Drew Wilson
The University of Florida’s career center is one of the best in the country, according to Best Colleges.
The Career Connections Center, or C3, ranked No. 2 in the recent update to the Best Colleges list, behind only Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
UF was one of just a handful of public universities on the Best College Career Centers list and it placed higher than any other university in its class. Penn State University and the University of Texas at Austin — which, like UF, are the flagship universities in their respective states — placed No. 3 and No. 8, respectively.
Best Colleges ranks career centers based on the graduation and career placement rates reported to the U.S. Department of Education for the College Scorecard. They also considered each school’s services for students, distance learners, and alumni.
Best Colleges highlighted C3’s outreach to students early on in their enrollment and the center’s online, interactive tool to help students determine work interests, values, and career readiness.
“The center has also developed an eight-semester guide to help learners prepare for a career. The guide encourages students to visit the career center, attend an academic fair of majors and minors, and plan meaningful summer experiences. The center’s staff can critique resumes, identify job opportunities, offer interview preparation tips, and help evaluate potential job offers,” Best Colleges said.
UF celebrated the ranking in a Thursday news release, noting that C3 serves more than 54,000 students and alumni across all majors and degrees.
Despite the challenges imposed by the pandemic this year, C3 hasn’t missed a beat. The university said the center has hosted 93 virtual events to help students get the experience they need for post-graduation success. It has also provided fairs, guides, interview tips, job postings, and resume critiques.
“This recognition is a reflection of the dedication of the career center staff and signature services we provide to enhance the student experience,” C3 senior director Ja’Net Glover said. “We will continue to build on this success by meeting students where they are and customizing the career engagement of or learners.”
The career center ranking is the latest success for UF, which has also rocketed up Best Colleges’ overall university rankings in recent years.
Best Colleges ranks UF as the No. 30 university in the country on its overall list, which includes private schools, and as the No. 6 public university in the country. The most recent rankings represent an eight-spot climb for the university over the past three years.
