OUNCIL O

C

F 

GRADUATE SCHOOLS 

Graduate 

Education 

and the 

Public Good 
Advisory Committee on 

Graduate Education and the Public Good 

Karen DePauw 

Council of Graduate Schools 

Chair-Elect 

Vice Provost for Graduate 

Studies & Dean of the 

Graduate School 

Virginia Polytechnic Institute 

and State University 

Jeffrey Gibeling 

Dean of Graduate Studies 

University of California, Davis 

Bruce Jacobs 

Vice Provost and University 

Dean of Graduate Studies 

University of Rochester 

Karen Klomparens 

Dean of the Graduate School 

and Assistant Provost for 

Graduate Education 

Michigan State University 

James Moran 

Vice Provost, Graduate Studies 

& Research 

University of Denver 

Suzanne Ortega 

Vice Provost and Dean of the 

Graduate School 

University of Washington 

Eva Pell 

Senior Vice President for 

Research and Dean of the 

Graduate School 

The Pennsylvania State 

University 

Victoria Rodriguez 

Vice Provost and Dean of 

Graduate Studies 

The University of Texas 

at Austin 

Don Allen Roth 

Council of Graduate Schools 

Government Relations 

Advisory Committee Chair 

Dean of the Graduate School 

University of Wyoming 

William B. Russel 

Council of Graduate Schools 

Chair 

Dean, Graduate School 

Princeton University 

Richard Wheeler 

Dean of the Graduate College 

University of Illinois at 

Urbana-Champaign 

E X - OFFICIO 

Debra W. Stewart 

President 

Council of Graduate Schools 
F 

GR

OLS 

Graduate 

Education 

and the 

Public Good 

COUNCIL O

ADUATE SCHO
Contents 

Executive Summary page 1 

Introduction page 3 

How Does Graduate Education Contribute to the Public Good? page 6 

How Does Graduate Education Improve Our Quality of Life? page 13 

What Do International Students Contribute to a Prosperous United States? page 21 

What Is the Reach and Impact of U.S. Graduate Education? page 22 

About the Council of Graduate Schools page 26 

Acknowledgments page 26 
Executive Summary 

Astrong link exists between U.S. graduate 

education, the production of knowledge, 

and economic and social prosperity. The 

United States needs a cadre of highly skilled leaders and experts in a variety of fields to address current and future challenges. Increasingly, graduate 

school is where future professionals obtain the 

knowledge and skills needed to solve big, complex 

problems. But fundamentally, graduate education 

is about people. This report tells the stories of 

people with graduate degrees from U.S. universities and why their education matters to them and 

the nation. 

The benefits of graduate education extend beyond 

the economic realm; graduate education also plays a 

central role in producing an educated citizenry that 

can promote and defend our democratic ideals.1 

Scholars educated at the graduate level in such 

fields as science, mathematics, humanities, arts, and 

social sciences are critically important to our quality 

of life and the cultural and social fabric of society. 

For the past 50 years, U.S. graduate education has 

been the jewel in the crown of the American system of education, attracting top domestic and 

international students by creating dynamic programs that foster scholarship, research, and scientific discovery. In the past decade, 62 percent of 

Nobel Prize winners in chemistry, physics, medicine, and economics received their graduate 

degrees in the United States.2 

The success of U.S. graduate education has not 

gone unnoticed by other countries and their governments. Elsewhere in the world, significant 

investments are being made in graduate education 

as part of national economic development strategies. Although the long-term implications of such 

investments are not entirely clear, we know that 

the quality of U.S. graduate education must be sustained for our nation to continue to prosper in the 

21st century. 

Recent reports and public policy that addressed 

enhancing U.S. competitiveness and innovation 

recognized the value of graduate education. The 

National Academies’ landmark report, Rising Above 

the Gathering Storm, recommended increasing the 

number of U.S. citizens pursuing graduate study in 

areas of national need by funding 5,000 new graduate fellowships each year. The America COMPETES Act, signed into law in August 2007, 

included many of the report’s recommendations in 

support of graduate study at the master’s and doctoral levels. 

This report, Graduate Education and the 

Public Good, illustrates how a world-class 

graduate education system has benefited this 

nation and the world. It tells the stories of real 

people who obtained graduate degrees in the 

United States and have since made important 

contributions at the local, state, national, and 

international levels. 

The report documents these exemplars’ contributions to our collective good across a broad range of 

sectors and fields. It examines how graduate education is connected to the following: 

COUNC IL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS 1 
■ Creating the workforce for the new global 

economy 

■ Conducting groundbreaking research 

■ Facilitating technology transfer 

■ Developing entrepreneurs and innovators 

■ Preparing future college and university faculty 

■ Developing leaders for business, nonprofit, and 

government sectors 

■ Preparing the K–12 teacher workforce 

■ Establishing new start-ups that create jobs 

■ Strengthening communities through social 

action 

■ Promoting public health initiatives 

■ Enhancing society through arts, humanities, 

and social sciences 

Additionally, this report recognizes the contributions that international students have made to 

the prosperity of the United States. In 2006-

2007, there were a quarter of a million international students pursuing graduate degrees in this 

country, comprising 16 percent of all graduate 

students.3 More important, many international 

students remain in the United States after they 

complete their studies, starting companies that 

create jobs or contributing to the public good in 

other ways. Those who return to their home 

countries often assume leadership positions and 

maintain connections with the United States, fostering positive diplomatic relations and enhanced 

understanding. 

The report concludes with a call for a renewed “social 

contract” between universities and the public that recognizes the special role played by graduate education 

in enhancing our quality of life. The companion document, titled Making a Difference, includes hundreds 

of examples of graduate degree holders who were 

nominated by Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) 

member institutions based on significant contributions they have made to the public good. 

The new global competition for talent places 

increasing importance on maintaining a worldclass graduate education system. As noted by 

author and professor Richard Florida, “For 

decades, the U.S. has succeeded at attracting and 

growing talented people because of its creative 

ecosystem—a densely interwoven fabric of institutions, individuals, and economic and social rights. 

Attracting people does not just happen; it depends 

on the care and feeding of the organizations and 

people that make up the ecosystem.”4 

2 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
Introduction 

The ways that graduate education contributes to the public good can be 

demonstrated from a variety of perspectives, including numbers, facts, and solid rationales. 

But the connection between graduate education 

and the public good may best be described from 

the perspective of people who have earned graduate degrees and by what they have gone on to do 

with those degrees. The unique aspect of this 

report is that it links people, their graduate education, and their accomplishments to the public good. 

The benefits to individuals of having a master’s or 

doctoral degree are well understood. In general, 

the more education one has, the more one earns 

and the more likely one is to be employed.5 This 

relationship is increasingly emphasized in the 21stcentury global marketplace, which places a premium on advanced knowledge and skills. The 

knowledge-based economy requires workers who 

can use technology in creative ways. This economy 

spans a variety of technical fields and professions, 

including all scientific disciplines, software design, 

media, and financial services, and the number of 

technical fields is expected to rise.6 U.S. culture 

also has benefited, and will continue to benefit, 

from the work of scholars and teachers in the 

humanities, the social sciences, and the arts, who 

“bring the intellectual history of human thought 

and creative expression to their students, expanding their capacity for critical thinking by applying 

the lessons of the past to current problems and 

future challenges.”7 Students, employers, and the 

general public are increasingly savvy about the private benefits associated with graduate education. 

As a result, more students worldwide are pursuing 

graduate degrees. 

Graduate education, indisputably, contributes to 

the good of society as well as the individual. 

Many of the benefits of graduate education, as 

well as higher education in general, are intangible, but that does not make them any less real. In 

this report the phrase public good is not used in 

the pure economic sense. Rather, the phrase 

describes how having a world-class graduate education system has benefited the country. The 

products of this system are the graduates themselves, many of whom have gone on to make contributions or produce goods and services that 

have provided a collective benefit to the nation 

and, in some cases, the world. 

Efforts are under way to highlight the ways higher 

education serves the public. The American Council 

on Education has launched an initiative, “Solutions 

for Our Future,” that highlights the larger 

contributions of higher education to our standard 

of living and to America’s place in the world. 

Institutions of higher education play a critical role 

in producing knowledge and innovation, finding 

cures for diseases, training teachers to teach our 

children, developing the talents of artists and writers, and producing scientists that make new discoveries. Maintaining and enhancing the U.S. system 

of higher education is critical to maintaining and 

improving our quality of life. 

For over half a century, the United States has benefited from its commitment to graduate education 

COUNC IL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS 3 
and research. U.S. graduate schools are widely 

considered to be the best in the world, attracting 

the top domestic and international students by creating dynamic programs that foster scholarship, 

research, and scientific discovery. Many world 

leaders in business, research, technology, science, 

government, the arts, and humanities have been 

trained in U.S. graduate schools. 

