HIGH POINT, N.C., Aug. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- High Point University has been ranked #7 for Strongest Alumni Networks in LinkedIn’s inaugural Top Colleges list, a data-backed ranking of the 50 best U.S. colleges for long-term career growth. HPU is one of only two schools in North Carolina included in the Top 10 list.

LinkedIn collected data to determine how well college graduates are connecting with their alma mater’s current students and if future graduates will have a strong network of alumni to help open doors for them during their careers. LinkedIn said prospective students should strongly consider the strength of alumni networks when making their college decisions.

HPU alumni regularly return to campus to mentor students and participate in Destination Success, a series that highlights the university’s impressive network of successful alumni. Graduates also return as recruiters for well-known companies and interview students for jobs and internships at HPU’s Career and Internship Expos.

Jack LaSalla, a 2024 alumnus who is a financial analyst at BNY, remains connected with current HPU students to ensure they have the same support that he did while pursuing majors in finance, marketing and international business. His summer 2023 internship with BNY led to him landing his current position.

“Networking with HPU alumni played a significant role in my career journey,” LaSalla said.  “Building those connections allowed me to gain valuable insights from former students who had experience in the financial industry. Their advice helped me better understand key topics and prepared me for interviews with greater confidence. This preparation ultimately gave me a competitive edge and helped me stand out among other candidates.”

Staying involved with current HPU students allows LaSalla to share insights and guidance that can help them strive toward their goals and achieve success.

“I believe these connections will help the next group of graduates stand out in a competitive job market,” said LaSalla, who is from Garden City, New York. “By combining strong communication and networking skills with their industry knowledge and technical expertise, they’ll be better prepared to differentiate themselves from their competition and succeed in their careers.”

Jaime Nardolillo, a Class of 2018 alumna, returned to campus as a regional sales manager in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut for Collabera, a global company that provides digital and information technology services for Fortune 1000 companies. While speaking with current students at a Career and Internship Fair last spring, she said participating in networking events while she was a student helped guide her career direction.

“I think High Point does a really great job of sharpening the sales professionals here and giving them opportunities to network and connect with a lot of different companies and industries,” Nardolillo said. “I love that they teach professional etiquette and social skills in fine-dining restaurants like 1924 Prime. This campus is really good at teaching and instilling life skills.” 

Data collected by HPU in accordance with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) standards shows an overall placement rate of 99.2% for all graduates in the Class of 2024. HPU’s percentage of 2024 graduates who were employed or furthering their education within 180 days of graduation is 14 points higher than the national average reported by NACE.

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Alex Abrams
High Point University
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aabrams1@highpoint.edu