by Barry McNamara
Marnie Steach, Monmouth College’s executive director of career readiness, advising and student success, just completed a 14-year professional stint at her alma mater. But before she went, Steach had one last item of good news to announce.
The Monmouth College Class of 2025 First Destination report shows a career outcomes rate of 98%, meaning that within six months of graduation, 98% of the class was employed or in graduate school.
“Our latest First Destination report continues to show that Monmouth College graduates are moving on to meaningful work and graduate school experiences, as well as serving and educating in communities all over the world,” said Steach, a 1995 graduate of Monmouth. “Our graduates are using their Monmouth College experience to impact the world.”
The Class of 2025 reported 81% employment, with the other 19% continuing their education. The knowledge rate for Monmouth’s report was 85%, which is significantly higher than the national average of 56%. Knowledge rate is defined as the percentage of graduates for which an institution has reasonable and verifiable information concerning the graduates’ post-graduation career activities.
Throughout her time at Monmouth, Steach served as director of the college’s Wackerle Center for Career, Leadership and Fellowships. Part of her responsibility in that role was helping students secure internships, and 72% of the Class of 2025 reported having at least one internship during their four years on campus.
“During my time at Monmouth, I interviewed for an internship at my current company, and I believe securing that internship got me where I am today,” said Lea Selquist ’25, who just received a promotion at RSM, a nationwide accounting firm. “The Wackerle Center was so pivotal in helping me accomplish that. I distinctly remember sending my resume over to them and getting some amazing tips on formatting and language that really made me stand out.”
Selquist said the Wackerle Center also helped her prep for her interview, giving her a sense of calm, and assisted in her future professional life through activities such as the etiquette dinner, preparing her to handle “professional settings that I had never experienced before.”
In addition to Selquist, Monmouth’s 2025 graduates are employed at companies such as Veloxity Labs, Caterpillar, OSF St. Francis Medical Group, Amazon and Keysight Technologies. Four of the graduates stayed right on campus, securing positions at Monmouth College.
Of those continuing their education, most moved on to much larger schools, such as the University of Iowa, the University of Missouri and the University of Memphis. Five students began graduate programs at Illinois State University. A few of the graduates started specialized programs, such as the Texas A&M College of Dentistry and Palmer College of Chiropractic.
Ilese Rodeffer ’25, who is enrolled in Southern Illinois University’s MD program, credited Steach and the Wackerle Center for bringing that next chapter of her life about.
“The balance of candid, gentle feedback and encouragement did so much to help me refine and embrace the best aspects of who I am,” said Rodeffer, who used the center’s resources throughout her four years on campus. “I’m thankful for every opportunity and for every piece of advice and guidance I received. Monmouth really goes above and beyond to help students reach for the best in their lives.”