Recipients of the Nobel Prize are regarded as people who have reached the pinnacle of their profession. In the past decade, among the Nobel Prize 

winners in chemistry, physics, medicine, and 

economics, 56 out of 91 (or 62 percent) received 

their graduate degrees in the United States.8 

The U.S. government is a major supporter of 

graduate education, and the benefits to our country 

from this support have been truly astounding. The 

National Defense 

In November 2005, the Council of Graduate 

Schools (CGS) released NDEA 21: A Renewed 

Commitment to Graduate Education, in which it 

urged the U.S. government to respond again to the 

global competition threatening the leadership of 

the United States.11 A set of specific policy principles and recommendations followed the report, 

and a number of these recommendations were 

included in legislation introduced in Congress. 

CGS’s 2007 report, Graduate Education: The 

Backbone of American Competitiveness and Innovation, 

addressed the role of graduate education in contributing to American competitiveness and innovation.12 The report also included policy 

recommendations for future and ongoing partnerships between policy makers and leaders in business and graduate education. Last August, a 

bipartisan congressional effort led to the enactment of the America 

Education Act (NDEA), COMPETES Act; the legestablished in 1958, is one “In the past decade, among islation provides a national 

of the most visible and strategy for enhancing 

often-cited initiatives. It the Nobel Prize winners U.S. competitiveness and 

was a swift and forceful includes support for gradresponse to the Soviet’s in chemistry, physics, uate education in that 

launch of Sputnik in 1957 strategy. 

and provided for educa- medicine, and economics, 

tion in the United States This report, Graduate 56 out of 91 received their at all levels. It stimulated Education and the Public 

the advancement of educa- Good, constitutes the next graduate degrees in the tion in science, mathemat- phase in CGS’s efforts. It 

ics, and modern foreign uses examples of real peo- United States.” languages, but also ple to illustrate how a 

addressed other areas of robust and world-class 

critical need, including graduate education system 

area studies and geography.9 has benefited the nation and the world. Where 

possible, it quantifies, using statistics and data, the 

The NDEA contributed to growth and capacity in contributions of graduate education to the nation 

doctoral education by supporting institutions of as well as to regions and states. The report highhigher education in awarding fellowships for doctor- lights the stories of what real people who obtained 

al study to approximately 27,000 individuals over the graduate degrees in the United States have done 

life of the program.10 Many of these individuals con- for our collective good. 

ducted important research and made groundbreaking 

discoveries that have contributed to this country’s This report also examines the role of international 

current unparalleled success and prosperity. students in U.S. graduate education and invest4 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
ments being made by other countries in their graduate education systems as part of national economic development strategies. American graduate 

education is being emulated and transported to 

other parts of the world. While flattering, this 

development has potential long-term implications, 

as talented international students who might have 

come to the United States for graduate study may 

decide to pursue graduate education elsewhere. 

Even those international students who elect to 

enroll in U.S. graduate schools may decide to 

return to their country of origin after receiving 

their degrees. However, these highly educated professionals can serve as goodwill ambassadors when 

they become leaders abroad and build collaborations with their colleagues here. Therefore, it is 

important that the United States continue to seek 

and nurture these talented individuals as we compete in the global economy while simultaneously 

pursuing efforts to increase participation of domestic students in key fields. 

Finally, the report is accompanied by a document 

titled Making a Difference. It contains information 

on a selection of individuals with graduate 

degrees who were nominated by CGS member 

institutions. Making a Difference is organized by 

region, state, and by the nominating institution of 

higher education, and its stories document the 

effects that these individuals—with their initiative, drive, and talents—have had on our economy 

and society. 

COUNC IL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS 5 
How Does Graduate 

Education Contribute to 

the Public Good? 

Graduate education is a key factor in creating 

the highly skilled workforce necessary to 

participate and remain competitive in today’s 

knowledge-based economy. The benefits to government, business, and society from a world-class 

graduate education system are increasingly evident. 

The private benefits from higher education cannot 

be disputed—the results include higher salaries, 

sustained employment, personal and professional 

mobility, and improved 

quality of life.13 However, 

the public good associated 

with increased levels of 

education is often taken 

for granted because it may 

be intangible or difficult 

to measure.14 Numerous 

examples can be used to 

demonstrate how higher 

education, particularly 

graduate education, affects 

society at the national, 

state, and local levels. 

“According to the Bureau of 

Labor Statistics, one-sixth 

of the fastest growing 

occupations for 2006–2016 

require a master’s or 

doctoral degree.” 

Contributing to the Public Good Nationally 

The United States benefits in many ways from 

having a highly educated population: increased tax 

revenues, greater productivity, increased workforce 

flexibility, decreased reliance on government financial assistance, and improved ability to adapt to and 

use technology—critically important in the everchanging knowledge economy.15 According to the 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, one-sixth of the fastest 

growing occupations for 2006–2016 require a master’s or doctoral degree.16 

Revenues 

Higher taxes are associated with higher incomes, 

and holders of advanced degrees usually earn 

higher incomes. Therefore, having a highly 

educated populace may benefit tax bases at all 

levels of government. 

In general, incomes 

increase with level of 

education. Adults with 

advanced degrees earn an 

average of 44 percent 

more than those with 

bachelor’s degrees. The 

U.S. Census Bureau 

reported that in 2006, the 

median earnings for an 

individual over 25 with a 

bachelor’s degree was 

$46,435, compared with 

$55,445 for those with a 

master’s, and $78,212 for 

those with a doctorate.17 Over their working lifetimes, master’s degree holders will earn, on average, $400,000 more than workers with a bachelor’s 

degree, and students who achieve a doctoral degree 

will earn approximately $1.3 million more.18 

Those with a master’s degree or higher also tend to 

require less public assistance. In 2003, the percentage of the U.S. population over 25 who received 

public assistance was 0.1 percent for those with an 

6 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
advanced degree. This compares with 2.1 percent 

of the U.S. population with less than a high school 

degree and 0.9 percent for those with less than a 

bachelor’s degree.19 

Health 

As costs have risen, health care has become an 

increasingly important issue. The federal government and state governments are spending increasingly more for Medicaid and Medicare, while in 

the private sector, companies struggle to provide 

health insurance to their workers. Therefore, when 

only 67.3 percent of the U.S. population over 25 

without a high school diploma say their health is 

good, very good, or excellent (compared with 92.5 

percent of those with advanced degrees), one could 

infer that health care costs for those with advanced 

at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 

Dr. Crowder developed a “smart inhaler” for 

patients with lung disorders and diseases. Currently 

vice president of Oriel Therapeutics, Inc., he holds 

several U.S. patents and has 14 U.S. and associated 

international patent applications pending. 

Nurses are crucial to our public health system, as 

exemplified by Judi Frerick, who received her 

master’s degree in nursing from Northern 

Kentucky University. An assistant professor in the 

School of Nursing and Health Professions at 

Northern Kentucky University, Ms. Frerick teaches community and public health nursing. She is 

the Director of the Northern Kentucky Nursing 

Research Collaborative where she works with local 

hospitals, schools and healthcare facilities to coldegrees will probably be 

lower and less of a strain 

on public coffers.20 

In the realm of public 

health, those with graduate degrees are often using 

their knowledge to 

improve health care. For 

example, Dr. James 

Allison, who received his 

PhD in biological sciences 

from the University of 

Texas, Austin, now chairs 

the Immunology Program 

at Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center. 

Another breakthrough in 

combating cancer came from 

Dr. Robert Rose. He and 

his colleagues developed a 

vaccine against four types 

of the virus that causes 

cervical cancer. 

laboratively reduce lead 

poisoning hazards and 

the resulting incidence of 

learning disabilities in 

children. In addition, 

Ms. Frerick promotes 

nursing as a profession to 

local area high schools 

through the Pathways to 

Nursing program. 

In the biomedical sciences, research is being 

conducted to address specific health issues related 

to minority populations. 

Dr. Martin Farias, III is 

He and his colleagues have created antibodies that 

are designed to fight melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and prostate and ovarian cancers. Another 

breakthrough in combating cancer came from Dr. 

Robert Rose, who received his PhD in microbiology 

and immunology from the University of Rochester. 

He and his colleagues developed a vaccine against 

four types of the virus that causes cervical cancer. 

Dr. Timothy Crowder, who earned a PhD in biomedical engineering, is helping to improve the 

quality of people’s lives. While a graduate student 

working on a joint research project to identify the 

causes of cardiovascular disease in the Mexican 

American population of southern Texas. He 

received his PhD in integrative physiology from 

the University of North Texas Health Science 

Center and is currently an assistant professor at the 

College of Pharmacy at Texas A&M 

University–Kingsville. 

