Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology was recognized as having the highest upward mobility rate among 2,137 colleges in a January 18 article published in The New York Times. Vaughn College is noted as “an institution doing more to impact social mobility for those who start from less fortunate means,” and listed as the top institution for moving students from the bottom 40 percent to the top 40 percent in income. The article stems from a study conducted by The Equality of Opportunity Project entitled “Mobility Report Cards: The Role of Colleges in Intergenerational Mobility.”
“This recognition is further evidence that our mission is succeeding and that Vaughn continues to be a college of choice for so many students who want to achieve future success,” said Vaughn President Dr. Sharon B. DeVivo. “This is a testament for our institution, and does not happen without so many working for years to achieve a truly transformational educational experience for our students.”
Vaughn College serves many first-generation Americans and first-generation college students and provides an engaging educational experience for every student. According to the study, the median family income of a student from Vaughn College is $31,600, and 16 percent of students at Vaughn College came from a poor family but became a rich adult. More than 57 percent of students moved up two or more income quintiles.
“We achieve this type of victory because we are a community invested in the students we serve,” said DeVivo. Ninety-eight percent of Vaughn graduates are employed or continue their education within one year of graduation, and in this year’s U.S. News report, Vaughn achieved a graduation rate of 56 percent, above the predicted rate of 43 percent. Vaughn alumni hold critical positions in engineering, technology, management and aviation in well-known organizations such as The Boeing Company, Consolidated Edison, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, United Technologies, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and major airlines including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways and United Airlines.
The article and Vaughn specific data can be found on The New York Times website at the following link: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/college-mobility/vaughn-college-of-aeronautics-and-technology
