Rivier Academic Goals

  1. Develop Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World through study in
    • the sciences and mathematics
    • social sciences
    • humanities
    • histories
    • languages
    • the arts
  2. Develop Intellectual and Practical Skills, including
    • Inquiry and analysis
    • Critical and creative thinking
    • Written and oral communication
    • Quantitative literacy
    • Information literacy
    • Teamwork and problem solving
  3. Develop Personal and Social Responsibility, including
    • Civic knowledge and engagement-local and global
    • Intercultural knowledge and competence
    • Ethical reasoning and action
    • Foundations and skills for lifelong learning
  4. Engage in Integrative and Applied Learning, including The synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized studies
  5. Foster a Sense of the Sacred and of the Dignity of the Human Person, particularly as expressed through the Catholic Tradition, including
    • Recognition of Catholicism's contribution to the development of the whole person
    • Appreciation of the sacred meaning and purpose of life
    • Inquiry into the essence of authentic human community
    • Respect for the belief systems of others

These goals are modified from the Essential Learning Outcomes that resulted from a multiyear dialogue with hundreds of colleges and universities through project LEAP (Liberal Education and America's Promise) and the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

The same group that come up with the first four goals above also has a page of the qualities that employers want when hiring new employees. I have included the list of the qualities from their page below.

  1. The ability to work well in teams—especially with people different from yourself
  2. An understanding of science and technology and how these subjects are used in real-world settings
  3. The ability to write and speak well
  4. The ability to think clearly about complex problems
  5. The ability to analyze a problem to develop workable solutions
  6. An understanding of global context in which work is now done
  7. The ability to be creative and innovative in solving problems
  8. The ability to apply knowledge and skills in new settings
  9. The ability to understand numbers and statistics
  10. A strong sense of ethics and integrity

Source: "How Should Colleges Prepare Students to Succeed in Today's Global Economy?" (Results of a national poll by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, 2007).

Finally I have a newer list of skills/qualities that employers are looking for from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). I have printed the list below the graphic from their site.

  1. Ability to work in a team structure
  2. Ability to make decisions and solve problems
  3. Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work
  4. Ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization
  5. Ability to obtain and process information
  6. Ability to analyze quantitative data
  7. Technical knowledge related to the job
  8. Proficiency with computer software
  9. Ability to create and/or edit written reports
  10. Ability to sell or influence others