Employment 

Nationally, employment rates are higher for adults 

with higher levels of education, though percentCOUNC IL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS 7 
ages vary by state as well as by field.21 In 2005, 

though individuals with master’s and doctoral 

degrees represented only 7.3 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively, of the total population ages 

25–64, they were 8.1 percent and 1.5 percent, 

respectively, of the total employed population. In 

the civilian labor force, of those ages 25–64, 84.5 

percent of individuals with 

a master’s degree were 

employed, and 90.2 percent 

of those with a doctoral 

degree were employed; that 

compares with 82.7 percent 

of individuals with a bachelor’s degree, 72.8 percent of 

those who completed high 

school, and 58.1 percent of 

those without a high school 

diploma.22 

Although the perception 

may be that people who 

receive PhDs pursue academic careers, the reality is 

Dr. Jerry Zurek is highly 

engaged in mentoring 

and in making sure that 

his students see the effect 

they can have on social 

institutions, the political 

system, and legislation. 

that in 2000, over 70 percent of doctoral degree 

holders worked outside of academia.23 A host of 

fields and professions—ranging from health and 

legal services to manufacturing and educational 

services outside of colleges and universities— 

demand highly educated people to fill the positions 

necessary to keep the economy moving forward. 

Civic Responsibility 

Parents with postsecondary degrees are more likely 

to educate their children about community, national, and world events. This interaction helps form 

the next generation of civic leaders. Nearly 60 percent of parents with a master’s degree or higher 

provide their 10th-grade children with information 

about world or national events.24 They are more 

likely than parents who did not complete college to 

involve their children in community activities, such 

as concerts, religious services, sporting events, or 

plays.25 Cognitive skills of preschoolers ages three 

to five years were highly correlated with their 

mothers’ education levels; for instance, 75 percent 

of children whose mothers held a master’s degree 

or higher, could count to 20.26 

Higher education also has a spillover effect on 

voter awareness of public events, such as more frequent reading of newspapers and journals and 

increased awareness of local issues, including state 

and local tax policies.27 In 

the national election in 

November 2000, the percentage of the U.S. population over 25 who voted 

varied greatly by education 

level: 82.1 percent of those 

with advanced degrees 

voted, compared with 56 

percent of those with a 

high school diploma.28 

In addition, higher education can play a critical role 

in the health of American 

democracy by helping students become responsible 

citizens in their own communities, the nation, and 

the world. For example, Dr. Jerry Zurek, who 

received his doctorate in English from Bryn Mawr, 

was named the 2005 Professor of the Year in 

Pennsylvania by the Council for the Advancement 

and Support of Education. This program honors 

the most outstanding instructors in the country— 

those who excel and influence the lives and careers 

of their students. Dr. Zurek, a professor at Cabrini 

College, is highly engaged in mentoring and in 

making sure that his students see the effect they 

can have on social institutions, the political system, 

and legislation. 

Future Faculty 

According to the National Academy of Sciences, 

graduate education is critical to fulfilling national 

goals in two discrete ways. First, the nation’s universities and colleges produce the teachers and 

researchers of tomorrow. Second, they provide students with advanced scientific and technological 

knowledge and the skills to innovate.29 

8 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
Jerry M. Evensky is a stellar example of a professor 

who prepares future faculty. Currently, he is the 

Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for 

Teaching Excellence, the Maxwell School at 

Syracuse University. He received two master’s 

degrees from the University of Missouri–St. Louis, 

one in education and one in economics, and a doctorate from Syracuse University. The recipient of 

numerous teaching awards, he shares his knowledge through workshops designed to assist other 

faculty in improving their own teaching skills. 

To bring this issue into perspective, the words of 

Dr. Joan F. Lorden, then associate provost for 

research and dean of the graduate school at the 

University of Alabama at Birmingham, explained 

the challenge: “Taxpayers may not realize they 

have an important stake in graduate education. At 

academia, industry, and government. These individuals will address the pressing challenges we 

confront today by developing new technologies 

and industries, devising methods to combat disease and hunger, creating ways to reduce environmental pollution, and discovering new sources of 

energy—all directed toward improving our quality of life and maintaining U.S. competitiveness. 

They will follow in the footsteps of the countless 

individuals trained in America’s graduate schools 

who have truly made a difference under extremely 

challenging circumstances. 

When the terrorist attacks of September 11, 

2001, occurred, citizens stepped forward to assist 

in the recovery efforts. One such individual was 

Dr. Robert C. Shaler, who received his doctorate 

in biochemistry from Penn State. He used his 

the state level, undergraduate students are often the 

focus of public discussions. 

But it is the people with 

advanced degrees who 

train our future teachers— 

their impact is felt all the 

way up the line.”30 Others 

agree, noting that good 

graduate students often 

become the teaching faculty who are training the 

next generation of undergraduates.31 

These “preparers of future 

faculty” also conduct 

groundbreaking research— 

Dr. Robert Shaler used his 

expertise in forensics and 

DNA identification to lead 

the work of identifying the 

majority of the 2,749 

victims of the World Trade 

Center attacks. 

expertise in forensics and 

DNA identification to 

lead the work of identifying the majority of the 

2,749 victims of the 

World Trade Center 

attacks. 

As new technologies and 

products are implemented and developed, it is 

important to evaluate 

how the populace might 

be affected, particularly 

children. Dr. Janice 

Chambers, who received 

her doctorate in animal 

physiology from 

research they could not accomplish had they not 

been taught during their graduate studies by scholars and academicians. 

The Next Generation of Researchers 

The U.S. system of combining graduate education with cutting-edge research is unique. It not 

only strengthens the country’s research enterprise, but also produces a highly educated cadre 

of individuals to assume leadership positions in 

Mississippi State University, is a toxicologist who 

has been the principal investigator for over $20 

million in competitive federal grant funds. She 

leads the university’s Center for Environmental 

Health Sciences, whose work has assisted the 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in its risk 

assessments of pesticide levels in children. 

In addition to those graduates featured in this 

report, the companion document, Making a 

COUNC IL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS 9 
Difference, provides a further sampling of 

the accomplishments of a range of people 

who received their graduate education in the 

United States. 

Contributing to the Public Good at the 

State and Local Levels 

Data show that in states and localities, residents’ 

quality of life increases with higher levels of education.32 A growing number of states are emphasizing 

the importance of graduate education. A recent 

report from the New York State Commission on 

businesses and graduate schools are integral to 

the continued growth of the technology and 

service sectors in the state. An investment in 

graduate education can provide an immediate 

payoff for the state because a large majority of 

new alumni of graduate programs remain in 

Alabama and contribute to the state’s economic 

growth and strength.34 

California 

Research programs at leading universities, which 

are undertaken in part through graduate education, 

economically benefit their surrounding areas as 

Higher Education included a 

number of recommendations 

on how New York can 

improve its higher education 

institutions and remain competitive in the 21st century. 

Among other things, the 

report called for hiring an 

additional 2,000 full-time faculty over the next five years, as 

well as recruiting a minimum 

of 4,000 doctoral students who 

would be provided with competitive financial packages. 33 

“...it is the people 

with advanced degrees 

who train our future 

teachers—their impact 

is felt all the way up 

the line.” 

well as the nation. In 

California, university research 

accounted for $5.2 billion in 

economic productivity in 

2000–2001.35 

California universities are 

creating initiatives that will 

benefit the state’s population 

in many other ways. For 

example, about 10 years ago, 

the University of Southern 

California (USC) began 

research on community and 

social problems in the 

At the local level, many programs have been instituted within graduate schools to involve students 

in community initiatives and service. This type of 

engagement often leads to students becoming further involved in addressing community needs after 

they receive their degrees. Through such programs, universities enable students to become “citizen scholars” with a broader understanding of how 

they can directly affect society and find solutions 

to problems both large and small. 

A sampling of what some other states and localities 

are doing follows. 

Alabama 

When the Alabama Council of Graduate Deans 

surveyed Alabama businesses, it found that 

increased collaboration and cooperation between 

greater Los Angeles area. They suspected that 

issues in their region were also of concern in 

other urban areas in the United States. The 

research resulted in a series of publications on 

innovative “best practices” to address homelessness and poverty, as well as action plans to combat sprawl.36 

Kentucky 

Dr. Lee Todd, Jr., president of the University of 

Kentucky, has explained to local businesses that 

“research drives jobs” and that the university is 

critically important to the economic well-being of 

the population of the local community and all of 

Kentucky. Dr. Todd has pushed forward a plan to 

bring in more research grants and private funding 

to strengthen the university. As a result, federal 

research grants to the university have grown from 

10 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
$100 million in 1997 to $300 million in 2007, 

which has benefited the local economy.37 

Missouri 

Governor Matt Blunt declared the week of April 

2–9, 2006, Graduate Education Week. Several 

events were held at various graduate schools 

across the state, celebrating the contributions of 

graduate students and the value of graduate education to the state. Similar events were held in 

2007 and 2008.38 

Montana 

Sheila Stearns, commissioner of higher education, 

said that the state needs to invest in education and 

partnerships between institutions and industry in 

order to build the state’s economy and maintain its 

strength into the future. One requirement for 

building that strength is to increase interest and 

enrollment in graduate education programs. Montana 

currently has fewer 

students in graduate 

study than other 

states do. 

