By Jon-Michael Sullivan
At a time when health care reform has received national attention, Georgia has the 14th highest percentage of uninsured children in the nation, according to the United States Census Department.
About 307,000 children are uninsured in Georgia; more than 3,500 children under the age of 19 are uninsured in Athens-Clarke Country, according to the census data.
"First and foremost, the issue is a humanitarian one," said Michael Smith, volunteer coordinator for the Athens-Clarke County chapter of Organizing for America, formerly Obama for America, Health Care Campaign.
Without access to preventative care, uninsured children are more likely to develop long-term health issues. Delayed care is typically more expensive and less effective, according to Voices for Georgia's Children, an independent policy development and advocacy group.
Families with income less than 133 percent of the federal poverty level, $24,360 for a family of three, qualify for Medicaid.
If a family does not qualify for Medicaid but makes up to 235 percent of the federal poverty level, $43,029 for a family of three for example, the child may be enrolled in PeachCare, the state’s children’s health insurance program. The cost varies but does not exceed $70.
These two programs act as safety nets, especially during a recession.
"The more unstable the economy, the more unstable peoples' lives are, including health insurance coverage," Smith said.
Georgia's unemployment rate is more than 10 percent; however, 85 percent of uninsured children in Georgia comes from families where at least one parent works. And more than two-thirds come from low-income families, who are likely eligible for Medicaid or PeachCare.
Smith said there are many reasons the number of uninsured children is high despite the availability of health care for low-income families.
“The Medicaid system is broken,” Smith said. “The reason is because it’s underfunded; the rules are changed to knock people off the rolls.”
Under PeachCare, there is a provision that children must be uninsured for six months before applying for the program. Additionally, if payment for the program is received late, the child loses eligibility for 30 days and must reapply.
"The burden is wholly on the person to enroll in these programs," said Russell Edwards, president of the University of Georgia Law Democrats from Peachtree City, Ga. " For someone who has two or three jobs, that usually means taking a day off of work, and if they find out that they qualify, they have to prepare all the materials, the tax forms and birth certificates.”
Edwards said that the amount of paperwork is cumbersome and is another hurdle for low-income families. He also said that awareness of health care programs available to families should be increased.
“A robust advertising campaign that could help spread the information on how to effectively enroll in these programs would be a good way to get people on board,” Edwards said. “I know I've never seen any advertisement anywhere on how to enroll in PeachCare.”
Edited by Beth Pollak
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Economy Causes Education Shuffle
By Sarah Smith
A mother with grown children goes back to school. An apprentice loses her position with the end of her education in sight. A man begins work on his second degree after 20 years as an architect.
These people are just three of the many students caught up in the great shuffle the failing economy is causing in education.
Tracie Boutwell, a homemaker from Augusta, Ga., is a recent empty nester. Both of her daughters are now off at school, and she finally has time to spend on herself. But because of the sagging real estate market, Boutwell is spending that time getting a new job.
“I needed to do something to help with retirement,” she said.
The value of the real estate that the Boutwells had invested their retirement money in has sunk with the market. To provide for her family’s future, she is going back into the work force.
But before she goes back to work, she’s going back to school. Boutwell worked as a nurse for eight years, mostly in pediatric psychiatry. She loved working with children, but the medical field doesn’t appeal to her as it once did. So, she is working towards a master of arts in teaching. Experiences in substitute teaching have given her a good view of her new chosen profession.
After being in the classroom, she “comes home physically tired but emotionally charged,” she said. She started the 18-month program this summer, so she hopes to be in the classroom by this time next fall.
Though she is going back to work after so many years, she has a positive outlook.
“I’m really kind of excited about it,” she said.
Shelley Cain is on the other end of the spectrum. The suffering economy has put an end to her education at an architecture firm.
“There’s just no jobs,” she said.
Fewer people need architects in the current economy. No one has extra money to spend, and banks are wary to lend out money, she said. Because of this lack of work, the architecture firm where Cain was apprenticed in Pensacola, Fla., had to let her go.
Cain started her apprenticeship at Ron Williamson and Associates eight years ago. She previously worked in the marketing and sales part of real estate, but picked up a love for architecture from being around the designers.
With two more years of training, Cain would have been able to take the test that qualifies apprentices to become licensed architects. For now she’ll have to wait a little longer; her education is on hold while she tries to find a job.
“Right now I’m looking for anything,” she said. “I have a lot of skills I can offer.” These skills range from running a business to waiting tables, but her search has been fruitless so far.
Jim Murphy has already achieved what Cain can still only dream about: he has been an architect for 20 years. But the current lack of work is forcing him to go back to school for a second degree. He is studying electrical engineering in an attempt to expand the amount of work he can do.
“I get work occasionally,” he said. But there is very little work to be found in his field. This gives him more time for school, but it’s also discouraging to him, Murphy said. He hopes to be able to work in designing for the commercial industry once he receives his degree. It will be four years before he reaches this goal.
“I hope by the time I finish school there’s a rebound in the economy,” he said. At that time he hopes to be designing buildings for the commercial industry with his new degree.
For now, there is little monetary help for people like Murphy who are going back to get a second degree.
All students, no matter what their educational past, can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), said James Mooney, Associate Director of the Office of Student Financial Aid at the University of Georgia. But those who have already received their baccalaureate degree can only hope for federal loans, not scholarships such as the Pell Grant that only first-time university students can receive, he added.
The government “wants to invest in first degrees,” Mooney said. Some work places participate in programs such as the Work Force Investment Act, which can pay for schooling. But this program usually only covers retraining or two-year tech schools. There’s not much in the way of scholarships for people such as Murphy and Boutwell. They must rely on the pay-off their current education will have in the future.
Boutwell, Cain, Murphy and many others must continue to hold on to the hope that the economy will recover, and life will return to what it was before. But for now they take action in whatever way they can, whether it means going back to school or simply searching for a job while their dreams wait.
Edited by Autumn Eckenbrecht
A mother with grown children goes back to school. An apprentice loses her position with the end of her education in sight. A man begins work on his second degree after 20 years as an architect.
These people are just three of the many students caught up in the great shuffle the failing economy is causing in education.
Tracie Boutwell, a homemaker from Augusta, Ga., is a recent empty nester. Both of her daughters are now off at school, and she finally has time to spend on herself. But because of the sagging real estate market, Boutwell is spending that time getting a new job.
“I needed to do something to help with retirement,” she said.
The value of the real estate that the Boutwells had invested their retirement money in has sunk with the market. To provide for her family’s future, she is going back into the work force.
But before she goes back to work, she’s going back to school. Boutwell worked as a nurse for eight years, mostly in pediatric psychiatry. She loved working with children, but the medical field doesn’t appeal to her as it once did. So, she is working towards a master of arts in teaching. Experiences in substitute teaching have given her a good view of her new chosen profession.
After being in the classroom, she “comes home physically tired but emotionally charged,” she said. She started the 18-month program this summer, so she hopes to be in the classroom by this time next fall.
Though she is going back to work after so many years, she has a positive outlook.
“I’m really kind of excited about it,” she said.
Shelley Cain is on the other end of the spectrum. The suffering economy has put an end to her education at an architecture firm.
“There’s just no jobs,” she said.
Fewer people need architects in the current economy. No one has extra money to spend, and banks are wary to lend out money, she said. Because of this lack of work, the architecture firm where Cain was apprenticed in Pensacola, Fla., had to let her go.
Cain started her apprenticeship at Ron Williamson and Associates eight years ago. She previously worked in the marketing and sales part of real estate, but picked up a love for architecture from being around the designers.
With two more years of training, Cain would have been able to take the test that qualifies apprentices to become licensed architects. For now she’ll have to wait a little longer; her education is on hold while she tries to find a job.
“Right now I’m looking for anything,” she said. “I have a lot of skills I can offer.” These skills range from running a business to waiting tables, but her search has been fruitless so far.
Jim Murphy has already achieved what Cain can still only dream about: he has been an architect for 20 years. But the current lack of work is forcing him to go back to school for a second degree. He is studying electrical engineering in an attempt to expand the amount of work he can do.
