WSU Graduates Look Abroad for Opportunities
The economic downturn is causing Washington State University (WSU) students to evaluate what exactly the future holds, for some this means considering options abroad after graduation.
Mary Ward, a career counselor at the Center for Advising and Career Development, said there is urgency among students who come into the center when it comes to the job search. “With the state of the economy there is a lot of competition in the job market.” Last year students were defeated before they had even started the search. This year they seem more proactive, she said.
The economic downturn is causing Washington State University (WSU) students to evaluate what exactly the future holds, for some this means considering options abroad after graduation.
Mary Ward, a career counselor at the Center for Advising and Career Development, said there is urgency among students who come into the center when it comes to the job search. “With the state of the economy there is a lot of competition in the job market.” Last year students were defeated before they had even started the search. This year they seem more proactive, she said.
Some WSU graduates choose not to enter into the job market, but instead look for opportunities abroad.
Breanna N. Bart is a WSU graduate who chose to go abroad after she left Pullman. “I was excited but also nervous to enter the real world. I knew right away that I didn’t want to sit at a desk in an office all day typing on a computer,” Bart said.
Bart, a 2008 graduate of WSU, is currently teaching abroad in Chile through a program called TeachingChile. Bart said while abroad, she has gained experience that she does not believe would have been possible at home. She applied for jobs in the United States but did not want to go straight into a career right after WSU. “I was 21 and couldn´t see doing the same thing for the next fifty years, I needed an adventure.”
Allison M. Fischer, a WSU senior double majoring in Spanish and dietetics, is currently considering volunteering abroad through the Peace Corps after graduation. “I started thinking about joining the Peace Corps after I came back [in December 2007] from studying abroad in Chile.” Fischer said she grew so much during that time and would love to give something back. If she could redo one thing about her experience it would be to involve herself more in the community, she said.
Ward said when students have diverse experiences, including international experiences, it shows they can communicate and handle high pressure situations, which is important to employers. Bart added: “Living abroad regardless of whether someone is working or studying is extremely beneficial to a person’s sense of adaptability and their intercultural communication skills.”
Dru R. Olson, a recruiter for the Peace Corps, said while volunteers are abroad they develop skills that can be used in global or local settings. Olson said, “There was a 16 percent increase in applicants to the Peace Corps in 2008 and we anticipate that increase to continue through 2009.” Being flexible and adaptable are necessary characteristics for volunteers in the Peace Corps, said Olson. There is a very careful application process and it is usually 9-12 months between when an applicant starts the application and when he or she leaves for their destination, Olson said.
According to the Peace Corps’ website, www.peacecorps.gov, volunteers can qualify for deferment of student loans, student loan cancellation and other financial benefits. However, the Peace Corps is not a program for people with financial motives. There are many other great programs out there to consider if a reason behind the volunteer work is financial, Olson said.
Bart said through TeachingChile she has a year-long contract with a guaranteed salary. Teaching is very affordable, there are a lot of teaching opportunities and many people just buy a plane ticket and show up looking for work, she said.
Both Fischer and Bart have their families to support them, but it took some convincing.
When Fischer told her family she was going to apply to the Peace Corps they thought it was only a passing phase, she said. “But as I talked about it more and more I think they learned that this is one place my heart is really at and that I could be really good at it.”
Bart also had difficulties, especially when convincing her father that going abroad was a good choice. “He was raised to believe that when someone graduates from college, they find a secure job, buy a house, put together a retirement fund, etc. Eventually he saw the benefits of international experience and he’s very supportive now,” she said.
There are many options out there and students deciding what to do after they leave Pullman should remember that.
“Students need to examine the reasons why they would want to go abroad,” Ward said, “For some people, it [going abroad] is very enriching and when you enter the job market you are that much more competent.” However, for some fields it is very beneficial to enter directly into the job market after school and get that entry level position, she said. “It depends on you.”
Bart said, “A lot of people have preconceived notions about what the real world should be but I´m realizing more and more that the “real world” is whatever we create for ourselves.”
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Breanna N. Bart is a WSU graduate who chose to go abroad after she left Pullman. “I was excited but also nervous to enter the real world. I knew right away that I didn’t want to sit at a desk in an office all day typing on a computer,” Bart said.
Bart, a 2008 graduate of WSU, is currently teaching abroad in Chile through a program called TeachingChile. Bart said while abroad, she has gained experience that she does not believe would have been possible at home. She applied for jobs in the United States but did not want to go straight into a career right after WSU. “I was 21 and couldn´t see doing the same thing for the next fifty years, I needed an adventure.”
Allison M. Fischer, a WSU senior double majoring in Spanish and dietetics, is currently considering volunteering abroad through the Peace Corps after graduation. “I started thinking about joining the Peace Corps after I came back [in December 2007] from studying abroad in Chile.” Fischer said she grew so much during that time and would love to give something back. If she could redo one thing about her experience it would be to involve herself more in the community, she said.
Ward said when students have diverse experiences, including international experiences, it shows they can communicate and handle high pressure situations, which is important to employers. Bart added: “Living abroad regardless of whether someone is working or studying is extremely beneficial to a person’s sense of adaptability and their intercultural communication skills.”
Dru R. Olson, a recruiter for the Peace Corps, said while volunteers are abroad they develop skills that can be used in global or local settings. Olson said, “There was a 16 percent increase in applicants to the Peace Corps in 2008 and we anticipate that increase to continue through 2009.” Being flexible and adaptable are necessary characteristics for volunteers in the Peace Corps, said Olson. There is a very careful application process and it is usually 9-12 months between when an applicant starts the application and when he or she leaves for their destination, Olson said.
According to the Peace Corps’ website, www.peacecorps.gov, volunteers can qualify for deferment of student loans, student loan cancellation and other financial benefits. However, the Peace Corps is not a program for people with financial motives. There are many other great programs out there to consider if a reason behind the volunteer work is financial, Olson said.
Bart said through TeachingChile she has a year-long contract with a guaranteed salary. Teaching is very affordable, there are a lot of teaching opportunities and many people just buy a plane ticket and show up looking for work, she said.
Both Fischer and Bart have their families to support them, but it took some convincing.
When Fischer told her family she was going to apply to the Peace Corps they thought it was only a passing phase, she said. “But as I talked about it more and more I think they learned that this is one place my heart is really at and that I could be really good at it.”
Bart also had difficulties, especially when convincing her father that going abroad was a good choice. “He was raised to believe that when someone graduates from college, they find a secure job, buy a house, put together a retirement fund, etc. Eventually he saw the benefits of international experience and he’s very supportive now,” she said.
There are many options out there and students deciding what to do after they leave Pullman should remember that.
“Students need to examine the reasons why they would want to go abroad,” Ward said, “For some people, it [going abroad] is very enriching and when you enter the job market you are that much more competent.” However, for some fields it is very beneficial to enter directly into the job market after school and get that entry level position, she said. “It depends on you.”
Bart said, “A lot of people have preconceived notions about what the real world should be but I´m realizing more and more that the “real world” is whatever we create for ourselves.”
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