Success After Alma

A lifetime of leadership. A passion for giving back. It all starts here, at Alma College.

At Alma, our alumni go on to oversee multinational organizations, serve on Capitol Hill and coach in the NFL. They are celebrated writers, actors and activists. And thanks to Alma’s strong emphasis on social responsibility, they know how to make a lasting impact on the world.

91% 2021 Alma graduates working, enrolled in graduate school or participating in a service program within six months of graduation

100% Students say the Center for Student Opportunity helped them find a job or internship

5,000+ Alma ambassadors provide networking and alumni support

It’s not surprising that Scots are leading the way. Our broad liberal arts foundation develops strong critical thinking, problem-solving and communication skills — skills that will prepare you for any career, no matter your path. Plus, thanks to our dedicated professional development support, 50% of Alma graduates already have an internship under their belt before they walk the stage at Commencement. That’s why Alma is named one of The Princeton Review’s 50 Colleges that Create Futures.

“For a small, liberal arts college, Alma boasts an impressive lineup of major scholarship recipients. Forty-three Alma students have won awards totaling $1.9 million. These prestigious awards, like the Fulbright, Truman, Rhodes and Marshall scholarships, are coveted by students at the nation’s top institutions of learning.” – The Princeton Review, Colleges That Create Futures

David Braidwood, ’11

David Braidwood, '11 A dream of medical school brought David Braidwood to Alma College. But after gaining hands-on experience at Alma, first as a resident assistant and then in various leadership roles, he discovered a passion for helping organizations and people reach their potential. Today, as an account director at LinkedIn, Braidwood supports high-growth talent solutions for the international networking and career development platform.

“Often, when we leave an experience, college included, we don’t fully realize the impact it will have on our lives,” Braidwood said. “My time at Alma continues to influence my trajectory, my priorities and many of my personal characteristics for the better.”

Shelley (Behring) Bausch, ’88

Shelley (Behring) Bausch '88 In her long, successful career as a business executive, Shelley Bausch has frequently tapped into the broad skills she developed as a biology and business administration major at Alma College. As senior vice president at Axalta Coating Systems, Bausch is responsible for creating a sustainable growth business, accelerating market positions geographically and in the industrial markets.

“I am able to do the things I do because I learned how to think — I learned how to integrate learnings from psychology, philosophy, economics, chemistry, business management, math, literature, biology — and we need more integrative and critical thinking in our world today,” Bausch said.

“Throughout my career, both in public service and the private sector, I have found that my liberal arts education from Alma has served me well. My major was political science, but the wide range of courses that I took, and the experiences that I was exposed to, have given me a broad perspective that has made a difference in my life and work.”