“I get work occasionally,” he said. But there is very little work to be found in his field. This gives him more time for school, but it’s also discouraging to him, Murphy said. He hopes to be able to work in designing for the commercial industry once he receives his degree. It will be four years before he reaches this goal.
“I hope by the time I finish school there’s a rebound in the economy,” he said. At that time he hopes to be designing buildings for the commercial industry with his new degree.
For now, there is little monetary help for people like Murphy who are going back to get a second degree.
All students, no matter what their educational past, can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), said James Mooney, Associate Director of the Office of Student Financial Aid at the University of Georgia. But those who have already received their baccalaureate degree can only hope for federal loans, not scholarships such as the Pell Grant that only first-time university students can receive, he added.
The government “wants to invest in first degrees,” Mooney said. Some work places participate in programs such as the Work Force Investment Act, which can pay for schooling. But this program usually only covers retraining or two-year tech schools. There’s not much in the way of scholarships for people such as Murphy and Boutwell. They must rely on the pay-off their current education will have in the future.
Boutwell, Cain, Murphy and many others must continue to hold on to the hope that the economy will recover, and life will return to what it was before. But for now they take action in whatever way they can, whether it means going back to school or simply searching for a job while their dreams wait.
Edited by Autumn Eckenbrecht
Athens' public housing enhances community
by Elissa Ewald
Five-year-old Broad Acres resident Brinashna Johnson successfully crosses the monkey bars for the first time at the community's playground.
Rick Parker always tries to end his public housing lecture with the same H. L. Mencken quote: “There is a well-known solution to every human problem—neat, plausible, and wrong.”
Parker said that “when it comes to complex social issues like poverty,” this belief definitely applies.
Parker is the executive director of Athens Housing Authority which oversees all 1,255 public housing units in Athens.
The term “public housing” often has a negative connotation.
Senior criminal justice major Julie Close from Locust Grove, Ga., said “dirty” is the first thing she thinks of when she hears the term “public housing.”
“The public housing here is just so unkempt,” Close said.
Parker strives to eliminate stereotypes such as this about the housing programs, residents, and communities he oversees.
“What we run, own and administer is a deep subsidy program,” Parker said, “Rent is based on their income, not based on the value of the unit.”
Residents are charged a rent payment equaling 30 percent of their monthly income, the average percentage an individual is supposed to pay on their housing and utilities each month. Set up by the federal government, this system clearly outlines that if a person’s income increases, then so does their rent payment.
The Athens Housing Authority mission is to “provide secure, affordable, quality housing and resources which encourage and sustain independence” for some of the nearly 11,000 households living in poverty in Athens-Clarke county. The 28.3 percent poverty rate classifies Athens as a “housing-stress” county.
“This means that the cost of housing exceeds a large percentage of the population’s income,” Parker said. “[The residents], for a whole host of complex societal reasons, are having a hard time making it.”
Although the system used to determine rent was federally designed, Athens Housing Authority is not a government operation, but rather an independent agency.
“There are no local dollars involved at all except the residents’ rent,” Parker said.
Public housing may not use local dollars, but it definitely is a local presence, even to students.
“Close to about half of our total units are within close proximity to campus,” Parker said. “The city grew up around the housing authority.”
The project housing areas’ proximity to campus is often shocking to students.
“I was really surprised to see the government housing so close to campus,” first-year biology student Ashley Williams from Marietta, Ga., said. “But I think it's beneficial to students because it opens their eyes to the state of poverty, even in Georgia. It provides a great opportunity for outreach and education.”
Parker encourages student involvement in the housing projects, bragging specifically about organizations such as the Wesley Foundation, where students mentor kids from a local project community.
“[Students are] all part of the fabric of community,” Parker said, “and caring about what happens in the community is just enlightened self-interest.”
Rayshondra Borders, a resident at Broad Acres housing project, said she feels as though the student body is a part of her community.
“I love it when [students] come by to play with the kids,” Borders said, laughing. “It gives me a break. It would be better to see more big brother and sister programs.”
Still, with a student body of over 35,000, Parker acknowledges that only a small percentage of that population has gotten involved in public housing programs.
“Let’s be honest. People love to hate the poor. We all want to think that we make it entirely on our own,” Parker said. This, he supposes, is why not everyone feels the need to be involved with volunteer and development programs in the housing communities.
“It scares us to death that there—but by the grace of God and a couple of paychecks—be I. It’s just easier to blame the person.”
Parker believes the people he serves are worth his time, and the student body’s.
“The vast majority of the people I serve are some of the finest people you’ll ever meet in you life,” Parker said. “Some of those folks are my heroes. Are some of them real pains? Yes. But I have neighbors like that. There’s more binding us together than driving us apart.”
Rick Parker always tries to end his public housing lecture with the same H. L. Mencken quote: “There is a well-known solution to every human problem—neat, plausible, and wrong.”
Parker said that “when it comes to complex social issues like poverty,” this belief definitely applies.
Parker is the executive director of Athens Housing Authority which oversees all 1,255 public housing units in Athens.
The term “public housing” often has a negative connotation.
Senior criminal justice major Julie Close from Locust Grove, Ga., said “dirty” is the first thing she thinks of when she hears the term “public housing.”
“The public housing here is just so unkempt,” Close said.
Parker strives to eliminate stereotypes such as this about the housing programs, residents, and communities he oversees.
“What we run, own and administer is a deep subsidy program,” Parker said, “Rent is based on their income, not based on the value of the unit.”
Residents are charged a rent payment equaling 30 percent of their monthly income, the average percentage an individual is supposed to pay on their housing and utilities each month. Set up by the federal government, this system clearly outlines that if a person’s income increases, then so does their rent payment.
The Athens Housing Authority mission is to “provide secure, affordable, quality housing and resources which encourage and sustain independence” for some of the nearly 11,000 households living in poverty in Athens-Clarke county. The 28.3 percent poverty rate classifies Athens as a “housing-stress” county.
“This means that the cost of housing exceeds a large percentage of the population’s income,” Parker said. “[The residents], for a whole host of complex societal reasons, are having a hard time making it.”
Although the system used to determine rent was federally designed, Athens Housing Authority is not a government operation, but rather an independent agency.
“There are no local dollars involved at all except the residents’ rent,” Parker said.
Public housing may not use local dollars, but it definitely is a local presence, even to students.
“Close to about half of our total units are within close proximity to campus,” Parker said. “The city grew up around the housing authority.”
The project housing areas’ proximity to campus is often shocking to students.
“I was really surprised to see the government housing so close to campus,” first-year biology student Ashley Williams from Marietta, Ga., said. “But I think it's beneficial to students because it opens their eyes to the state of poverty, even in Georgia. It provides a great opportunity for outreach and education.”
Parker encourages student involvement in the housing projects, bragging specifically about organizations such as the Wesley Foundation, where students mentor kids from a local project community.
“[Students are] all part of the fabric of community,” Parker said, “and caring about what happens in the community is just enlightened self-interest.”
Rayshondra Borders, a resident at Broad Acres housing project, said she feels as though the student body is a part of her community.
“I love it when [students] come by to play with the kids,” Borders said, laughing. “It gives me a break. It would be better to see more big brother and sister programs.”
Still, with a student body of over 35,000, Parker acknowledges that only a small percentage of that population has gotten involved in public housing programs.
“Let’s be honest. People love to hate the poor. We all want to think that we make it entirely on our own,” Parker said. This, he supposes, is why not everyone feels the need to be involved with volunteer and development programs in the housing communities.
“It scares us to death that there—but by the grace of God and a couple of paychecks—be I. It’s just easier to blame the person.”
Parker believes the people he serves are worth his time, and the student body’s.
“The vast majority of the people I serve are some of the finest people you’ll ever meet in you life,” Parker said. “Some of those folks are my heroes. Are some of them real pains? Yes. But I have neighbors like that. There’s more binding us together than driving us apart.”
