Mercer University students graduate with an academic profile and a service ethos that sets them apart. That reputation has caught the attention of companies in Georgia and beyond, leading to a concentration of alumni at iconic Georgia firms such as Chick-fil-A and causing others to turn directly to Mercer when they have a need for skilled employees.
Mercer has an impressive track record of responding to industry needs. The School of Engineering was established in 1985 in response to a need for engineers at Robins Air Force Base and manufacturing industries in Central Georgia.
“It really becomes a part of who we are as an institution that we respond to industry. Industry says we have a need; Mercer, because we have a history of response and we can pivot much faster than many other schools, we say yes,” said Allen London, senior associate vice president for Mercer’s Office of University Advancement. “There’s a very high demand for talent right now. Companies are developing a deeper university relations strategy that requires more than just a surface touch with a job posting.”
In addition, many companies have instituted a focus on social responsibility, and Mercer students have become attractive to firms due to University programs like Mercer On Mission and Go Baby Go that align with businesses’ mission to give back to the community, London said.
Mercer has long-standing partnerships with a host of companies and organizations, including Chick-fil-A, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Blue Bird Corp. and Robins Air Force Base, whose team rosters include many Mercer graduates. But now, the University is working to create more intentional plans to connect companies with a pipeline of graduates for employment.
London and Kim Meredith, executive director for Mercer’s Center for Career and Professional Development, are leading those efforts as co-chairs of the Mercer Corporate Relations Council. As part of that, Mercer has launched a new website,…
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