Cristian Aldrete
UTS Program Coordinator,
University of Texas at San Antonio
Using Social Media Data to Measure Student Outcomes and Alumni Career Pathways
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | 4:30PM–5:30PM MT
Session Type:
Poster Session
Delivery Format:
Poster Session
As institutions increasingly prioritize demonstrating the long-term value of internships and workforce-readiness initiatives, the ability to effectively track and measure alumni career outcomes has become essential. This session presents a practical, data-driven approach to assessing early career success by leveraging publicly available LinkedIn profiles and other social media sources. By systematically analyzing this information, institutions can identify key indicators such as job titles, industries, geographic mobility, and estimated salary ranges of former interns. Participants will gain insight into how this method can provide a clearer picture of post-program outcomes without requiring extensive alumni surveys or costly data tools. The session will also highlight strategies for organizing and interpreting this data to uncover trends, measure program effectiveness, and benchmark outcomes over time. Additionally, attendees will explore how these insights can be used to strengthen institutional reporting, enhance stakeholder communication, and inform program design. By the end of the session, attendees will leave with actionable ideas for implementing a scalable approach to alumni tracking that supports continuous improvement, aligns with institutional goals, and enables more informed, evidence-based decision-making across departments.