Edited by Antionette Rollins
Local Businesses Learn Value of Cooperation Over Competition
Local businesses use the Two Story Coffeehouse bulletin board to advertise their services.By Autumn Eckenbrecht
There’s only one vacant table in the café, and the tow truck driver is making his rounds next door; customers have a habit of parking at adjacent stores despite towing warnings. The manager makes a lap around the café, just in time to inform two customers that their cars are about to be hauled off.
The parking lot is full once again at Two Story Coffeehouse, a business in Five Points that opened last November. It’s a far cry from the dismal graphs in newspapers and on television screens—this summer’s numbers show an increase in unemployment by over 2 percent in Athens-Clarke County in the last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For manager Chris Barr, ever since news of the recession became pervasive in 2008, things haven’t been all that different.
“I’ve heard about places struggling, and I’ve heard about restaurants and businesses closing,” Barr said. “But I’ve always heard about that.”
What distinguishes successful businesses from the struggling ones is leadership through communication and a core vision, Barr said. For Two Story, that core vision has meant looking past competing with other coffee businesses and focusing on offering something unique and supporting other companies.
“Local businesses realize they’re up against something bigger than them anyway—they’re up against corporate, so it’s a lot better to band together and figure out how to be creative,” Barr said. “A lot of business owners get afraid. They get scared, and they say, ‘What’s going to happen?’ It’s a valid question, but many owners will make their decisions based on that fear, as opposed to making their decisions based on sound practice and what they know to be true.”
Fear didn’t stop Heather Cadle from opening Tena’s jewelry store on Aug. 3 in the heart of downtown.
“When you hear about the economy, it’s all doom and gloom, but we don’t worry ourselves with that,” Cadle said. “We just make sure the people walking in and out the door are happy.”
Cadle remembers the initial days of starting up a new Tena’s in Athens. She says she used every resource she could find—the Terry School of Business, the Downtown Development Authority, the Athens Chamber of Commerce and other nearby mom-and-pop stores for things as simple as “Where’s the water company?”
Even the owner of the store Tena’s replaced, Jane Foster of Foster’s Jewelers, stops by every now and then to help, Cadle said.
“People really want to see local downtown businesses survive,” Cadle said. “I can’t tell you how many people have come in and said, ‘I’m so glad you’re here! We don’t need any more bars.’”
Like Foster’s Jewelers, which had operated in Athens for over 50 years before retiring, Farm Electric is also retiring after 52 years of service in Athens. Unlike Barr, Joseph Causey, 59, the owner of the hardware supply store, said he has felt the blows of the recession.
“It’s been dramatic. We’re wholesale, so we’ve been directly affected by the housing market. Business has been way off by about 35 to 40 percent in our numbers,” Causey said. “I spoke to one builder, and he said he hasn’t started a new house since September a year ago.”
With nearly 10 fewer staff members than he had a year ago, Starbucks manager Jason Corrigan also sees the changes in his numbers—which seem even more daunting when he sees the amount of Starbucks employees wanting to transfer to the Athens store.
The number is in the hundreds, and he can’t say yes to any of them.
“We haven’t been at the growth we need to be. I’ve tried to get Bulldog Bucks, but that’s been unsuccessful for us as a corporation,” Corrigan said. “They want to take 15 percent of my sale, and Starbucks won’t go for that.”
Nevertheless, Corrigan said life’s too short to worry about it. He said that, even if people are trying to be frugal by cutting their luxury expenses, a genuine customer connection will keep them coming back. In the meantime, he meets with other managers from businesses like Five Guys to discuss business strategy.
The story of how the nation’s economy is affecting Athens seems to be more about the solution rather than the problem. The remedy for local businesses—even the corporate ones—is using each other as resources so they can do more than just stay afloat. The same trend proves true for Barr, Cadle, Causey, and Corrigan.
“There’s a whole Five Points business association where a lot of managers and owners just get together and chat about what they can do to help one another,” Barr said. “It’s a give and take thing.”
Edited by Sarah Smith
Healthcare reform provides new options for young adults
By Beth Pollak
In college, eight out of ten students are sitting pretty as far as healthcare is concerned. Mom and Dad (and their health insurance) pay any medical bills that may come up.
After graduation, you get dropped from their insurance plan, but no worries. You are healthy and in the prime of your life – why bother with health insurance?
And who cares about the new healthcare reform proposals being debated in Washington and around the country? Not you. It will not really affect you, right?
Wrong. The healthcare debate has huge ramifications for college students, new graduates and other young adults. And it is not just a recent problem.
“Healthcare reform is not new,” said Dr. Richard Schuster, a professor of health policy and management in the College of Public Health. “It’s been a part of active discussion for about 100 years.”
Even so, new issues and ideas have been proposed within the past year. Since healthcare affects everyone, students should stay updated on the news, and know what aspects may change for them.
Currently, college students can stay on their parents’ health insurance plan until they graduate. Proposals floating around Congress provide a way for young people to remain on their parents’ plan until they are older, even after graduation.
This provision would allow students to have more flexibility in choosing a first post-graduation job, or the opportunity to pursue other avenues before going into a job that provides benefits.
A public option would also give students more options when choosing jobs. Public option is a government-run insurance plan that may be able to offer lower rates than private insurers.
Angie Fertig, assistant professor in the College of Public Health, provided a hypothetical dilemma for a new graduate. The grad has the opportunity to join a hip start-up company with no benefits or a stodgy, boring job with benefits.
Today, the student likely would have to choose the job with benefits in order to get affordable health insurance. With a public option, “the two [job] options would be more even to you because the decision wouldn’t be tied to benefits,” said Fertig, who is also a public service assistant in the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
Some young adults choose to go without insurance regardless of its availability.
“College students may feel that they’re invincible, but they can be shocked by catastrophic events,” said Dr. Mark Ebell, associate professor in the College of Public Health.
Under the proposed plans, an individual mandate is in the works. That would require all Americans to buy health insurance or face penalties.
“Students going to school without health insurance would be helped by an individual mandate because they are engaging in very risky behavior,” said Lance Palmer, Ph.D, professor in the Family Financial Planning department.
Palmer suggested finding an insurance plan with a high deductible for students who are wary of paying for health insurance benefits that they may not use.
High deductible means that the out-of-pocket costs for the insured would be high, generally upwards of $1000. The premiums, however, are often less than half the cost of a typical health plan. This allows healthy students to have insurance for catastrophic health events, but still make a low monthly payment.
“Those who choose to be uninsured [now] will be unhappy because they will be subsidizing those who are sick,” Fertig said of an individual mandate.
Regardless of how the healthcare debate plays out and affects young adults, there still will be problems, and people will be unhappy.
“Healthcare is always characterized as being in crisis,” Schuster said.
Edited by Jon-Michael Sullivan
In college, eight out of ten students are sitting pretty as far as healthcare is concerned. Mom and Dad (and their health insurance) pay any medical bills that may come up.
After graduation, you get dropped from their insurance plan, but no worries. You are healthy and in the prime of your life – why bother with health insurance?
And who cares about the new healthcare reform proposals being debated in Washington and around the country? Not you. It will not really affect you, right?
Wrong. The healthcare debate has huge ramifications for college students, new graduates and other young adults. And it is not just a recent problem.
“Healthcare reform is not new,” said Dr. Richard Schuster, a professor of health policy and management in the College of Public Health. “It’s been a part of active discussion for about 100 years.”
Even so, new issues and ideas have been proposed within the past year. Since healthcare affects everyone, students should stay updated on the news, and know what aspects may change for them.
Currently, college students can stay on their parents’ health insurance plan until they graduate. Proposals floating around Congress provide a way for young people to remain on their parents’ plan until they are older, even after graduation.
This provision would allow students to have more flexibility in choosing a first post-graduation job, or the opportunity to pursue other avenues before going into a job that provides benefits.
A public option would also give students more options when choosing jobs. Public option is a government-run insurance plan that may be able to offer lower rates than private insurers.
