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For recently graduated Wildcats with a diploma in hand and a degree under the belt, the relief of graduation is starting to decline and a new type of stress is unfolding as the economic crisis continues take effect on students.
“It came a lot faster than I expected and it’s weird to have school not part of my routine,” said Meghan Murray about her recent graduation from the University of Arizona this past fall semester. “Knowing that I finished is a good feeling, but it’s a little unsettling too.”
While the accomplishment of a bachelors degree is certainly celebratory, the uncertainly Murray is feeling is not uncommon for newly graduated students who are venturing into the work force and experiencing the effects of the economic crisis in a new way.
The 22-two-year-old graduated with a bachelor of science in psychology with a minor in sociology from UA and already had a job secured as a behavior health technician with La Paloma Family Services in Tucson, Ariz.
For Lauren Delaat, 22, her bachelor of science in psychology has also paid off as she found a job right out of college as an early interventionist support coordinator at Community Provider of Enrichment Services in Tucson, Ariz.
“I searched for jobs for like 2 ½ months,” said Delaat. “I finally got this one the day I graduated.”
While Delaat and Murray both managed to get jobs in a poor economy, the stability of their job positions are not as similar.
As a result of the budget cuts for the 2008-2009 fiscal year, Delaat is facing the reality of potentially losing her job with CPES and already seeing the negative effects within her program.
“As of Tuesday night everything was fine and well, and then come Wednesday morning, everything was in complete suspension,” said Delaat. “I thought I was spared too because I thought at the worst it would be something like working unpaid days, but now they just might completely eliminate my position.”
Within CPES, Delaat works with the program Next Step and cares for children under the age of three who have been referred to the state because they’re showing significant delays in development and helps transition them into the Arizona pre-school system, she said.
“We used to have about 120 kids in our company and now we are only able to serve around 20 because those are the only federally funded people,” Delaat said. “But this all could change in a week again so nobody really knows.”
Delaat said that as long as she has her job, her hours will most likely be cut to the bare minimum.
“I’ll probably be brought down to about 30 hours a week and have a huge pay cut for a job that’s already not that lucrative,” she said. “I think we’re going to be down to about $700 every two weeks after taxes where as of now I think I’m making around $900.”
For Murray, her job position at the Amparo home within La Paloma Family Services is more secured and in less of a jeopardized state.
“The budget cuts are affecting the services provided for the girls in my house, but it’s not affecting my job position right now,” said Murray.
At the Amparo house, Murray teaches life skills and guides
teenage girls who are referred from the Department of
Economic Security or the Department of Corrections who may be either
pregnant or already have children of their own, she said.
“The company itself is hurting and other houses might suffer from it and probably loose hours, but since my house is the fullest and we take care of babies, it would be a liability to reduce staff,” Murray said.
Delaat said that while her job is very rewarding, the fear of unemployment is terrifying. She hopes that her job with CPES will still be available to her, but is planning ahead in the event that it’s not.
“Honestly I will probably go back to serving tables,” Delaat said. “But I’d like it if I could at least end up working very reduced hours, attempting to hold on.”
Delaat would also like to further her education,
“I tried to apply to nursing school, but higher education got hit too with budget cuts and I didn’t get in. I’m pursuing NAU and Pima for nursing school right now.”
Even though Murray’s position at the Amparo home is secured for now, she is having a hard time surviving on her current income after losing her second job because it went bankrupt last month.
“My paychecks are around $600 bi-weekly, so it’s really important that I get the full 40 hours a week and not get cut down to the bare minimum,” she said.
“It’s scary because I still have to relay on my mom to help pay my bills,” said Murray. “Since my job is non-profit it doesn’t pay the greatest, but it provides security since no one else is hiring right now.”
For now, these two psychology graduates are making their way and braving the real world the best they can. In an attempt to pursuit their degrees in a difficult economy they are doing well. While it is out of their control whether or not they will be steadily employed for the months to come, they are proving that jobs are possible for graduating students and you have to do is try.