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Jobs and the Class of '09

Graduates are seen during commencement ceremonies at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Monday, May 18, 2009. (AP)
Graduates are seen during commencement ceremonies at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Monday, May 18, 2009. (AP)

The college class of 2009 is fit, bright, eager — and up against one of the worst job markets in all of American history.
Nearly six months after graduation — after the cheering and tossed caps and family hugs — waves of '09ers still have no job. Or nothing like the jobs they hoped for.
They’re pounding the pavement, the keyboard, the online job sites. Running low on graduation cash. Waiting tables. Staring at their college loans. Wondering what now.
This hour, On Point: We’ll talk with grads from the class of ’09 about their dreams and trial by fire in a down job market.
You can join the conversation. Tell us what you think — here on this page, on Twitter, and on Facebook.Guests:

Laura Patterson graduated from Tufts University in 2009 with a major in sociology and a minor in communications and media studies. She is currently an intern at a digital marketing firm, making $10 an hour. She lives with her parents in Philadelphia, and commutes two and a half hours each way to her internship. Laura's resume (pdf).

Daniel Roche graduated from Minnesota State-Mankato this spring with a degree in civil engineering. He lives at the moment with his mother in Naperville, Illinois, outside of Chicago. He has applied to entry-level civil engineering positions in multiple states. Daniel's resume (pdf).

Samantha Given-Dennis graduated from Colby College in May with a major in Latin American Studies. She currently has two unpaid internships in social innovation and entrepreneurship, one of which ends in November. Samantha's resume (pdf).

Attention On Point listeners: Do you, or anyone you know, have a job for these grads?

We’d love to match these '09 grads with prospective employers. If you're an employer with an opening right now, or if you know someone who might be hiring, please check out their resumes (follow the links above) and let us know if you’d like to get in touch with one of them. They’re ready to move anywhere in the country. You can send an email to On Point producer Julie Diop at  jdiop at bu dot edu.

For more on the plight of recent college grads, see BusinessWeek's recent cover story, "The Lost Generation," by Peter Coy.

This program aired on October 19, 2009. The audio for this program is not available.

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