Angie Fertig, assistant professor in the College of Public Health, provided a hypothetical dilemma for a new graduate. The grad has the opportunity to join a hip start-up company with no benefits or a stodgy, boring job with benefits.
Today, the student likely would have to choose the job with benefits in order to get affordable health insurance. With a public option, “the two [job] options would be more even to you because the decision wouldn’t be tied to benefits,” said Fertig, who is also a public service assistant in the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
Some young adults choose to go without insurance regardless of its availability.
“College students may feel that they’re invincible, but they can be shocked by catastrophic events,” said Dr. Mark Ebell, associate professor in the College of Public Health.
Under the proposed plans, an individual mandate is in the works. That would require all Americans to buy health insurance or face penalties.
“Students going to school without health insurance would be helped by an individual mandate because they are engaging in very risky behavior,” said Lance Palmer, Ph.D, professor in the Family Financial Planning department.
Palmer suggested finding an insurance plan with a high deductible for students who are wary of paying for health insurance benefits that they may not use.
High deductible means that the out-of-pocket costs for the insured would be high, generally upwards of $1000. The premiums, however, are often less than half the cost of a typical health plan. This allows healthy students to have insurance for catastrophic health events, but still make a low monthly payment.
“Those who choose to be uninsured [now] will be unhappy because they will be subsidizing those who are sick,” Fertig said of an individual mandate.
Regardless of how the healthcare debate plays out and affects young adults, there still will be problems, and people will be unhappy.
“Healthcare is always characterized as being in crisis,” Schuster said.
Edited by Jon-Michael Sullivan
Unemployment affects Athens’s residents and students
By ANTIONETTE ROLLINS
Unemployment in Athens, Ga. is something that affects locals and students alike. Many people are forced to adjust their career goals to cope with the current economic situation.
Dr. Douglas Bachtel, housing and consumer economics professor at the University of Georgia, said that the effect of the current economy has been especially severe in Athens.
“The recession has had a more significant impact in Athens because of the city’s relatively high unemployment rate,” Bachtel said.
Estimates for the Bureau of Labor and Statistics show that Athens Clarke-County has had a steady increase in the unemployment rate since 1999, while national rates have slightly fluctuated through the years. As of July 2009, the unemployment rate in Athens was approximately 7.7 percent.
Athens locals aren’t the only ones affected by unemployment.
“Unemployment also takes its toll on University of Georgia students who are working their way through school,” Bachtel said. “Firms will let students go.” Without reliable income, students have a hard time funding their education.
Other students whose parents are suffering from unemployment have a more difficult time paying school tuition.
Many students are worried about finding employment after graduation. This number includes Jasmaine Williams, a senior majoring in biology and Spanish from Stockbridge, Ga.
“I would work for a couple of years if the economy was better,” Williams said. Instead, she plans to attend graduate school after she receives her bachelor’s degree in May. Despite these plans, she is still anxious about the future.
“It’s scary to think about going through a five year program and not getting a job with a Ph.D.,” she said.
Attending graduate school is an option that many Athens’ students choose instead of pursuing a career with present unemployment rates.
“I’m not really concerned about unemployment because I’m not worried about a career at this point in time,” said Samantha Gabai, a senior from Sandy Springs, Ga. Like Williams, she plans to attend graduate school next fall.
Even with constant reminders about the rising rate of unemployment, there are still opportunities.
“Be persistent,” said Lori Chafin, the unit supervisor for the Georgia Department of Labor Athens Career Center. “Don’t give into those around you saying ‘the economy is bad, you’re never going to find a job, because that’s simply not true.”
For those actively seeking employment, the Athens Career Center can be of great assistance. Chafin advised job seekers to use the Center’s available resources.
“There are so many resources here like internet, fax machines and resume critique workshops,” Chafin said. “The main focus is helping job seekers to increase their marketing skills, to be creative in their approach to job seeking and tap into all of the resources that are available to secure employment.”
Athens area job seekers who would like help finding employment can visit the Georgia Department of Labor at www.dol.state.ga.us.
Edited by Robert Carnes
Unemployment in Athens, Ga. is something that affects locals and students alike. Many people are forced to adjust their career goals to cope with the current economic situation.
Dr. Douglas Bachtel, housing and consumer economics professor at the University of Georgia, said that the effect of the current economy has been especially severe in Athens.
“The recession has had a more significant impact in Athens because of the city’s relatively high unemployment rate,” Bachtel said.
Estimates for the Bureau of Labor and Statistics show that Athens Clarke-County has had a steady increase in the unemployment rate since 1999, while national rates have slightly fluctuated through the years. As of July 2009, the unemployment rate in Athens was approximately 7.7 percent.
Athens locals aren’t the only ones affected by unemployment.
“Unemployment also takes its toll on University of Georgia students who are working their way through school,” Bachtel said. “Firms will let students go.” Without reliable income, students have a hard time funding their education.
Other students whose parents are suffering from unemployment have a more difficult time paying school tuition.
Many students are worried about finding employment after graduation. This number includes Jasmaine Williams, a senior majoring in biology and Spanish from Stockbridge, Ga.
“I would work for a couple of years if the economy was better,” Williams said. Instead, she plans to attend graduate school after she receives her bachelor’s degree in May. Despite these plans, she is still anxious about the future.
“It’s scary to think about going through a five year program and not getting a job with a Ph.D.,” she said.
Attending graduate school is an option that many Athens’ students choose instead of pursuing a career with present unemployment rates.
“I’m not really concerned about unemployment because I’m not worried about a career at this point in time,” said Samantha Gabai, a senior from Sandy Springs, Ga. Like Williams, she plans to attend graduate school next fall.
Even with constant reminders about the rising rate of unemployment, there are still opportunities.
“Be persistent,” said Lori Chafin, the unit supervisor for the Georgia Department of Labor Athens Career Center. “Don’t give into those around you saying ‘the economy is bad, you’re never going to find a job, because that’s simply not true.”
For those actively seeking employment, the Athens Career Center can be of great assistance. Chafin advised job seekers to use the Center’s available resources.
“There are so many resources here like internet, fax machines and resume critique workshops,” Chafin said. “The main focus is helping job seekers to increase their marketing skills, to be creative in their approach to job seeking and tap into all of the resources that are available to secure employment.”
Athens area job seekers who would like help finding employment can visit the Georgia Department of Labor at www.dol.state.ga.us.
Edited by Robert Carnes
Sick students struggle to balance class work, rest
By Lauren Bellamy
With the University of Georgia’s estimated swine flu toll nearing 300, students all over campus are feeling the effects of the virus.
Some students who have already contracted swine flu this semester are glad they caught it early. Anna Carvalho, a sophomore from Tallahassee, Fla., is one such student. “Now is a better time to get it, because it’s still the beginning of school and you won’t miss as much,” she said.
Even though it is the beginning of the semester, Carvalho still struggled with professors and missing class. “I E-mailed my Spanish teacher telling her I had swine flu, but she just responded that it wasn’t a good time to miss class and that I should be looking at the syllabus,” she said.
Carvalho had to rework her schedule to complete makeup work for class. “I had plans to go [to Tallahassee] for Labor Day, but I had to stay in Athens and catch up on schoolwork,” she said.
While she had swine flu, Carvalho had to check into a room at the Holiday Inn Express to avoid spreading the virus. “The health center told me that I should go home, but I couldn’t drive five hours to get there,” she said. “My roommates were wary of me staying, so I figured the best option would be a hotel.”
Doctors at the health center have been urging students like Carvalho to find an off-campus place to stay while getting over swine flu if at all possible. While some are choosing to isolate themselves in their rooms, many sick students who don’t live far from Athens have simply gone home to recover.
“I can’t imagine feeling as bad as I did without having my mom to take care of me,” said Audrey Batts, a senior from Dalton, Ga. who contracted the virus the second week of school.
Mark Towers, a fifth-year from Augusta, also went home to get over his swine flu. “I had a 105° fever and I was having hot and cold flashes,” he said. “Being in the comfort of my own home and away from everyone helped me rest and get over it much faster.”
