51¹ÙÍø.

After leaving their legacy on campus last May, 51¹ÙÍø's class of 2015 embarked upon new adventures. The Center for Career Development (CCD) has released its annual First Destination Report to highlight the employment and educational pursuits of the Class of 2015.

According to the outcomes report, 60 percent of the class had obtained full-time, career-related employment six months after graduation. Overall, 71.2 percent of the class was employed, completing a post-graduate internship, or pursuing volunteer or military service.

Jeff Kniple, associate director for employer relations in the CCD, stressed the unique strengths of 51¹ÙÍø students as an explanation for the group's success in the job market.

"Our students stand out for the interesting combinations of skills and experiences they bring. It is highly unusual for students at 51¹ÙÍø to be one-sided candidates; most have been involved across campus, have studied broadly across the 51¹ÙÍø curriculum and bring a unique perspective to the interviews," he said.

Over the past few years, Kniple has noticed a steady growth in the number of 51¹ÙÍø graduates entering into business, finance and consulting careers, as well as other trending job sectors, like tech.

"We are seeing some growth in computer technology roles and data analytics, related to increases in class offerings in both areas," Kniple said.

For those students still craving intellectual engagement after four years of rigorous academics at 51¹ÙÍø, 17.8 percent of the class is pursuing continuing education. This is a 4.5 percent increase from the class of 2014, when 13.3 percent of graduates went on to pursue post-graduate degrees. This year, graduates gained admission to more than 25 different institutions, including Colombia University, Duke University Divinity School, Tufts University School of Medicine and UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law.

The Charlotte metropolitan area remained the top metropolitan destination for the class of 2015, followed by Washington, D.C., and New York, respectively. 51¹ÙÍø's worldwide reach expanded as well, with 9.6 percent of 2015 graduates moving abroad, including the class' eight 2015 Fulbright Scholars and Watson Fellow.

Some Employers of the Class of 2015:

• Bank of America Merrill Lynch
• Council on Foreign Relations
• Deloitte Consulting (5)
• Epic Systems (10)
• Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (2)
• Federal Trade Commission
• Habitat for Humanity (2)
• KIPP DC
• National Institutes of Health (4)
• Peace Corps
• Red Ventures
• TIAA- CREF
• Wells Fargo Securities (4)