Commissioner 

Stearns notes, 

“Investing in graduate 

students isn’t high on 

the list of any legislator, but often times, 

those graduates 

“Investing in graduate students academically based community service courses isn’t high on the list of any from diverse disciplines 

and schools across the legislator, but often times, those university are offered 

through the Center. In graduates become important to 2004–2005, more than 

2,100 students were economic development.” involved at the underbecome important to economic development.” 39 

North Carolina 

Linking graduate education to the people is integral to connecting a university to its state’s residents because graduate students and faculty can 

have a tremendous impact through their 

research.40 In North Carolina two public research 

universities, North Carolina State University and 

the University of North Carolina, help build the 

state’s economy. Start-ups generated by North 

Carolina State students and faculty have created 

over 2,000 new jobs and brought in over a quarter 

billion dollars in funding from venture capital 

firms. In 2007, North Carolina State University 

was issued 38 U.S. patents.41 

While in school, graduate students at the 

University of North Carolina do research that 

helps communities as a whole. Projects in 2007 

included studying the effects of air pollution on 

health, creating a public-private partnership to 

assist in economic recovery efforts, evaluating the 

results of an anti-tobacco campaign, and improving 

middle school students’ understanding of and 

interest in a variety of careers.42 

Pennsylvania 

In 1992, the University of Pennsylvania’s Barbara 

and Edward Netter Center for Community 

Partnerships was founded to serve as a catalyst for 

the transformation of West Philadelphia from a 

declining neighborhood 

to one with a promising 

future. More than 150 

graduate and graduate 

level.43 One of the graduate courses explores critical issues and implications 

of various policies pertaining to college access, with 

particular attention to the effects of these policies 

for underrepresented groups. In its 16 year existence, the Center has received numerous awards and 

many other colleges and universities in the United 

States have used it as an example upon which to 

build their own community partnership programs.44 

Virginia 

Governor Timothy Kaine recently lauded the 

Virginia Council of Graduate Schools Annual 

Graduate Student Research Forum by writing, 

COUNC IL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS 11 
“Graduate education is an essential component of 

the research agenda for the Commonwealth of 

Virginia . . . Graduate students work closely with 

faculty to create new understandings and discoveries which are applied to the social and economic 

challenges facing society. They also contribute to 

the learning and engagement missions of our colleges and universities as they prepare for careers as 

scientists, teachers, leaders, artists, and professionals.” 45 The tagline on his letter reads “Investing in 

graduate education is investing in Virginia!” 46 

To honor the victims of the 2007 shootings at 

Virginia Tech, the university has initiated a community service initiative called the VT-ENGAGE 

challenge for students, faculty, staff, and alumni. 

The goal is for volunteers to serve at least 10 

hours of community service by graduation with a 

total goal of 300,000 hours. The Virginia Tech 

Alumni Association, with a membership of more 

than 197,000, voted to challenge its members 

around the world to donate an additional 300,000 

hours of community service for a total of 600,000 

hours.47 Graduate students are very much 

involved through the graduate school’s Citizen 

Scholars program, the Graduate Student 

Assembly, and the Alpha Epsilon Lambda graduate honor society. 

12 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
How Does Graduate 

Education Improve

Our Quality of Life? 

Many of the recent reports on enhancing 

U.S. competitiveness including those by 

the National Academies and the 

Council on Competitiveness, indicate that innovation is a key factor in the future prosperity of the 

United States. They also show that other countries 

are challenging U.S. economic leadership. 

Graduate students’ work and that of graduate 

degree holders contribute directly to sustained 

growth and prosperity. Therefore, graduate education is vital to the United States’ ability to maintain its economic leadership. Overall, graduate 

education serves as a catalyst in the following ways: 

■ Creating the workforce for the new global 

economy 

■ Conducting groundbreaking research 

■ Facilitating technology transfer 

■ Developing entrepreneurs and innovators 

■ Preparing future college and university 

faculty 

■ Developing leaders for business, nonprofit, and 

government sectors 

■ Preparing the K–12 teacher workforce 

■ Establishing new start-ups that create jobs 

■ Strengthening communities through social 

action 

■ Promoting public health initiatives 

■ Enhancing society through arts, humanities, 

and social sciences 

Creating the Workforce for the New 

Global Economy 

A highly trained workforce is essential to America’s 

future economic competitiveness and national 

security. Graduate education plays an important 

role in creating this workforce. In the words of C. 

Judson King, former provost and senior vice president for academic affairs of the University of 

California system, graduate students are highly 

qualified to meet future state workforce demands 

because their programs “require intensive study, 

highly honed analytical skills and original contributions to knowledge that fosters creativity.”48 

But changes are occurring that will affect U.S. 

graduate schools. The demographics of the graduate school population differ greatly from 25 years 

ago. Prior to 1984, men were the majority in U.S. 

graduate schools; today, women account for nearly 

60 percent of total enrollment.49 According to 

Patricia Maguire Meservey, president of Salem 

State College in Massachusetts, this demographic 

will “significantly alter the landscape of the future 

workforce. The emergence of more women in leadership roles will almost certainly bring new ways of 

thinking to the business-as-usual milieu in the nottoo-distant future, and we must be prepared for 

it.”50 She argues that tomorrow’s workforce must 

not only be technically talented, but also be effective communicators, problem solvers, and team 

players. “In the world that looms before us, a bachelor’s degree alone will no longer suffice, and more 

jobs than ever will require both advanced degrees 

COUNC IL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS 13 
and advanced credentials.” She believes that universities can produce the talent we need; however, with 

traditional funding sources becoming tighter, universities will have to develop new funding sources 

through development of private, public, and corporate partnerships. The importance of collaboration 

within and among all sectors was also highlighted 

by the Council of Graduate Schools in its 2007 

report on the role of graduate education in enhancing U.S. competitiveness and innovation. 

Other concerns will put pressure on the United 

States to produce the workforce of the future. 

Increasingly, other countries are competing for the 

demia, industry, and government. During her time 

in industry as senior vice president of technology 

at Allied Signal, Inc., she was responsible for technology transfer and commercialization support for 

new technologies. While serving in the federal 

government, she was a member of the National 

Science Board and the President’s Council of 

Advisors on Science and Technology and was 

under secretary for technology for the Technology 

Administration in the Department of Commerce. 

A PhD in chemistry from the University of 

California, Berkeley, helped Dr. Andrew Grove. 

He cofounded Intel Corporation five years after 

best and the brightest 

global talent, and the cost 

of recruiting that talent is 

increasing. Both Craig 

Barrett, chairman of Intel 

Corporation, and Bill 

Gates, chairman of 

Microsoft, have expressed 

concerns about current 

immigration policies in 

the United States, which 

affect our country’s ability 

to augment the workforce 

with highly educated and 

skilled foreign professionals. This contrasts with 

immigration policies in 

“In the world that looms 

before us, a bachelor’s 

degree alone will no 

longer suffice, and more 

jobs than ever will require 

both advanced degrees and 

advanced credentials.” 

receiving his degree in 

1968. He has written over 

40 technical papers and 

holds several patents on 

semiconductor devices and 

technology. He currently is 

a lecturer at the Stanford 

University Graduate School 

of Business and is involved 

in the Grove Foundation, a 

private philanthropic 

organization. Intel just 

topped the Corporate 

Responsibility Officer 

(CRO) magazine’s Best 

Corporate Citizen list by 

designing energy-efficient 

other countries, which are designed to attract and 

recruit talent.51 

Despite these challenges, U.S. graduate schools 

continue to produce high-achieving individuals 

who nurture and help create the workforce for the 

global economy. Here are a few examples of people 

who have made important contributions. 

Dr. Mary Good is founding dean and Donaghey 

professor of the Donaghey College of Engineering 

and Information Technology at the University of 

Arkansas at Little Rock. She holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of Arkansas and has 

served at the highest level in all three sectors: acaproducts and investing heavily in education—recognizing that its future success depends upon an 

educated workforce.52 

Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall holds a PhD in educational administration and industrial relations from 

Loyola University in Chicago. She was the founding 

president and is now president emerita of the internationally recognized Illinois Mathematics and Science 

Academy. Dr. Marshall is recognized as a pioneer 

and innovative leader and teacher in pedagogical 

approaches to science and math education. She also 

is an inspiring speaker and writer on leadership, 

learning, and schooling, and on the design of generative and life-affirming learning organizations.53 

14 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
These are just a few examples of those who 

emerged from U.S. graduate schools and went on 

to become leaders in academia, industry, and government, while playing an important role in helping to create the workforce for the global economy. 