While there are many symptoms of swine flu — fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue, according to the CDC — most students find that fatigue is the most difficult to cope with.
“Even though I don’t have the swine flu anymore, I still feel exhausted,” said Carvalho. “I get so tired just from walking to class.”
Batts said she spent days sleeping when she had the virus. “I laid in bed and basically didn’t move until I felt better,” she said.
As swine flu continues to grow nationally, students can do a few things to help prevent the spread of the virus on campus.
Liz Rachun, health communications coordinator at the University Health Center, says that they are promoting frequent hand washing, covering one’s nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing and avoiding contact with sick people.
Towers said that he was careful about germs once he found out that swine flu was going around the University, but doesn’t think it made much of a difference. “I was washing my hands all the time, but I still got it,” he said.
Another precaution students can take is getting a seasonal flu shot. The vaccine is expected to arrive at the health center in October according to Rachun, but there are many places in Athens that are already offering the shot.
While getting vaccinated is a popular method of flu prevention, Rachun warns that getting the shot too early in the season could be problematic.
“The vaccine’s level of protection can weaken a few months after getting the shot, which can make people more susceptible to catching influenza during the virus’s peak season,” she said.
Nevertheless, many students will get vaccinated this season.
Towers said he plans to get a flu shot after he has fully recovered from swine flu and he is encouraging others to do the same. “I’m telling everyone I know to get a flu shot,” he said. “No one should have to go through what I went through if they don’t have to.
Edited by Stone Irvin
With the University of Georgia’s estimated swine flu toll nearing 300, students all over campus are feeling the effects of the virus.
Some students who have already contracted swine flu this semester are glad they caught it early. Anna Carvalho, a sophomore from Tallahassee, Fla., is one such student. “Now is a better time to get it, because it’s still the beginning of school and you won’t miss as much,” she said.
Even though it is the beginning of the semester, Carvalho still struggled with professors and missing class. “I E-mailed my Spanish teacher telling her I had swine flu, but she just responded that it wasn’t a good time to miss class and that I should be looking at the syllabus,” she said.
Carvalho had to rework her schedule to complete makeup work for class. “I had plans to go [to Tallahassee] for Labor Day, but I had to stay in Athens and catch up on schoolwork,” she said.
While she had swine flu, Carvalho had to check into a room at the Holiday Inn Express to avoid spreading the virus. “The health center told me that I should go home, but I couldn’t drive five hours to get there,” she said. “My roommates were wary of me staying, so I figured the best option would be a hotel.”
Doctors at the health center have been urging students like Carvalho to find an off-campus place to stay while getting over swine flu if at all possible. While some are choosing to isolate themselves in their rooms, many sick students who don’t live far from Athens have simply gone home to recover.
“I can’t imagine feeling as bad as I did without having my mom to take care of me,” said Audrey Batts, a senior from Dalton, Ga. who contracted the virus the second week of school.
Mark Towers, a fifth-year from Augusta, also went home to get over his swine flu. “I had a 105° fever and I was having hot and cold flashes,” he said. “Being in the comfort of my own home and away from everyone helped me rest and get over it much faster.”
While there are many symptoms of swine flu — fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue, according to the CDC — most students find that fatigue is the most difficult to cope with.
“Even though I don’t have the swine flu anymore, I still feel exhausted,” said Carvalho. “I get so tired just from walking to class.”
Batts said she spent days sleeping when she had the virus. “I laid in bed and basically didn’t move until I felt better,” she said.
As swine flu continues to grow nationally, students can do a few things to help prevent the spread of the virus on campus.
Liz Rachun, health communications coordinator at the University Health Center, says that they are promoting frequent hand washing, covering one’s nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing and avoiding contact with sick people.
Towers said that he was careful about germs once he found out that swine flu was going around the University, but doesn’t think it made much of a difference. “I was washing my hands all the time, but I still got it,” he said.
Another precaution students can take is getting a seasonal flu shot. The vaccine is expected to arrive at the health center in October according to Rachun, but there are many places in Athens that are already offering the shot.
While getting vaccinated is a popular method of flu prevention, Rachun warns that getting the shot too early in the season could be problematic.
“The vaccine’s level of protection can weaken a few months after getting the shot, which can make people more susceptible to catching influenza during the virus’s peak season,” she said.
Nevertheless, many students will get vaccinated this season.
Towers said he plans to get a flu shot after he has fully recovered from swine flu and he is encouraging others to do the same. “I’m telling everyone I know to get a flu shot,” he said. “No one should have to go through what I went through if they don’t have to.
Edited by Stone Irvin
Universities wrestle with influenza, student body
By Stone Irvin
This school year administrators are adjusting to the strains caused not by schoolwork but the virus H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, by exposing students to an array of sanitary practices to prevent the disease’s spread.
Georgia is listed on the Centers for Disease Control Web site as one of six states reporting widespread influenza activity. Kathryn Moss, the executive administrative assistant of campus life at Emory University, sent an e-mail to students and their parents that listed Georgia as the No. 1 state in the nation for reported H1N1 cases.
Liz Rachun, health communications coordinator for the University of Georgia Health Center, said that as of Sept. 8, 285 cases of swine flu have been diagnosed on campus. But Rachun also pointed out that the virus is not hitting students as hard as once expected.
“A lot of students aren’t coming in because they don’t need to,” she said.
She stressed that over-the-counter medicines like ibuprofen combined with judicious rest are the best remedy for swine flu.
“The good thing is it’s not as aggressive or virulent as other strains of flu,” said Dr. Christopher Whalen, professor of epidemiology at the University of Georgia. But while swine flu may be mild compared to some strains of influenza this fact has not stopped schools from working to hinder its flow.
The most obvious measure universities are taking to halt H1N1 is the promotion of CDC guidelines for keeping healthy. Because of these campaigns to reach students, most now know to cover up coughs and sneezes, avoid touching the eyes and nose, wash their hands regularly and stay home if feeling sick.
Additional measures include self-isolation dormitories to accommodate sick students. The University of Georgia temporarily used Family and Graduate Housing for this purpose but has decided to focus more on encouraging sanitary practices in students instead. Emory, on the other hand, has continued to use its self-isolation dorm.
“It’s voluntary, and everyone has taken us up on it,” said Bridget Riordan, dean of students and campus life at Emory. She said the Turman South dormitory, though due to be demolished, was kept open by the administration in case it was needed to accommodate students sick with swine flu.
“I’m from Bombay, India so going home wasn’t really an option for me,” said Simran Khosa, an English major at Emory who contracted swine flu early in the semester. She said Turman South was a good environment to recover from H1N1 because it was “not a hospital, it was like any other dorm.”
While Riordan counts Emory fortunate for having a dorm available for self-isolation, especially for students like Khosa who are unable to go home to recover, Whalen and Rachun both said that UGA is too large a school for a self-isolation dorm to be effective.
“Isolating 100 people like that might make a difference but it wouldn’t be my priority,” Whalen said. He also said that the guidelines for cleanliness should be enough to curb transmission of swine flu.
But while H1N1 has thus far proven less virulent than once feared, complications and questions about seasonal flu and are now being raised.
“The question on my mind,” Whalen said “is whether it’s possible to get H1N1 in September and turn around and get seasonal flu in January.”
This question has administrators taking precautions on the issue of seasonal flu vaccine. Rachun pointed out that getting seasonal flu vaccines too early can render the recipient vulnerable in January and February, the peak time for catching seasonal influenza. Nevertheless, Emory and UGA are strongly encouraging students to get immunized.
“We started [seasonal] flu vaccination today,” Riordan said Tuesday, “We’re saying ‘Come one, come all; get your flu vaccination today.’”
Edited by Lauren Bellamy
This school year administrators are adjusting to the strains caused not by schoolwork but the virus H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, by exposing students to an array of sanitary practices to prevent the disease’s spread.
Georgia is listed on the Centers for Disease Control Web site as one of six states reporting widespread influenza activity. Kathryn Moss, the executive administrative assistant of campus life at Emory University, sent an e-mail to students and their parents that listed Georgia as the No. 1 state in the nation for reported H1N1 cases.
