Returning alumni were not the only guests on the Bowdoin campus last weekend. Amid the soggy weather and Homecoming festivities Saturday, a large Winnebago, with "Parachute Bus" stenciled on its sides, was parked outside of Moulton Union with the aim of raising awareness about the resources available to students at the Career Planning Center (CPC).
Armed with the knowledge that one quarter of the 3 million students who graduated from college in 2004 are unemployed or underemployed, the Parachute Bus embarked on a tour of over fifty colleges this September to encourage students to think about their future and provide them with tools for the transition period following graduation.
The staff of the Parachute Bus, themselves recent college graduates, usually use music, raffles, prizes and the prospect of free business cards to draw student attention to the bus.
Though hindered by the inclement weather, and forced to compete with many Homecoming events, the Parachute Bus received over twenty visitors last Saturday. Inside the bus, students were able to speak one-on-one with the Parachute staff and representatives from Bowdoin's CPC, as well as sign up for free business cards. Abdul Yaro, the executive director of the Parachute Bus, says that issuing students free business cards not only aids their job search, but also helps bring students into the CPC office, where they must go to pick up the cards.
Through the Parachute program's website, http://www.parachute.com/college students can request business cards, post and respond to one another's questions and even listen to Parachute's radio program where some callers are able to speak with experts such as Richard Bolles, the author of What Color is Your Parachute which is the book that inspired the Parachute program. The web site also provides links to articles on everything from how to prepare for a job interview to what to know before buying a first car. In the future, the web site hopes to establish a program like facebook.com that would directly link students to one another as well as potential employers.
As many Bowdoin seniors cope with anxiety about life after graduation, the CPC's office on the first floor of Moulton Union becomes a familiar sight.
Beyond offering one-on-one counseling, the CPC holds workshops to provide interested students with advice on how to create a resume, build a network of contacts, or give a successful job interview.
Additionally, the CPC plans events to address real-life issues, such as an "etiquette dinner" for seniors and a series of talks in the spring entitled "Life 101," which cover everything from buying heath insurance to budgeting and managing money.
The staff of the CPC proudly acknowledges that the majority of the student body takes advantage of the resources the CPC offers. Libby Heselton, a career counselor, attributes the CPC's success to Bowdoin students, who are self-motivated and actively concerned with their future. However, Heselton adds that even the most motivated student can benefit from a short one-on-one session with a CPC staff member.
Moreover, the CPC staff hopes that any students unsure about their future plans will come to the CPC to allay their anxiety.
After speaking to numerous alumni, Heselton has found that the transition after college, though possibly nerve-wrecking to think about, is not as overwhelming as it may seem.
Though a time of transition, surveys show that most Bowdoin students have quickly adjusted to life after college, and as graduates begin to settle into their new jobs and living conditions, all the other pieces tend to fall in place.
Each spring, the CPC questions seniors about their post-graduation plans and tracks their progress throughout the following year. Of the 85.9 percent of the 2004 Bowdoin graduating class that the CPC was able to track, 70.8 percent were employed after college, 11 percent had pursued higher education, and only 3.4 percent reported being temporarily employed or searching for work.
Although the Parachute Bus did not intentionally plan to visit on the one weekend that Bowdoin dedicates to returning alumni, the 2006 senior class hopefully will be comforted by the connection.
The success of those who came before them, especially the 2005 senior class, may prove that, despite what some seniors may believe, there is life after graduation.