Conducting Groundbreaking Research 

Eminent individuals and 

Thompson (MS and PhD in geology) and his 

wife, Dr. Ellen Stone Mosely-Thompson (MA 

and PhD in geography [Climatology]). Both are 

internationally recognized researchers who are at 

the forefront of climate change science, serving as 

members of the Intergovernmental Panel on 

Climate Change (IPCC). In 2007, the IPCC 

shared the Nobel Peace 

Prize with former vice 

organizations have called for Dr. Robert Kahn is the president, Al Gore.

Hundreds of other scienments in basic research and 

increased federal investtists from all over the co-inventor of the graduate education. One of world participate in the 

work of the IPCC as 

National Academies 

the most prominent is the TCP/IP protocols, which authors, contributors, and 

Committee on Science, are the technologies reviewers. 

Engineering, and Public 

Policy, which produced the responsible for the Dr. Robert E. Kahn, after 

2005 report Rising Above the receiving his PhD in elecGathering Storm. The report modern Internet. trical engineering from 

identified insufficient funding by the federal government to support basic research and called for 

increases of 10 percent annually for seven years. It 

also called for additional research grants to earlycareer researchers, as well as portable fellowships 

for graduate students.54 

Research and innovation have been the drivers of 

the U.S. economy and have helped propel the 

nation to its current leadership position in the 

world. Numerous reports have warned that with 

threats to that leadership position, strengthening 

graduate education is essential for a prosperous 

and secure future. Graduate students’ work contributes directly to sustained economic growth and 

prosperity, because these individuals conduct 

groundbreaking research in science, medicine and 

health, education, and the arts and humanities at 

universities, in national laboratories, and in private 

industry. After graduation, many go on to continue 

groundbreaking research. A few examples illustrate 

the case. 

Graduate programs at The Ohio State University 

helped develop the expertise of both Dr. Lonnie 

Princeton University, 

began his career at the 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1972, 

he took a break from his professorship at MIT 

and moved to the Defense Department’s 

Advanced Research Projects Agency (now 

DARPA) and subsequently became director of 

DARPA’s Information Processing Techniques 

Office. While director he initiated the U.S. government’s billion-dollar Strategic Computing 

Program, the largest computer research and 

development program ever undertaken by the 

federal government. Dr. Kahn is the co-inventor 

of the TCP/IP protocols, which are the technologies responsible for the modern Internet. 

Facilitating Technology Transfer 

Technology transfer is a key facet of graduate education and research, acting as a driving force for 

entrepreneurship and innovation. New products 

and services often germinate in partnerships 

between universities and industry. Additional revenues generated by the commercialization of 

inventions are then available for reinvestment in 

the local economy and in further research.55 

COUNC IL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS 15 
Businesses are increasingly calling upon universities to create and share scientific and technical 

knowledge. As a result, universities, primarily at 

the graduate level, are filling this need by increasing the amount of research they do with industry, 

then commercializing the results through campus 

technology transfer centers, or partnering with 

industry to bring new technologies to the marketplace. Every research university in the United 

States has an office or center of technology transfer that manages the use of university research 

results for the public benefit. These offices provide 

faculty and researchers in the graduate schools 

with information on patenting, licensing, and other 

commercialization support. 

An example of a university “spin-off invention” 

comes from Bret Lanz, who received his master’s 

of business administration from Kansas State 

University (KSU). Mr. Lanz is the manager of the 

Advanced Manufacturing Institute, which is networked to diverse groups of experts at KSU and 

other key businesses and organizations. He was 

responsible for the commercial success of a 

decontamination agent for biological and industrial hazards. 

Developing Entrepreneurs and Innovators 

The 2007 CGS report Graduate Education: The 

Backbone of American Competitiveness and 

Innovation underscored the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation, citing Google as an 

example of a company creating groundbreaking, 

innovative products and services that resulted 

from university research.56 The creators of 

Google, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, began the 

site as a graduate research project in computer 

science at Stanford University. 

The growing recognition of the benefits of entrepreneurship in graduate education, combined with 

its apparent neglect within the nonbusiness graduate 

curriculum, led the Council of Graduate Schools to 

initiate a national discussion around entrepreneurship as part of graduate education. This effort 

resulted in the publication of a monograph— 

“Capitalizing on Innovation: Entrepreneurship and 

Graduate Education”—which provides recommendations for capitalizing on innovation through graduate curricula in entrepreneurship.57 

Entrepreneurial success is manifested in the career 

of Robert L. Johnson, former chief executive 

officer of BET Holdings II, Inc. With a master’s 

degree in international affairs from Princeton 

University, Mr. Johnson developed a niche for the 

African American community using cable television technology. BET, which was one of the leading Black-owned and operated media-entertainment 

companies in America, is now a subsidiary of 

Viacom. Mr. Johnson also serves on the board of 

several nonprofit organizations, including Johns 

Hopkins University in Maryland. 

While in graduate school completing his doctorate 

in chemistry from Duke University, Dr. Carmichael 

Roberts developed molecules now being used by a 

number of academic and industrial biologists to 

determine mechanisms and cures for a variety of diseases. Having also completed an MBA from MIT, he 

then combined his knowledge of business and science as the cofounder and president of Surface 

Logix, a Boston-based biotechnology company, 

which makes microdevices that are used with proteins and cells to discover new drugs. Dr. Roberts 

also cofounded WMR Biomedical, Inc., with George 

Whitesides (of Harvard University), his mentor, 

partner, and best friend. The company focuses on 

materials for medical devices. He was selected in 

1999 by Technology Review Magazine as one of the top 

100 entrepreneurs in the United States. 

Dr. Allen R. Atkins was a leader in innovation and 

technical expertise for several major aerospace engineering firms, including Lockheed Martin and the 

Boeing Company. After receiving his PhD in engineering from Tennessee Technological University in 

1975, Dr. Atkins excelled in business, but he also 

made it part of his life’s work to lead and foster partnerships to support minority innovators. He was 

chairman of the board of the group Advancing 

16 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
Minorities’ Interest in Engineering and facilitated 

partnerships between industry, government, and designated historically black colleges and universities. 

Preparing Future College and University 

Faculty 

One of the most successful models of how graduate education can prepare future faculty to teach 

undergraduate students is the Council of Graduate 

Schools’ Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program. 

The PFF program, a collaborative project, provides graduate students interested in becoming 

future faculty with opportunities to observe and 

experience faculty responsibilities at a variety of 

research and evaluation of educational strategies at 

both NAU and Arizona State, as well as collected 

and analyzed data that monitor the pedagogical 

impact of curricula. 

Developing Leaders for Business, 

Nonprofit, and Government Sectors 

The demands on government at all levels, as well 

as business and nongovernmental organizations, 

are enormous and growing. Highly skilled individuals such as those described below are needed to 

pursue careers in all three of these sectors. 

A holder of multiple graduate degrees, Dr. Joann 

academic institutions. In the 

PFF program, clusters of 

diverse institutions work 

together to integrate preparation for faculty careers 

into the graduate experience. Graduate students in 

the program participate in 

faculty roles at nearby institutions as they complete 

their doctoral work. The 

program seeks to make 

research and teaching 

careers and graduate education more attractive by raising the caliber of 

Dr. Moira Gunn hosts 

Tech Nation, the only 

national weekly radio 

program on the impact 

of science and technology 

on everyday life. 

M. Eisenhart is at the forefront of recruiting highly 

skilled professionals for the 

Pfizer Corporation. As 

Vice President for Human 

Resources for Pfizer’s 

Global Research and 

Development Organization 

and Pfizer's Medical 

Division, Dr. Eisenhart has 

first hand experience with 

the challenges facing the 

U.S. pharmaceutical industry in recruiting scientists. 

She holds a PhD in inorganic chemistry from the 

undergraduate teaching. Participants are enthusiastic about how the PFF program expands their 

knowledge and strengthens their preparation for 

faculty work. Today, PFF programs are active in 

more than 45 institutions with doctoral programs 

and nearly 300 partner institutions in the United 

States. The initiative has become a well-recognized 

national movement. 

An example of a graduate student who researched 

and evaluated teaching methods and curricula in 

biology and earth science is PhD candidate Russell 

Benford, from Northern Arizona University 

(NAU). Mr. Benford has collaborated with 

researchers, administrators, and other educators on 

University of Wisconsin-Madison and a PhD in 

human and organizational development from the 

Fielding University. 