Liz Rachun, health communications coordinator for the University of Georgia Health Center, said that as of Sept. 8, 285 cases of swine flu have been diagnosed on campus. But Rachun also pointed out that the virus is not hitting students as hard as once expected.
“A lot of students aren’t coming in because they don’t need to,” she said.
She stressed that over-the-counter medicines like ibuprofen combined with judicious rest are the best remedy for swine flu.
“The good thing is it’s not as aggressive or virulent as other strains of flu,” said Dr. Christopher Whalen, professor of epidemiology at the University of Georgia. But while swine flu may be mild compared to some strains of influenza this fact has not stopped schools from working to hinder its flow.
The most obvious measure universities are taking to halt H1N1 is the promotion of CDC guidelines for keeping healthy. Because of these campaigns to reach students, most now know to cover up coughs and sneezes, avoid touching the eyes and nose, wash their hands regularly and stay home if feeling sick.
Additional measures include self-isolation dormitories to accommodate sick students. The University of Georgia temporarily used Family and Graduate Housing for this purpose but has decided to focus more on encouraging sanitary practices in students instead. Emory, on the other hand, has continued to use its self-isolation dorm.
“It’s voluntary, and everyone has taken us up on it,” said Bridget Riordan, dean of students and campus life at Emory. She said the Turman South dormitory, though due to be demolished, was kept open by the administration in case it was needed to accommodate students sick with swine flu.
“I’m from Bombay, India so going home wasn’t really an option for me,” said Simran Khosa, an English major at Emory who contracted swine flu early in the semester. She said Turman South was a good environment to recover from H1N1 because it was “not a hospital, it was like any other dorm.”
While Riordan counts Emory fortunate for having a dorm available for self-isolation, especially for students like Khosa who are unable to go home to recover, Whalen and Rachun both said that UGA is too large a school for a self-isolation dorm to be effective.
“Isolating 100 people like that might make a difference but it wouldn’t be my priority,” Whalen said. He also said that the guidelines for cleanliness should be enough to curb transmission of swine flu.
But while H1N1 has thus far proven less virulent than once feared, complications and questions about seasonal flu and are now being raised.
“The question on my mind,” Whalen said “is whether it’s possible to get H1N1 in September and turn around and get seasonal flu in January.”
This question has administrators taking precautions on the issue of seasonal flu vaccine. Rachun pointed out that getting seasonal flu vaccines too early can render the recipient vulnerable in January and February, the peak time for catching seasonal influenza. Nevertheless, Emory and UGA are strongly encouraging students to get immunized.
“We started [seasonal] flu vaccination today,” Riordan said Tuesday, “We’re saying ‘Come one, come all; get your flu vaccination today.’”
Edited by Lauren Bellamy
Food 2 Kids fights hunger in local schools
Junior League volunteer Beverly Hall packs lunches for the Food 2 Kids program. Food 2 Kids is collecting peanut butter throughout the month of September.by Alison Loughman
Believe it or not, some students do not count down the minutes until the Friday bell strikes.
These students, among the 8,000 at Clarke County Schools receiving free or reduced lunch, face weekends without meals or anyone to prepare a meal for them.
These students, among the 8,000 at Clarke County Schools receiving free or reduced lunch, face weekends without meals or anyone to prepare a meal for them.
Yet thanks to Food 2 Kids, a program from the Junior League of Athens and the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, fewer kids will worry about going hungry on the weekends. Instead, they can channel their time and energy into school on Monday morning.
Counselors, teachers, and nurses identify students as “in need” based on physical signs such as thinness and behavior like hoarding food. These students receive a bag filled with six meals and additional snacks once a week, adding up to a total of 280 meals over the course of 40 weeks, at a cost of $260 each.
Susan Dodson, former president of the Junior League and chairperson of the Food 2 Kids program, brought the idea to her organization in 2008. Members loved it, and since then the number of children receiving meals has jumped from 80 to 250.
The program hit home for Dodson when she worked in the classrooms of her two daughters at Timothy Road Elementary, dealing personally with children in need.
“The idea that any one of these kids that I had grown to love and adore, that they weren’t eating, just really did it for me,” said Dodson.
The items in the bags include Pop-Tarts, ravioli, and peanut butter. The Food Bank requests donations of peanut butter during September, which can be used by kids to make their own sandwiches.
Organizations like UGA’s Athletic Training Club contribute to the Food Bank through canned food drives. The Training Club has collection bins at the Tate Center, Aderhold Hall, Creswell Hall and Myers Hall. The drive, which runs until Sept. 28, hopes to collect 6000 cans of food and add inter-university competition to community service.
“LSU is doing the exact same thing down in Baton Rouge right now,” said Elise King, a senior and president of the Athletic Training Club. “Our goal is to beat them, and have it announced at the football game [at Sanford Stadium on Oct. 3].”
Without donations, Food 2 Kids would be impossible: as the only program the Food Bank pays for, it relies on a $14,000 donation from American Idol’s “Idol Gives Back” fundraiser.
Saundra Arnold-Smith, a counselor who manages Food 2 Kids at Timothy Road Elementary, packs meals in backpacks donated by her church, Chapelwood United Methodist. Arnold-Smith worried that kids would be ashamed to receive help in front of their peers, but saw differently when a fourth grader ate her Food 2 Kids food at lunch.
“I was the only one who knew [that she received Food 2 Kids], and the other kids were so cool about it, even though it didn’t look like their stuff,” said Arnold-Smith. “I know she felt good about that.”
Another student came into class excited to show his teacher the peanut butter sandwich that he had made for himself. Since he received his meals from the school, he had never brought his lunch from home before.
“That’s what we’re finding more and more of: it gives these kids a sense of normalcy and a sense of belonging,” said Tina Laseter, development director of the Food Bank. “When you’re in fourth, fifth grade, that can be really tough.”
The Food Bank has Food 2 Kids donation bins at Grady College, Aderhold Hall and Terrell Hall, which collect peanut butter in September and pop-top ravioli in October.
The Athletic Training Club is also collecting canned food at the Kroger on Barnett Shoals Road Sept. 20 from 1 to 5 p.m.
edited by Elissa Ewald
Students find new ways to save in hard economic times
Brooke Springfield saves money by shopping at Wal-Mart
By William Moore
Faced with the current economic downturn, many students are finding new ways to save money. Many things that were affordable in years past have become luxuries and no longer have a place in the already-tight budget of the average college student.
With prices on the rise, saving money wherever possible is becoming more and more important. Despite gas prices being much lower than in the past few years, the constant cost of filling the tank can add up to a lot. Chris O'Neill, a 21 year-old Athens native has taken to riding a scooter instead of driving a car.
“You get over 125 miles-per-gallon on a scooter,” said O'Neill, “and spend roughly six dollars a week on gas.”
According to O'Neill, the initial cost of a scooter is much cheaper than a car, and if the engine is less than 50 cubic centimeters, you don't have to pay for insurance.
“On top of the great gas mileage, you never have to pay for parking,” said O'Neill. “With a scooter it’s always easy to find a parking place and it’s always a free one.”
For students who are no longer on the UGA meal plan, groceries are a constant source of expenses. To help save money, many students have taken to shopping at Wal-Mart instead of Kroger and are buying generic brand food instead of the name-brand items.
“I used to do all of my grocery shopping at Kroger,” said Brooke Springfield, a third-year Publication Management major from Cartersville, “but now I try to shop at Wal-Mart whenever I can. It’s basically the exact same food but a little bit cheaper. It might not seem like much of a difference, but every little bit counts.”
Similarly, many students are cutting back on luxury goods and services such as premium television and internet packages. In less trying times, expensive cable and internet packages were more affordable, though with money tight, as little as $10 or $15 per month can make a huge difference.
“I recently downgraded my cable package to better fit my budget,” said Kevin Row, a fourth year Psychology major from Atlanta. “It was nice when we had more channels but it made sense now to get a cheaper package. The money I save adds up to over $100 a year.”
