Wilson School adapts to students' changing interests
Founded in 1930, the Wilson School boasts a reputation for preparing select undergraduates to pursue advanced degrees and careers in public and international affairs.For a school whose mission follows Woodrow Wilson's vision of the University being "in the nation's service" and only admits a select few from each undergraduate class, an increasing number of graduates are turning away from public service for more lucrative professions.According to senior check-out surveys conducted by University Career Services, 12 percent of students in the Class of 2001 selected positions within the non-profit sector and 3 percent of graduates chose jobs in government."A lot of other students are just concerned with making a whole lot of money, which is obviously a consideration [for me], but there are some other factors that go into choosing a job," Wilson School major Omar Abdelhamid '02 said.Of the combined 15 percent of last year's graduates in non-profit and government fields, six Wilson School graduates listed "non-profit" as the type of career they planned to pursue in 2001.Wilson School professor and Chair of the Faculty Committee on the Undergraduate Program Stanley Katz explained that a systematic review of the "trajectories" of Wilson School undergraduates is difficult to calculate because many students enter graduate school and have not determined their "professional direction."Wilson School major Elizabeth McKay '02 agreed.