One outstanding example of a leader in the nonprofit world is Dr. Moira Gunn, host of radio show 

Tech Nation, which airs on many National Public 

Radio member stations. Dr. Gunn, who received 

her PhD in mechanical engineering from Purdue 

University, worked for the National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration (NASA) as a scientist 

and engineer and holds a technical patent in 

human nutrition. Her program Tech Nation is the 

only national weekly radio program on the impact 

of science and technology on everyday life.58 

COUNC IL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS 17 
The Honorable Lois Capps represents the 23rd 

District of California in the United States House 

of Representatives. She received her master’s 

degree in education from the University of 

California, Santa Barbara. Representative Capps is 

a champion of issues that affect people’s daily lives, 

such as better schools, health care, and a cleaner 

environment. She serves on the Committee on 

Energy and Commerce and the Natural Resources 

Committee. She spent 20 years as a nurse and 

health advocate for the Santa Barbara school district and taught part-time at Santa Barbara City 

College for a decade. 

U.S. graduate schools have been in the forefront of 

creating new programs that respond to current 

workforce needs in government, nonprofit organizations, and the business sector. One of the most 

innovative graduate degrees responding to the 

needs of the nonacademic sector is the Professional 

Science Masters degree (PSM). These degrees are 

designed to allow students to pursue advanced 

training in science or mathematics while simultaneously developing workplace skills highly valued 

by employers. PSM programs consist of academic 

training in an emerging or interdisciplinary area, 

along with a professional component that may 

include internships and cross-training in business 

and communications. While these programs 

currently represent a very small portion of all 

graduate programs, indications are that they are 

increasing and that the graduates are finding 

satisfactory employment. 

Preparing the K–12 Teacher Workforce 

The United States must have a high-quality K–12 

workforce so that our children will be prepared for 

their future. Universities are responsible for producing future teachers and for producing the professoriate who will prepare teachers. Students 

pursuing graduate degrees in teaching need more 

instruction in interacting outside the classroom 

with students and in teaching students with different learning styles. 

One excellent example of a K–12 teacher is 

Kenneth Huff, who received his master’s degree in 

elementary education from Buffalo State College. 

As a sixth-grade science teacher at Mill Middle 

School in Williamsville, New York, he has influenced generations of students and the teaching 

profession, particularly in the area of aerospace 

education. In 2006, Mr. Huff was honored with a 

Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics 

and Science Teaching. In 2001, NASA chose him 

as a field-test teacher. He also works with NASA in 

the development of its Engineering Design 

Challenges Program, SpaceSim Orbiter Docking 

Simulation, and Distance Learning Network. 

There are many effective programs that prepare 

future teachers. For example, the University of 

Wyoming has a program linking Science, 

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 

(STEM) graduate students with K–12 school systems and communities. The “Science Posse” program, partially supported by the National 

Institutes of Health’s Science Education 

Partnership Award and the National Science 

Foundation’s Graduate Teaching Fellows in K–12 

Education programs, involves a group of graduate 

students with a passion for both science and education. The students work with teachers in middle 

and high schools to develop demonstrations and 

workshops about science topics. By sharing their 

enthusiasm about their research, these graduate 

students instill excitement about science among 

teachers and students. The Science Posse has 

developed interdisciplinary, inquiry-based curriculum for middle and high school classrooms, which 

challenges students to solve problems by examining the world around them. Students are turned on 

to science by solving the problems.59 

Establishing New Start-Ups That 

Create Jobs 

At many universities, graduate program research 

generates new products. Moreover, “entrepreneurship education” is a rapidly growing field of study 

on many campuses. These programs can also play a 

18 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
role in successfully creating start-up companies. 

Examples of people who received graduate degrees 

and went on to form start-up companies follow. 

Dr. Sol J. Barer, with a PhD in chemistry from 

Rutgers University, is currently CEO of Celgene— 

one of the world’s largest biotech companies. 

While he worked at Celanese Corporation, he 

founded the research and development group from 

which Celgene was created and helped orchestrate 

its spin-off as a stand-alone company. His group 

developed therapeutic uses for thalidomide derivative drugs that have had significant impact on 

patients, including for 

the treatment of multiple 

example, Marco Figueiredo, who received his master’s degree in engineering from Loyola College in 

Maryland and works with NASA’s Goddard Space 

Flight Center, founded the nonprofit Loyola 

Center for Community Informatics (CCI). The 

CCI works to expand Internet and computer access 

in poorer communities by engaging faculty and 

students from Loyola College. 

Julia Demichelis, who earned her master’s degree 

in urban planning from the University of Oregon, 

has worked for years with nongovernmental organizations committed to rebuilding communities 

destroyed by wars in the 

Balkans and Africa. She 

myeloma.60 Dr. Sol Barer is currently serves as chief 

of party of the U.S. 

A spinal cord injury led currently CEO of Agency for International 

Michael Stephens to Development’s Morocco 

change the lives of thou- Celgene—one of the world’s Parliament Support 

sands through the found- Project in Rabat, 

ing of ReLife. Before largest biotech companies. Morocco. Ms. Demichelis 

being acquired by a larger 

company, ReLife spanned 

twelve states and included forty-six rehabilitation 

facilities designed to treat people with brain and 

spinal cord injuries. After receiving his master’s of 

science in health administration from the 

University of Alabama Birmingham, he not only 

founded ReLife but also the Lakeshore Foundation, 

a nonprofit organization with the mission of developing the independence of individuals with physical 

challenges. The Foundation’s facilities serve as a 

training area for the U.S. paralympic team. 

Strengthening Communities through 

Social Action 

Many U.S. graduate schools offer programs that 

educate, train, and encourage students to become 

“citizen scholars.” In these programs, students 

acquire scholarship and experience in real-world 

settings and provide services to the community. 

They often use this knowledge after graduation, 

joining the ranks of graduate degree holders who 

have made a difference in their communities. For 

has applied her planning 

skills to create community 

reconciliation and reconstruction mechanisms 

within countries experiencing conflict around the 

world, most recently in Iraq. 

Promoting Public Health Initiatives 

Graduate students are an important and integral 

part of universities’ efforts to promote public 

health initiatives. The students are prepared for 

productive and rewarding careers in many areas of 

the sciences and public health. They serve the 

nation in public service, create new knowledge, 

train the next generation of scientists, and contribute to the advancement of health and science in 

both public and private positions. 

Dr. Kelly Brownell, who received his doctorate 

from Rutgers University in clinical psychology, is 

on a decade-long crusade against America’s “toxic 

food environment.” Dr. Brownell wants to “hit 

junk-food junkies where it hurts: in their wallets”. 61 He is best known for having first proposed 

COUNC IL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS 19 
the “Twinkie tax.” One of the leaders in the fight 

against childhood obesity, Dr. Brownell has called 

for a ban on sweetened-cereal ads aimed at kids 

and a tax on high-fat, low-nutrition food (with the 

revenue earmarked for children’s nutrition). He is 

often cited as a “moral entrepreneur” with special 

influence on public discourse in the obesity field. 

Time magazine recognized him as a leader in the 

area of nutrition and public policy. 

Dr. Paula Sherwood received her PhD in nursing 

from Michigan State University and is an assistant 

professor of nursing at the University of Pittsburgh. 

She conducts research to examine the effects on 

family members as they become primary caregivers 

for patients with brain tumors. The issues are critical, considering the need to prevent caregiver 

burnout and institutionalization of patients. 

Enhancing Society through Arts, 

Humanities, and Social Sciences 

The benefits of graduate education extend 

beyond science, technology, engineering, and 

mathematics to encompass a broad cadre of leaders and experts across a range of fields. Nearly 10 

years ago, in a report on graduate education, the 

Association of American Universities addressed 

the importance of graduate programs outside of 

science and technology. “Graduate programs... 

educate the scholars in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts who preserve and enlarge our 

understanding of the history and scope of human 

thought and the human condition, and transmit 

that knowledge to succeeding generations. 

Moreover, graduate education produces the 

scholars in all disciplines who become the faculties of the nation’s more than three thousand colleges and universities... In the classroom and 

beyond, teaching and scholarship in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts inform the public discourse essential to the functioning of a 

democracy.”62 

Scholars in the humanities, arts, and social sciences 

have been critically important to the cultural and 

social fabric of our society. For example, Carole 

Artigiani, who received her master’s in women’s history from Sarah Lawrence College, founded Global 

Kids, Inc., which has helped transform thousands of 

at-risk New York City teens into global citizens. 

Global Kids has served over 100,000 young men 

and women in New York City and other areas by 

offering leadership and professional development 

along with academic assistance. In 2006-2007, nearly 600 student leaders worked with more than 

16,000 youth and educators at schools and other 

sites and involved others through its work in digital 

learning.63 They have worked on such issues as 

human rights, global health, and ethnic conflict. 