Another student similarly cut down on her television package to fit the economy. Sarah Grace Hudspeth, a fourth-year speech therapy major from Watkinsville, removed premium channels from her cable package to reduce the monthly bill.
Even students with mostly pre-determined budgets are finding ways to save money. Living on campus in the dorms with the UGA meal plan sets the budget of many students in stone, but there are still ways to save a few bucks on the side.
“I live in the dorms and am on the meal plan, so I try not to eat out very often,” said Briana Gerdeman, a second-year Journalism and International Affairs major from Duluth, “but when I do go out to eat, I usually get water instead of a soft drink. It doesn't cost anything extra for water, and its better for you anyways.”
Edited By Austin Pratt
Faced with the current economic downturn, many students are finding new ways to save money. Many things that were affordable in years past have become luxuries and no longer have a place in the already-tight budget of the average college student.
With prices on the rise, saving money wherever possible is becoming more and more important. Despite gas prices being much lower than in the past few years, the constant cost of filling the tank can add up to a lot. Chris O'Neill, a 21 year-old Athens native has taken to riding a scooter instead of driving a car.
“You get over 125 miles-per-gallon on a scooter,” said O'Neill, “and spend roughly six dollars a week on gas.”
According to O'Neill, the initial cost of a scooter is much cheaper than a car, and if the engine is less than 50 cubic centimeters, you don't have to pay for insurance.
“On top of the great gas mileage, you never have to pay for parking,” said O'Neill. “With a scooter it’s always easy to find a parking place and it’s always a free one.”
For students who are no longer on the UGA meal plan, groceries are a constant source of expenses. To help save money, many students have taken to shopping at Wal-Mart instead of Kroger and are buying generic brand food instead of the name-brand items.
“I used to do all of my grocery shopping at Kroger,” said Brooke Springfield, a third-year Publication Management major from Cartersville, “but now I try to shop at Wal-Mart whenever I can. It’s basically the exact same food but a little bit cheaper. It might not seem like much of a difference, but every little bit counts.”
Similarly, many students are cutting back on luxury goods and services such as premium television and internet packages. In less trying times, expensive cable and internet packages were more affordable, though with money tight, as little as $10 or $15 per month can make a huge difference.
“I recently downgraded my cable package to better fit my budget,” said Kevin Row, a fourth year Psychology major from Atlanta. “It was nice when we had more channels but it made sense now to get a cheaper package. The money I save adds up to over $100 a year.”
Another student similarly cut down on her television package to fit the economy. Sarah Grace Hudspeth, a fourth-year speech therapy major from Watkinsville, removed premium channels from her cable package to reduce the monthly bill.
Even students with mostly pre-determined budgets are finding ways to save money. Living on campus in the dorms with the UGA meal plan sets the budget of many students in stone, but there are still ways to save a few bucks on the side.
“I live in the dorms and am on the meal plan, so I try not to eat out very often,” said Briana Gerdeman, a second-year Journalism and International Affairs major from Duluth, “but when I do go out to eat, I usually get water instead of a soft drink. It doesn't cost anything extra for water, and its better for you anyways.”
Edited By Austin Pratt
Dry job market sends students to grad school
By ASHLEY STRICKLAND
University of Georgia graduates are returning for graduate school after meeting with meager internship and job offerings over the summer. During the times of the economic downturn, students may be better off staying in school before attempting to enter the real world.
“It has always been challenging for students to find jobs,” Marian Higgins, career consultant and diversity coordinator for the University’s Career Center, said. Higgins said the difficulty for recent graduates securing jobs has increased ever since the economic downturn.
“As career consultants, we are seeing students take an interest in adding certificate programs or professional schools to prolong entering the job market,” Higgins said.
Nearly a year ago, the Atlanta Business Chronicle published a report stating that the University’s graduate school reached a record enrollment of 7,125 students in fall 2008.
“Our application numbers for fall 2009 increased above the numbers for the previous year, but we do see an increase every year,” Krista Haynes, director of graduate admissions and students services for the University’s graduate school, said. No specific numbers for this year’s enrollment were given.
The possibility that employers are turning away recent graduates is alarming for students enrolled in the University as undergraduates and they are turning to their academic advisers for help.
“I have definitely seen an increase in the number of students inquiring about graduate school,” Maria Cooper, academic adviser in the Grady College, said. “I believe this is a direct result of the economy and the poor job market and lack of jobs.”
Students are encouraged now more than ever to pursue specialization that will make them more attractive and competitive in the job market.
Some students do this through certificate programs allowing them to completely master their field of interest. Others are adding courses that are related to their majors to increase their marketable skills.
“When a student asks about graduate school options, I strongly encourage them to look into a variety of different programs to see what interests them the most and what would increase their chances in the stagnant job market,” Cooper said.
“I also inform students that graduate school is not to be taken lightly. It is a lot of work, and they will invest a lot of time into the program, so they need to be sure that they are passionate about the program they choose,” she said.
But what about students who feel it is too late to change their major or specialized field of interest?
“There are jobs out there, this situation just requires more networking,” Higgins said.
Government jobs are always available, and students don’t have to be limited by their major when looking for jobs, Higgins said. And for students considering remaining in the education field, teachers who specialize in math, science or special education are still needed.
Students concerned with finding jobs are encouraged by career consultants to attend one of the many events put on by the Career Center. The Classic Center will be hosting the Fall Career Fair on Sept. 23. At least 130 potential employers seeking interns or full-time applicants are expected to attend and the list covers a broad range of career options.
The Career Center also offers workshops that will cover career choices in various majors. The workshops will cover resume writing, interviewing etiquette, networking and graduate school information.
Students can view the full calendar on the Career Center’s Web site, www.career.uga.edu, or stop by Clark Howell Hall to speak with a career consultant.
Meanwhile, recent graduates are still dealing with economic upheaval.
Olga Herndon, a triple major in cultural anthropology, human geography and global studies, graduated in the spring and has been working odd jobs. She is considering going to grad school, but wants to ride out the economy for now to see how it goes.
“I want to see how scary it is,” Herndon said. “It’s not just the economy, it’s your attitude about the economy.”
Edited by Carey O'NeilIn a difficult economy graduates seek jobs in alternative areas
By SLOANE WIMBERLY
Faced with the economic downturn, recent graduates of the University of Georgia are having trouble finding jobs in their original field of study -- but they aren’t giving up hope. Instead of moving home, some are seeking alternative prospects for their post-graduate time.
Five 2009 graduates have reconsidered their degrees, and a few have found work in unconventional areas. Three are scattered across the United States, and two are working abroad.
Meredith Kaltz, originally from Destin, Fla., graduated with a degree in furnishing and interior design. Last summer Kaltz obtained an internship in Charleston, S.C. with interior design firm, Kathleen Rivers, but was not offered a job after graduation.
“After she told me she couldn't hire me, I knew for sure I should just go to Italy and wait out the recession,” Kaltz said in an e-mail interview.
Kaltz would have liked to move back to Charleston and work for Rivers, but business slowed for the firm this year and she was not hiring.
“The most influential part of my decision making was my determination to get back to Italy, but of course the economy played a huge role too,” Kaltz said.
Kaltz’s parents supported her decision to return to Florence, Italy -- but only if she had a job. A friend of Kaltz’s mother prepared to be an au pair in France for the year, and the idea resonated with Kaltz. She began looking into the possibility.
Kaltz has been in Florence for two weeks, where she lives with a family of four and helps out with their 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. Kaltz also helps out around the house. She said her schedule has been irregular, because the kids’ school has not yet begun and the family has been traveling.
“I'm still interested in interior design or something in that field, so hopefully I can find a job doing that when I get home,” Kaltz said.
She will be in Italy for a year, and while she’s there, she said she would like to meet new people and learn Italian. Kaltz said she hopes the combination may lead her to a job or bring her closer in her search.
Katy Bowers, a recent graduate from Nashville, Tenn., who studied history and political science, always envisioned herself continuing on to law school.
