By Senior Writer Dayna Haffenden, December 29, 2016
About 14 percent of students are able to find jobs after they graduate, according to a May, 2015 dailycaller.com study but that LOW percentage would NOT stifle the hopes of Colleen Ashwood, a music major. “It can be scary when looking towards the future but I feel prepared,” said Ashwood “I feel as though I will have a job when I graduate from college.”
Liberal arts majors have harder times finding jobs than those who majored in science and technology. Twenty-five percent of students said they were able to use their internship experience to help land them a real job, according to the study. The survey also showed that only 13 percent of graduates will be able to start working immediately after receiving their diploma.
Ashwood, of East 53rd Street, Manhattan said that she believed her four years spent at Hunter have prepared her for the real world. The graduating senior’s four-year accomplishment is in sharp relief to research findings, such as one reported in USA Today, that most college students at public universities complete their bachelor’s degrees in six years, according to a study by Complete College America.
Ashwood, a 21-year-old senior wearing black sneakers, a pink sweatshirt, black jeans and a white hat during an interview in the third-floor student cafeteria said that she wanted to teach music to students when she is older.
Ashwood has spent 10 years of her life playing the piano. She also said that the Hunter experience hasn’t always been an easy because of the “difficult” coursework that often times felt overwhelming. Ashwood didn’t do internships throughout college, but she said she felt as though when she gets her masters in education, she would be able to find a job.
“I’m ready to go out into the real world” said Darae Johnson, a 22-year-old senior. “Four years of majoring in music has prepared me to become a successful producer one day.”
Johnson, of East 56th Street, Brooklyn, interviewed in Room 700 of Thomas Hunter Hall, said her four years h at Hunter were “not the easiest.” Wearing red sneakers, black jeans, white shirt and black hat, he said that he interned for Emmis Communications last semester. He felt as if the connections he made there could help him in the future. He said that Hunter helped him by giving him college credit to do the internship. He said he wasn’t worried about finding a decent job after graduation because of his internship and what he has learned at Hunter.
“I definitely feel as if there are a lot of jobs out there that would hire me” said Daniella Brown, a 21-year-old senior who is a media studies major. “My major is a general media studies major so there are a lot of jobs that I can apply to.”
Brown wore grey jeans, grey shirt, white sneakers and a blue hat during her interview in the third-floor student cafeteria. Because of her major, she said, she can decide to be a writer or go into social media. Brown said she didn’t do any internships but said that with her bachelor’s degree nothing would be stopping her from being successful.
She said she believed that projecting a strong personality in interviews and having a diploma were all she needed to land a dream job.
Said Pedro Pincah, a 21-year-old communications major and senior, “I am so ready for life after college. I’ve put in the work these last couple of months so I am ready to see great results.” Pincay, who wore yellow sneakers, black shirt, and a black hat, said on Hunter’s eighth-floor terrace that his four years at the College of Staten Island made him feel secure.
He also said that he was an editorial intern for Vibe Magazine, and loved the experience. He said that when he applied to Vibe, the editors were impressed about his school choice. Pincay said his internship experience plus his degree would help him after he graduated.
“I hope I can find a job after spending four years in college” said Juan Arrendo, a 26-year-old senior who minored in journalism at City College. “I want to go straight into the working field after graduation.” Areendo, who wore a white shirt, blue jeans, striped sweater and black sneakers, said in Room 700 of Thomas Hunter Hall that he believed his internship at Vibe Magazine would help him in the future.
Arrendo loves writing about music and also has a blog. He said that having an internship and bachelor’s degree on his resume would help him land a job. He said he never stressed about the future and believed everything will fall into place.
Dayna Haffenden can be reached at Dayna.Haffenden25@gmail.com