April 6, 2020
COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, is causing great uncertainty for individuals all over the world. The recent events surrounding the pandemic are especially concerning for graduating seniors who are entering a world, a working world, that is so uncertain.
Many seniors are coming face-to-face with the proposition they may not be able to land a job post-graduation. Their start dates have been postponed if they do have a job, and entire industries may not recover, if they return.
“After college, I had planned to go to graduate school at FDU and hopefully receive a graduate position, but with everything going on, I am debating returning,” senior Mercedez Zea said via Instagram. “Who knows when this pandemic will end. I have a professor who has said it might go on until the fall.”
While some seniors are more fortunate, even those with jobs lined up post-graduation, some are very nervous about their long-term job prospects.
“I am fortunate enough to have a job after graduation, but after that, I have no idea what to expect going forward,” senior Erika Sullivan said via Instagram.
“I’ll be working at Albany Medical Center in Upstate New York working in Health Information Services [after graduation],” said senior and Equinox reporter Samantha Hart, via text. “I am nervous about working there since it is a hospital and many of the virus patients will be sent there, even ones from New York City. I definitely think it’ll affect my job search. There are so many companies that are laying workers off or permanently closing their doors so that in itself narrows my search down. I’m hoping that media companies will still be looking since they have remained open throughout all of this.”
Other members of the FDU community have seen their jobs put on hold due to the coronavirus.
“I would be an operations manager at one of Marriott International’s properties in Baltimore,” junior Joshua Germain said via Instagram. “The offer is still standing but has been pushed back from starting in June to now September.”
Germain will graduate in three years with a bachelor’s degree from the hospitality program.
“I was also intended to leave for the Peace Corps this coming July, something that I’m still not sure will be taking place as they have sent home all volunteers,” senior Nina Disla said via Instagram. ”So I’m not sure where this leaves me post graduation.”
As if graduating from college was not stressful enough, seniors now have to contend with one of the most serious pandemics in history, great uncertainty and entering a working world which is sure to look far different than it did even two months ago.
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