Kaitlyn Graham
Q news
The coronavirus pandemic has changed everyday life for many. After working diligently for nearly 16 years, seniors in college all over the world could not get the satisfaction of a graduation ceremony to commemorate their academic achievements. Also, for the rest of the school year classes were moved online.
But how much of effect has cancelling not only classes, but graduation and other senior activities, had on High Point University's new graduates?
Like many of her peers in High Point University's class of 2020, 22-year-old Anna Linares has been affected by the sudden transition to online learning back in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. "I remember talking to my mom and thinking we would be back in school by Easter or just after Easter," said Linares. "I did not think it would last as long as it did".
The sudden shift caused many graduates to change their overall plans after undergrad. Unfortunately 2020 college graduates were faced with very high unemployment rates, and few companies willing to hire. According to an article from CNBC news, since March, 38.6 million Americans have lost their jobs and in April, the national unemployment rate was 14.7%.
There was still light at the end of the tunnel for HPU's graduates. The university offered a year long masters degree program with free tuition with the exception of room and board. The Master of Arts in Communication and Business Leadership is an ideal option for HPU graduates especially considering that many were unable to get employed after college due to the pandemic.
"Where I wanted to work wasn't hiring and High Point had this great opportunity for the class of 2020, it just made sense to go back to school and do something productive for a year." stated Linares.
The MA program offers students business, communication, and leadership skills that will be beneficial to any career that one wants to pursue. It has a total of 30 credit hours and offers courses such as organizational behavior and data and decision making.
"I was really nervous, I never saw myself as someone who would go to grad school especially at this stage in my life." Linares added. "It really gave me a solid next step."
Students in this MA program can be found around campus putting their skills to work. In my copy-editing class, graduate student Taylor Helson serves as a teachers assistant. "When I heard that this was an option I definitely wanted to pursue it because copy-editing especially was one of the courses that shaped my undergrad experience," said Helson.
"I never wanted to be a grad student." Helson stated. "I had to quickly retract what I have ever said about grad school when I figured out that the market that I am trying to enter in is not hiring, and they are still not hiring not even for interns and so I had to think quick and said you know I am gonna further my education because it is only a year."
Certainly the graduate program may have been a last resort or "best bet" for many students including Anna Linares and Taylor Helson, but it offers a chance for them to become even more multifaceted and can almost guarantee they will be a great asset in any field they want to enter.
"I never really anticipated grad school as an option and when it came my way I kind of had an instant sense of comfort that this program and all these opportunities within the program were for me at this time." said Helson.
For more information on the masters opportunity visit: http://www.highpoint.edu/graduate/master-of-arts-in-communication-and-business-leadership/
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