Another example is Michael Van Milligen, who 

received his master’s degree in public administration from Southern Illinois University. He is an 

innovator in public service and administration and 

presided over the “rebirth” of Dubuque, Iowa, by 

developing key community assets. In 2004, he was 

featured as part of the Harvard University John F. 

Kennedy School of Government’s “Innovators in 

Public Service” Series. 

20 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
What Do International 

Students Contribute to a 

Prosperous United States? 

“Foreign students enrich the cultural 

diversity of the educational experience 

for U.S. residents as well as enhance 

the reputation of U.S. universities as world-class 

institutions.”64 In 2006–2007, international students made up 16 percent of students seeking 

advanced degrees in this 

country.65 Additionally, 

many of these international students find teaching 

positions at some of the 

most prestigious schools 

in the United States, 

thereby training some of 

the very best students. 

They also carry out 

groundbreaking research. 

Those who return to their 

home countries often have 

an impact on the public 

good there by disseminating the results of their 

believed that if money were made available to poor 

people on appropriate and reasonable terms, “these 

millions of small people with their millions of 

small pursuits can add up to create the biggest 

development wonder.”66 The Grameen Bank has 

loaned nearly $6 billion to over 6 million people, 

Dr. Marwan Muasher was 

appointed deputy prime 

minister of Jordan and 

negotiated the first free 

trade agreement between 

the United States and an 

Arab nation. 

research or creating companies. For example, the 

2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Bangladesh 

banker and economist Dr. Muhammad Yunus, 

received his PhD in economic development from 

Vanderbilt University. After three years as an assistant professor in economics at Middle Tennessee 

State University, Dr. Yunus returned to his home 

country and developed the concept of microcredit. 

He founded the Grameen (which means rural in 

Bengali) Bank to fully implement this theory. He 

and 99 percent of the 

loans have been repaid.67 

Those international graduate students who return 

to their home countries 

are more likely to collaborate with U.S. researchers 

and retain good memories 

of the United States, thus 

serving as public diplomats. Dr. Marwan 

Muasher, who received his 

master’s and doctoral 

degrees in computer engineering from Purdue 

University, returned to his 

home country of Jordan. He served as the first 

Jordanian ambassador to the State of Israel and 

ambassador to the United States. He exemplifies 

the kind of invaluable outreach and connection 

that graduate education can provide. Dr. Muasher 

was appointed deputy prime minister of Jordan and 

negotiated the first free trade agreement between 

the United States and an Arab nation. He is currently senior vice president of external affairs at the 

World Bank. 

COUNC IL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS 21 
What Is the Reach and Impact 

of U.S. Graduate Education? 

The impact of graduate education extends 

beyond developing the workforce for the 

global economy and scientific research. 

Graduate education plays a central role in producing scholars in a broad range of fields as well as an 

educated citizenry devoted to democratic principles and ideas. Many people with graduate degrees 

donate large numbers of hours to community service, particularly in social service agencies, educational systems, local governments, and nonprofit 

agencies. 

“The future of graduate education depends crucially on the capacity of our graduate deans to make 

the case for the public value of the graduate enterprise,” stated Debra W. Stewart, CGS president.68 

Other countries understand the connection 

between graduate education, quality of life, and 

economic success, and they are investing resources 

accordingly. This “social compact” that used to 

exist in the United States between universities and 

the public has been eroded. This issue must again 

become prominent—the public must be more 

aware that higher education exists primarily for the 

public good.69 

The benefits of higher education have never been 

clearer than they are now, in this rapidly growing 

and changing global economy. The challenges facing the United States in the 21st century are complex and daunting. Having a large pool of people 

with advanced knowledge, skills, and abilities who 

can solve complex, tough problems is the best way 

to meet the challenges now and in the future. 

To remain competitive and to flourish, the United 

States must recognize graduate education’s special 

status in the U.S. education system. Graduate education works as a catalyst for many individuals who 

have initiative, drive, and talent to become successful and contribute to the public good. The knowledge economy depends on these talented, skilled, 

and highly trained workers with master’s and doctoral-level degrees. These educated and dedicated 

people touch every sector of our economy and 

society. By strengthening graduate education, we 

enable our nation to play a vital leadership role in 

the evolving knowledge economy and to improve 

the quality of life worldwide. 

This report has provided a narrative about many 

people whose graduate education prepared them to 

make important contributions to the U.S. economy 

and our quality of life. The examples in the report 

and the companion document illustrate the ways 

that people with U.S. graduate degrees have made 

a tremendous difference in this country and 

around the world. 

22 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
Endnotes 

1 Tony Carnevale, “College for All?” Change. January/February 2008..Volume 40, no 1, pages 22-32. 

2 The Nobel Foundation, The official Web site, http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/all/ (accessed March 3, 2008). 

3 Council of Graduate Schools, Graduate Enrollment and Degrees 1996 - 2006 (Washington, DC: CGS, 2007). 

4 Richard Florida, The Flight of the Creative Class (New York: HarperCollins, 2005), 237–238. 

5 Postsecondary Education Opportunity, “Education and Training Pay” (poster, Oskaloosa, Iowa, 2006), 

http://www.postsecondary.org/archives/Posters/EducationTraining.pdf (accessed January 2, 2008). 

6 Economist Magazine, “Survey: The Near Future. The New Workforce,” November 1, 2001. 

http://economist.com/surveys/displayStory.cfm?Story_id=770847 (accessed January 2, 2008). 

7 Association of American Universities, Committee on Graduate Education Report and Recommendations (Washington, DC: 1998). 

http://www.aau.edu/reports/GradEdRpt.html (accessed January 2, 2008). 

8 Nobel Foundation. http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/all/. 

9 The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Infoplease, s.v. “National Defense Education Act,” 

http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0834940.html (accessed January 5, 2008). 

10 Council of Graduate Schools, NDEA 21: A Renewed Commitment to Graduate Education (Washington, DC: CGS, 2005). 

11 Council of Graduate Schools, NDEA 21: A Renewed Commitment to Graduate Education. Policy Principles and Recommendations for 

Implementation (Washington, DC: CGS, 2006) 

12 Council of Graduate Schools, Graduate Education: The Backbone of American Competitiveness and Innovation (Washington, DC: CGS, 

2007). 

13 Institute for Higher Education Policy, Reaping the Benefits: Defining the Public and Private Value of Going to College (Washington, DC: 

IHEP, 1998). 

14 Mary Sue Coleman. President, University of Michigan. Keynote presentation at the University of North Carolina Conference, 

October 2003. http://gradschool.unc.edu/events/october2003/keynote.html (accessed August 30, 2007). 

15 Institute for Higher Education Policy. Reaping the Benefits. 

16 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Projections to 2016. Monthly Labor Review. November 2007, Vol. 130. 

17 U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2007 Annual Social and Economic Supplement, 

http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032007/perinc/new03_001.htm (accessed January 2, 2008). 

18 U.S. Census Bureau, “The Big Payoff: Educational Attainment and Synthetic Estimates of Work-Life Earnings” (Washington, DC: Census 

Bureau, July 2002), http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/p23-210.pdf (accessed January 2, 2008). 

19 Institute for Higher Education Policy. The Investment Payoff (Washington, DC: IHEP, 2005), 

http://www.ihep.com/Pubs/PDF/InvestmentPayoff2005.pdf (accessed January 2, 2008). 

20 Ibid. 

21 College Board, Education Pays (Washington, DC: College Board, 2007). 

22 Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment Status of the Civilian Noninstitutional Population 25 to 64 Years of Age by Educational 

Attainment and Sex, 2005 Annual Averages” (Washington, DC: BLS, 2006), http://www.bls.gov/cps/wlf-table8-2006.pdf (accessed 

January 2, 2008). 

23 Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Most Doctoral Grads Work Outside of Academia” Monthly Labor Review (February 2003), 

http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2003/feb/wk4/art02.htm (accessed January 2, 2008). 

COUNC IL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS 23 
24 College Board, Education Pays Update 2006. (Washington, DC: College Board, 2006). 

25 College Board, Education Pays 2007 (Washington, DC: College Board, 2007) 

26 Ibid. 

27 American Council on Education, Solutions for our Future, http://www.solutionsforourfuture.org/site/PageServer?pagename=society 

(accessed January 8, 2008). 

28 Institute for Higher Education Policy. The Investment Payoff (Washington, DC: IHEP, 2005). 

http://www.ihep.com/Pubs/PDF/InvestmentPayoff2005.pdf (accessed January 2, 2008). 

29 National Academy of Sciences, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, “Reshaping the Graduate Education of 

Scientists and Engineers” (Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1995). http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/grad/ (accessed 

January 2, 2008). 

