This summer, college seniors are left with two clear options: continue their education or enter the workforce amidst a pandemic.
SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? CHAPMAN SENIORS DISCUSS POST-GRAD PLANS
By Joe Perrino
In 1981 The Clash recorded a famous song that now, forty years later, resonates with Chapman’s senior class: ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go?’
This has nothing to do with singing or music. For seniors it’s the contemplation.
Should seniors remain college students come the next academic year, or graduate and leave Chapman to enter the workforce amidst a confusing COVID-plagued job market?
These questions are hard to answer, and for some students they’re still trying to decide, but many Chapman seniors, like Jasmin Sani — broadcast journalism and documentary major, went through the dilemma, but she already has her answer.
“The first thing I did was apply to grad school,” Sani said. “But I was also applying for jobs. I applied to this producer and residence program… My advisors and I came to the conclusion that in the journalism field it’s more important to get work experience than further my education.
Sani will be ‘going’ — to keep with the song theme — and begin her professional career with the CBS news station in Tampa, Fla.
Others are selecting different routes.
Grant Gambetta, a mathematics major, is electing to ‘stay’ — not at Chapman, but in college — and attend graduate school in pursuit of an advanced degree. He believes it will give him a more competitive edge in the workforce.
“I haven’t had much luck finding a job over the past few months,” Gambetta said. “If I go to grad school and get my masters in data science then I should have a way better shot at getting looked at by big companies.”
Gambetta will be attending the University of California at Davis in the fall of 2021. Even though he never thought he’d be back in the classroom, he’s excited for his next step.
“Networking: honestly, that’s what it’s all about,” he said.
That’s it, right? Those are the only two options, staying at school or entering the full-time work force.
Wrong!
Some Chapman seniors will be right back here in Orange come next fall.
Mack Cheli, business administration major, will stay at Chapman for a fifth year for a couple different reasons. First, he worked over the fall semester in order to have enough to remain in school for a fifth year. The second, to continue to play first base with the baseball team.
“I’m not ready to part ways with the baseball team yet,” Cheli said. “I can carry my credits I didn’t take this past year into my fifth year because I have a year of athletic eligibility left from the shutdown last year.”
In addition to some of the athletes who want to retain their athletic eligibility, some non athletes, like biology student Aidan Patterson, wish to get back the time they lost on the campus they grew to love over a four-year span.
“I miss the pre-pandemic Chapman,” Patterson said. “Also, I wasn’t able to get enough credits to finish, but I’m glad because I’ll get to come back to campus.”
Patterson stayed at home all year, so he couldn’t return to campus when classes opened back up after spring break.
For students that do have enough credit to graduate, but can’t find a full-time job, or a desire to attend graduate school, there’s one final option to start their post-grad life.
Internships.
Aaron Tan, a communication studies major, was focused on landing an internship with a big company in hopes to jump start his career.
“Eventually, I really want to work in sports,” Tan said. “I was just applying to everything, jobs and internships, and I couldn’t pass up an opportunity with the NFL.”
In April he secured an internship with the National Football League as an assistant with the fantasy football marketing team.
No matter what position they’re in, seniors forced to make tough decisions whether to stay or go are all thankful for what Chapman taught them in, whether it be with Chapman, a company or another institution.
“It gave me the necessary skills that it takes to separate myself from someone that’s exactly like me on a resume,” Sani said. “(Chapman) gave me that motivation, that drive that you can see in my work that I’ve done thus far.”
But beware the end of the Clash song:
Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go, there will be trouble.
And if I stay it will be double.
So come on and let me know.
