he said.

"Now, the city has become much more than MAPS. While people across the country read about the city's economic success on Top 10 lists, we actually get to experience it living here each day."

His love of Oklahoma has turned him into an evangelist of sorts, spreading the word about what our state - and the capital city in particular - has to offer.

"I know this sounds really cheesy, but there's this energy in the city, whether it's downtown or anywhere you go," he said. "People have a positive outlook about everything. Our economy is good. Even with the economy being down so many other places, we just keep moving forward."

Previch left the newspaper in 2007 and was hired on at Saxum, an Oklahoma City-based public relations firm, as an account supervisor. Now he has accepted a job at Devon Energy Corp.

He lived for a time in the Deep Deuce area and formed friendships with a variety of Oklahomans - including other Michigan State alums.

"We get together every weekend to watch the games and talk about life back home," he said. "But we also root for the Thunder, OU and OSU."

Although he misses his family, Oklahoma has become home.

"It's just an exciting time to be here," he said. "Bricktown, obviously, is a huge attraction for people, and it's kind of a selling point. But there are pockets of momentum throughout Oklahoma City.

"You can see it when you drive through town. You can feel it when you talk to people. And for young people, too, the Thunder was a huge get for the city. I think it does something for people across the country when they see that Oklahoma City name. Maybe they never thought of us as a big league city before, but now they see us differently."

Lauren Toppins, 30, Edmond
Toppins participated in the first year of the chamber's Greater Grads program.

She remains involved as one of the program "emcees" - building agendas, writing speaker biographies, introducing speakers and guiding students through the process.

"We had 282 interns last year," she said. "Seventy-eight employers were involved. Interns were from 49 colleges and universities and 21 different states. We had international students, too. ... The whole thing about Greater Grads is showing people the best of Oklahoma City, so I get to see and learn something new all the time.

"There are so many entrepreneurs in Oklahoma City, and a big part of Greater Grads is a really big career fair with Oklahoma employers. ... You get to sit there with all these different business people and watch the students line up to show them their resumes."

The system worked for her. Toppins, a Lawton native, comes from a long line of Sooners. After earning an undergraduate degree at the University of Oklahoma, she continued there for law school.

Toppins joined Greater Grads after that, interning and then getting a job at a nowdefunct Oklahoma company.

She also went through the LOYAL program. Contacts she made there helped her get her current job at Paycom. She started the growing company's legal department and is now the staff attorney and human resources manager.

"I don't think I would have had these opportunities elsewhere," she said.

She did consider moving to another state. She and her husband, a district landman for Chesapeake, thought about relocating to Texas.

"A handful of my girlfriends all went to Dallas," she said, "so we looked at that. I felt strongly about Oklahoma City, though. So did my husband. His mom is here. We have a daughter who's 2. It's important to us to stay close to family. ...

"I really enjoy the lakes here, even Lake Arcadia. I love the art museum downtown. ... There are interesting restaurants we go to. We're big OU fans, so our entire season is spent down there. The Thunder, we go every time we can get tickets. Our daughter went to her first game when she was 6 months old. She's looking at cheerleaders and Rumble while we're watching the game."

Ultimately, the decision to stay wasn't difficult.

"This is a great place to raise a family," she said. "There are just good people here."

Greater Grads Testimonial - Carl Manna

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600

The greater grads program was an amazing experience. The program played a major part in me deciding to stay in Oklahoma City for my MBA and to jump start my career. Growing up in the area I never realized the numerous business opportunities here and I was ready to move to a larger city. However the program reinforced to me all the great advancement opportunities and great quality of life the city offers compared to many other other larger metro areas.

I am proud to continue to call Oklahoma City my home and be very involved in the local community. The city is clearly on the rise and will only continue to get better over the next few years with our strong economy. I am convinced that right now is the most exciting time to be living in this great city!

Oklahoma City among Best Cities for College Grads

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:27:13 -0500

We obviously think Oklahoma City is a great place to launch your career after graduation, and it looks like The Daily Beast agrees. Oklahoma City came in third on its recent list of "Best Cities for Recent Grads." That's one spot ahead of Austin and five spot better than Dallas, for those interested.