30 Merrill Advanced Studies Center, “Keeping the Value in Education, Part 1: Graduate School,” In the Know (May 2002), 

http://merrill.ku.edu/IntheKnow/policyarticles/lorden.part1.html (accessed January 2, 2008). 

31 Philip Cohen, “Hey, Capitol Hill. Fund Graduate Education,” Academe Online (November–December 2005), 

http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2005/ND/Feat/cohe.htm (accessed January 2, 2008). 

32 Paul W. Bauer and Mark E. Schweitzer, “Paths to Prosperity: Knowledge Is Key for Fourth District States.” (Cleveland, Ohio: Federal 

Reserve Bank of Cleveland, 2006). 

33 James E. Madore, “Spitzer Speech Eyes SUNY, Housing, Medicaid, Taxes,” Newsday.com, January 7, 2008. 

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/state/ny-stgov075529025jan07,0,7481485.story (accessed January 7, 2008). 

34 Alabama Council of Graduate Deans, Economic Impact of Graduate Education (Auburn, AL: November 2001), 

http://www.grad.auburn.edu/forms/econo_impact/executive_summary.pdf (accessed January 2, 2008). 

35 T. Lynch and N. Aydin, Literature Review of the Economic and Social Impact of Higher Education Research Funding (Florida State University, 

2004), http://www.cefa.fsu.edu/sus_2004.pdf (Accessed January 2, 2008). 

36 University of Southern California Urban Initiative, About the Initiative 

http://urban.usc.edu/sys/index.php?/area/category/About%20the%20Initiative (accessed January 7, 2008). 

37 Alan Finder, “Getting a University to Aim Higher,” New York Times, August 1, 2007. 

38 University of Missouri, Graduate Education Week http://web.missouri.edu/~UMCGRADEdWeek (accessed January 7, 2008). 

39 Lori Grannis, “Expert: Montana Economy in Flux,” The Missoulian, January 26, 2008. http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/01/26/news/local/news03.txt (Accessed January 28, 2008). 

40 James Moeser, The Public Voice of the University: Discussion, October 2003, http://gradschool.unc.edu/events/october2003/voicediscussion.html (accessed August 30, 2007). 

41 North Carolina State Office of Technology Transfer, 2007 Annual report. http://www.ncsu.edu/ott/OTTAnnualReport2007.pdf 

(accessed January 28, 2008). 

42 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “Graduate Students Serve North Carolina, 2007 Impact Awards,” 

http://gradschool.unc.edu/pdf/impact2007.pdf (accessed January 11, 2008). 

43 University of Pennsylvania, Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships, http://www.upenn.edu/ccp/index.php 

(accessed January 7, 2008). 

44 Ibid. 

45 Timothy Kaine, Governor of Virginia, to participants and interested parties for the 2008 Annual Graduate Student Research Forum, 

January 11, 2008, Office of the Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia. 

46 Ibid. 

47 Virginia Tech, VT-ENGAGE, http://www.engage.vt.edu/ (accessed January 7, 2008). 

48 University of California, “To Help Maintain State’s Economic Growth, UC Announces Plans to Add 11,000 Graduate Students,” UC 

Newsroom, November 16, 2000, http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/9611 (Accessed January 9, 2008). 

49 U.S. Department of Education, Digest of Education Statistics: 2006, http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d06/ch_3.asp (accessed January 8, 

2008). 

50 Patricia Maguire Meservey, “Solve Tomorrow’s Workforce Needs Today,” Boston Herald, January 1, 2008, 

http://www.bostonherald.com/jobfind/news/your_career/view.bg?articleid=1062703 (accessed January 8, 2008). 

51 Craig Barrett, “A Talent Contest We’re Losing,” Washington Post, December 23, 2007. 

24 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
52 Intel Corporation, “Intel Tops Best Corporate Citizen List, December 12, 2007, news release, 

http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/20071213corp.htm (accessed January 2, 2008). 

53 Stephanie Pace Marshall biography, http://www.stephaniepacemarshall.com/biography.html (accessed March 8, 2008). 

54 Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and 

Institute of Medicine. 2005 Rising above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future. Committee 

on Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st Century: An Agenda for American Science and Technology. Washington, DC: National 

Academies Press. 

55 Association of University Technology Managers, About Technology Transfer. http://www.autm.net/aboutTT/index.cfm (accessed January 

2, 2008). 

56 Council of Graduate Schools, Graduate Education: The Backbone of American Competitiveness and Innovation (Washington, DC: CGS, 

2007). 

57 Council of Graduate Schools, “Capitalizing on Innovation: Entrepreneurship and Graduate Education,” (monograph, Washington, DC: 

CGS, December 2007). 

58 Tech Nation, About Dr. Gunn, http://www.technation.com/pages/GunnBio.html (accessed March 3, 2008). 

59 University of Wyoming, Science Posse, http://www.scienceposse.org/directory.asp (accessed January 21, 2008). 

60 Rutgers University, Graduate School-New Brunswick, Distinguished Alumni/ae Awards. http://gsnb.rutgers.edu/awards/barer.php3 

(accessed March 6, 2008). 

61 Center for Consumer Freedom, “Kelly Brownell Biography,” Activistcash.com, http://www.activistcash.com/biography.cfm/bid/1289 

(accessed January 9, 2008). 

62 Association of American Universities, Committee on Graduate Education, “Report and Recommendations”, October 1998. 

http://www.aau.edu/reports/GradEdRpt.html (accessed January 9, 2008). 

63 Global Kids 2006-2007 Annual Report, http://globalkids.org/files/AnnualReportForWeb06-07.pdf (accessed March 5, 2008). 

64 Haddal, Chad Christian, “Foreign Students in the United States: Policies and Legislation.” Congressional Research Service, October 

11, 2006. 

65 Council of Graduate Schools, Graduate Enrollment and Degrees 1996 - 2006 (Washington, DC: CGS, 2007). 

66 Jim Patterson, “Peace through Prosperity,” Vanderbilt Magazine, Fall 2006, 

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/alumni/publications/VmagFa06/features/ptp.pdf (accessed January 9, 2008). page 31. 

67 Ibid. 

68 Debra Stewart, “Graduate Education and American Competitiveness,” DVD (Washington, DC: Council of Graduate Schools, 2006). 

69 Michael Moskow, “Colleges at a Crossroads: The Future of Higher Education Is a Vital Concern,” National CrossTalk, Winter 2006, 

National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, http://www.highereducation.org/crosstalk/ct0106/voices0106-moskow.shtml 

(accessed January 9, 2008). 

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About the Council of Graduate Schools 

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is an organization of 500 institutions of higher education in the 

United States and Canada engaged in graduate education, research, and the preparation of candidates for 

advanced degrees. CGS member institutions award 94 percent of the doctoral degrees and 80 percent of 

the master’s degrees in the United States.* The organization’s mission is to improve and advance graduate 

education, which it accomplishes through advocacy in the federal policy arena, research, and the development and dissemination of best practices. This CGS report, Graduate Education and the Public Good, was 

released at the Legislative Forum on April 24, 2008 in Washington, DC. 

* Council of Graduate Schools, Graduate Enrollment and Degrees 1996 - 2006 (Washington, DC: CGS, 2007). 

Acknowledgements 

I want to acknowledge the key role played by Patty McAllister, who provided overall direction, along with 

writing and editing for this report and guided the work of the Advisory Committee Members, all of 

whom generously donated their time and offered many excellent suggestions. I also want to acknowledge 

my appreciation to Eleanor Babco and Belle Woods, both of whom provided invaluable assistance in both 

writing and reviewing the report. Additionally, I want to express my appreciation to Carollyne Hutter, the 

consultant who provided input on editorial, design, and final composition for this report. 

Finally, we gratefully acknowledge the nominations received from the graduate deans from the 134 institutions featured in the report and its companion document Making a Difference. This report is fundamentally about people, and we would not have been able to tell the stories of these outstanding people 

contributing to the public good without the time and effort from our graduate deans. 

Debra W. Stewart 

President, Council of Graduate Schools 

April 2008 

26 GRADUATE EDUCAT ION AND THE PUBL IC GOOD 
© 2008 Council of Graduate Schools 

The text of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational or nonprofit uses 

without special permission, provided acknowledgment of the source is made. The Council of 

Graduate Schools would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this report as its 

source. No use of this publication may be made for resale or other commercial purposes without 

prior written consent of the Council of Graduate Schools. All images remain the sole property of 

their source and may not be used for any purpose without permission from the source. 

Cover photo credits: top: Tom & Dee Ann McCarthy/Corbis; middle: RCWW, Inc./Corbis; 

bottom: moodboard/Corbis. 

Design: Patricia Hord.Graphik Design. Printing: Mosaic. 
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ISBN: 1-933042-17-6