Sara Dolan
Associate Dean for Professional Development
Supporting Student Success: Looking Ahead
We measure student success in a variety of ways, from self-reported satisfaction metrics to career outcomes. While our ultimate goal is to prepare students to be outstanding professionals in their chosen careers, we also care very deeply about their experiences at Baylor.
Graduate student satisfaction remains central to our mission. Exit surveys completed by over 90% of graduates show strong overall satisfaction with academic quality and their Baylor experience.
Our students consistently rate their graduate education highly, scoring in the “agree” to “strongly agree” range on items such as academic quality, faculty relationships, and intellectual community. Nearly 4,000 respondents since Fall 2022 overwhelmingly reported they would recommend their Baylor programs to peers. These results reflect the dedication of faculty and staff to creating a distinctive Baylor experience. Still, there is room for growth. For example, students in online and hybrid programs report similar satisfaction levels, and even stronger program endorsements, than on-campus peers, yet they feel less connected to Baylor. In the coming year, the Graduate School will focus on strengthening this sense of belonging. Through partnerships with the Office of Student Life and the Office of Spiritual Life we will expand opportunities for online students to engage in Baylor traditions and activities virtually and during program-specific on-campus events.
Focus on Faculty
Faculty mentorship is a critical factor in PhD student success, particularly in research and career placement. Over the past three years, we have prioritized improving mentor-mentee relationships. To date, 121 faculty members across 34 departments and five colleges and schools have been trained in our evidence-based mentor training curriculum. This year, we introduced cohort-based models, fostering learning communities and ongoing peer support for faculty across similar disciplines. We also trained our first cohort of PhD students, to mentor the undergraduates in their research labs, to prepare them for careers in academia and industry.
In 2026, we will expand faculty training and introduce booster sessions for those who have completed the program. Our goal is to equip faculty with strategies for guiding students through research, professional development, and career placement. To celebrate excellence, we are launching six new graduate faculty awards recognizing leadership, teaching, and mentorship across all graduate programs. These awards underscore our commitment to honoring faculty who foster student success and professional growth.
Enhancing Non-Traditional Career Placement
Career placement is one of the most visible measures of graduate student success. The Baylor University Career Center is a key partner in this effort, working closely with programs and students to enhance post-graduate opportunities. Their impact is clear: in 2024-2025, they served over 1,000 students across colleges, achieving a 93% job placement rate. Most of these students were in master’s and professional programs, where Career Center staff are embedded in curricula to support employment readiness throughout the degree.
However, there is room for improvement with research doctoral students. Trends show fewer PhDs pursuing academic careers, and Baylor reflects this shift. From 2023-2025, 42% of our PhD graduates accepted academic positions, and of those, 42% are at R1 institutions. While we must continue preparing students for success in academia, we also need to address the career development needs of those pursuing non-academic paths.
Building on our Career Center partnership, we will launch new programming to help graduate students explore and prepare for diverse careers. Planned initiatives include alumni-led career panels, individualized advising enhanced by AI, greater integration of career readiness into curricula, and expanded internship opportunities.
Summary
The Graduate School is committed to student success. Enhancing graduate student satisfaction and sense of belonging as well as strengthening faculty mentorship with evidence-based training and new awards will increase graduation metrics. Expanding career development initiatives in partnership with the Career Center will improve career placement. All of this work contributes to Dean Young’s goals to deliver a world-class education, support timely degree completion, and remain true to our Christian values.