Cities were ranked based on quality of life basics like housing, employment, affordability, and relationships. OKC ranked highly because of its "relatively low unemployment, high average salary per capita, a low cost of living, a high portion of housing units devoted to rental properties, and large population between ages 22 and 24."

See a gallery of the top 25 cities here.

Greater Grads Testimonials - Sunny Cearley

Tue, 10 May 2011 16:44:17 -0500

When my husband and I first moved to Oklahoma, it was exclusively for the purpose of education. We thought that as soon as he finished his PhD at OUHSC that we would immediately move back to Texas. However, once we began living and working in the community our minds and hearts were changed.

Here in Oklahoma we have so much more opportunity than we would have ever had in Dallas. Now this is the place where we plan to make our lives.

Greater Grads Testimonial - Rob Chamberlain

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:55:58 -0500

The Summer Internship Program really showed me that Oklahoma City has many career opportunities I did not know about. The program made me take a serious look at pursuing a career in Oklahoma City because I learned that Oklahoma City has a real future. Oklahoma City is like a balloon that is about to explode with opportunities.

I really want to thank everyone who was involved in the Greater Grads Program. The environment it created made it possible for me to make friendships and professional contacts, which is something I cannot put a value on.

Creating a Resume that Stands Out

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:15:25 -0500

One thing to keep in mind when crafting your resume is to tailor it to the job you are seeking to acquire. Maintain accuracy of all your facts in the resume, but expound on your skills that pertain to the job for which you are applying. For example: if you have a degree and/or experience in web development do not spend much resume real estate on the summer job you had working at a fast food restaurant unless you helped them with their web site.

When interviewing, maintain good eye contact. Avoid fidgeting, and shifting. By all means, leave your cell phone in the car Bring at least 3 copies of your resume as you never know if the interview is going to be given by an individual or a panel and it is always better to be prepared.

Keep in mind; you have a very short period of time to convey yourself to your potential employer. Prepare and plan ahead to have an articulate, well rounded description of your experience and skills. Whatever is on your resume is open to discussion by your interviewer. Being totally in tune with your resume will result in a higher level of comfort and confidence when sitting in the interview environment. Keep in mind some of your outstanding accomplishments and be ready to relay that to your interviewer. What are you the most proud of in your past experience? Think that through, brand it as your own, and confidently describe the event to help the interviewer experience it as well.

Kelly Farmer
GCSS University Relations/Career Technology Strategist
Dell | Global Commercial Services, United States

Greater Grads Testimonial - Erica Ngo

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:13:00 -0500

I was a participant in the 2007 Greater Grads program this summer while I was an intern for Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The program was wonderful and served its purpose. Before the lunch-and-learns, I was seriously considering leaving Oklahoma upon graduation to find employment elsewhere.

Like most other college graduates, I thought there were not many opportunities in Oklahoma and there was not much to do in a social aspect. I did not know Oklahoma has so much to offer, but after completion of Greater Grads, I am sure that I want to live and grow in this great state. I have taken friends from college who are from other states to Bricktown and Downtown Oklahoma City because I am so proud of this state's development.

Greater Grads Testimonial - Cashlie Hines

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:11:32 -0500

During the summer of 2007 I attended the Greater Grads program, sponsored by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. The program was beneficial and exceeded my expectations. Each person involved was willing to help any participant, even after the program ended.

Through Greater Grads I gained valuable information about the opportunities the greater Oklahoma City area offered. The contact information Greater Grads provided gave me the opportunity to hone my networking skills with potential employers in the greater Oklahoma City area. Thanks to Greater Grads and the businesses involved with their program, I interned at a prominent advertising agency and my future, upon my upcoming graduation in May, is looking brighter.

I strongly recommend all employers send their interns to this wonderful program. It is extremely beneficial if participants are willing to use the information given to them. Greater Grads is doing its part and more to keep Oklahomas premium upcoming business men and women in the great state of Oklahoma.