During the spring of 1998, Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) surveyed 17 employers of its 1996-97 graduates to evaluate the occupational success of its students and the effectiveness of the college's academic programs in preparing graduates for work in various professions. Results include: (1) more than 80% of employers rated the graduates as either "excellent" or "good" in every job performance category (technical job skills, quality of work, quantity of work, attitude toward work, cooperation with fellow workers, and cooperation with supervisors); (2) in comparison with previous classes, the 1996-97 graduates were above the 5-year average in every job performance category--not only were the ratings higher than the average in three categories, they were higher than any graduating class has received during the past 5 years; (3) in the general skills categories of math, speaking, and logic, more than 80% of employers rated the graduates as either "excellent" or "good"; (4) more than 70% of the employers rated the graduates' writing and research skills "excellent" or "good"; (5) occupational education and training at PVCC was rated as "excellent" or "good" by all of the participating employees, as was general education. Appended are: Employer Comments, Job Titles of PVCC Graduates, Participating Employers list, and the survey instrument. (EMH)