Halfway through her junior year, she found herself focusing more on education. She decided to pursue education law, and began her masters in education policy after graduating.
Bowers then decided to scrap the law degree and try to start teaching. However, she was unable to find any openings for a high school history teacher in Georgia -- she had no experience, no teaching certificate or education degree.
“I have landed at a school in New York by pure chance,” Bowers said.
After unsuccessful searches in Georgia, Bowers decided to go to Terrytown, N.Y. There she did her masters practicum at the Hackley School -- the high school her boyfriend attended. She also took online classes.
New York began as an excuse to visit her boyfriend, but it developed into a job when a teacher resigned last minute, and the school needed a teacher.
“After two days on the job I could not be more excited about where I have landed,” Bowers said. “I absolutely love it!”
Bowers is currently teaching 11th graders at Hackley while she continues her masters studies online. She plans to stay as long as they will have her.
Kate Kotsko, a graduate with a degree in social work, from Michigan, moved to Charlotte, N.C. for a job offer.
“In the back of my head it made a lot of sense to do this- even if wanted to go [in] to social work, it’s very similar,” Kotsko said.
Kotsko got a job with Teach for America. She teaches English as a second language to fourth graders at Albemarle Road Elementary School.
More than 500 children are enrolled in this program. One other Teach for America teacher and four traditional teachers help teach these elementary school kids how to speak English.
Brad Hill, an Atlanta native and social studies education major has been living in Buenos Aires, Argentina for two months teaching English. Hill said the U.S. economy definitely played a roll in his choice to move south, however, he has not escaped economic issues.
“The money situation is kind of problematic,” Hill said. “It’s a nice job, [you] can’t make enough to make money off of it, you can’t sustain a living off of it.”
He primarily teaches English to small groups of adults from specific companies-- he is currently working with someone from Exxon Mobile. Hill’s teaching regime includes audio work, language exercises and conversational work. He said he plans his own lessons.
This was not Hill’s original post college plan.
“I really had no idea, I wanted to take a year off and travel,” Hill said. “I wanted to come down here to absorb another culture and another world.” He said he is not sure how long he will stay in Buenos Aires, but graduate school is next on the list.
Hill said Buenos Aires is very fun, but overwhelming at times. In the future he would like to find a job in human rights and social justice issues.
Claire Rabun, a public relations major and English minor from Macon Ga., is using her University of Georgia degree to paddle the Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyo. She is learning to become a white water rafting guide for Jackson Hole White Water. However, she will not be able to lead any trips by the end of the season, so she is working in their office.
“I looked long and hard for a job” Rabun said. “Nothing worked out.” Rabun said she got a few job offers, but not the ones she had envisioned. The firms she would have liked to work for were on a hiring freeze, so she shifted gears and moved to Wyoming.
“I planned on going directly into the workforce, this worked out for the best, it gave me a chance to figure out where I wanted to go from here, [ and to] get myself together after college” Rabun said.
Rabun may have hit a rapid in the job search, but she has a job interview this week in Nashville, Tenn., with a public relations firm, McNeely Pigott & Fox, who was previously on a hiring freeze. She interned for the firm last summer and said she really enjoyed the work she did with them. Rabun said she is not sure if they will offer her a job, but if they do she will have to decide what is right for her career path, and if there is a way she can make public relations work in Jackson Hole.
Rabun said she has fallen in love with Jackson Hole and ideally she said she would like to find an opportunity within the public relations field there.
Rabun said the economy definitely played a roll in her decision to move to Wyoming. “Only two or three of my friends actually got jobs,” Rabun said. “The economy has been so bad, even out here, the tourism has dropped, [but] it’s starting to turn around.”
Edited by Chelsea Cook
Faced with the economic downturn, recent graduates of the University of Georgia are having trouble finding jobs in their original field of study -- but they aren’t giving up hope. Instead of moving home, some are seeking alternative prospects for their post-graduate time.
Five 2009 graduates have reconsidered their degrees, and a few have found work in unconventional areas. Three are scattered across the United States, and two are working abroad.
Meredith Kaltz, originally from Destin, Fla., graduated with a degree in furnishing and interior design. Last summer Kaltz obtained an internship in Charleston, S.C. with interior design firm, Kathleen Rivers, but was not offered a job after graduation.
“After she told me she couldn't hire me, I knew for sure I should just go to Italy and wait out the recession,” Kaltz said in an e-mail interview.
Kaltz would have liked to move back to Charleston and work for Rivers, but business slowed for the firm this year and she was not hiring.
“The most influential part of my decision making was my determination to get back to Italy, but of course the economy played a huge role too,” Kaltz said.
Kaltz’s parents supported her decision to return to Florence, Italy -- but only if she had a job. A friend of Kaltz’s mother prepared to be an au pair in France for the year, and the idea resonated with Kaltz. She began looking into the possibility.
Kaltz has been in Florence for two weeks, where she lives with a family of four and helps out with their 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. Kaltz also helps out around the house. She said her schedule has been irregular, because the kids’ school has not yet begun and the family has been traveling.
“I'm still interested in interior design or something in that field, so hopefully I can find a job doing that when I get home,” Kaltz said.
She will be in Italy for a year, and while she’s there, she said she would like to meet new people and learn Italian. Kaltz said she hopes the combination may lead her to a job or bring her closer in her search.
Katy Bowers, a recent graduate from Nashville, Tenn., who studied history and political science, always envisioned herself continuing on to law school.
Halfway through her junior year, she found herself focusing more on education. She decided to pursue education law, and began her masters in education policy after graduating.
Bowers then decided to scrap the law degree and try to start teaching. However, she was unable to find any openings for a high school history teacher in Georgia -- she had no experience, no teaching certificate or education degree.
“I have landed at a school in New York by pure chance,” Bowers said.
After unsuccessful searches in Georgia, Bowers decided to go to Terrytown, N.Y. There she did her masters practicum at the Hackley School -- the high school her boyfriend attended. She also took online classes.
New York began as an excuse to visit her boyfriend, but it developed into a job when a teacher resigned last minute, and the school needed a teacher.
“After two days on the job I could not be more excited about where I have landed,” Bowers said. “I absolutely love it!”
Bowers is currently teaching 11th graders at Hackley while she continues her masters studies online. She plans to stay as long as they will have her.
Kate Kotsko, a graduate with a degree in social work, from Michigan, moved to Charlotte, N.C. for a job offer.
“In the back of my head it made a lot of sense to do this- even if wanted to go [in] to social work, it’s very similar,” Kotsko said.
Kotsko got a job with Teach for America. She teaches English as a second language to fourth graders at Albemarle Road Elementary School.
More than 500 children are enrolled in this program. One other Teach for America teacher and four traditional teachers help teach these elementary school kids how to speak English.
Brad Hill, an Atlanta native and social studies education major has been living in Buenos Aires, Argentina for two months teaching English. Hill said the U.S. economy definitely played a roll in his choice to move south, however, he has not escaped economic issues.
“The money situation is kind of problematic,” Hill said. “It’s a nice job, [you] can’t make enough to make money off of it, you can’t sustain a living off of it.”
He primarily teaches English to small groups of adults from specific companies-- he is currently working with someone from Exxon Mobile. Hill’s teaching regime includes audio work, language exercises and conversational work. He said he plans his own lessons.
This was not Hill’s original post college plan.
“I really had no idea, I wanted to take a year off and travel,” Hill said. “I wanted to come down here to absorb another culture and another world.” He said he is not sure how long he will stay in Buenos Aires, but graduate school is next on the list.
Hill said Buenos Aires is very fun, but overwhelming at times. In the future he would like to find a job in human rights and social justice issues.
Claire Rabun, a public relations major and English minor from Macon Ga., is using her University of Georgia degree to paddle the Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyo. She is learning to become a white water rafting guide for Jackson Hole White Water. However, she will not be able to lead any trips by the end of the season, so she is working in their office.
“I looked long and hard for a job” Rabun said. “Nothing worked out.” Rabun said she got a few job offers, but not the ones she had envisioned. The firms she would have liked to work for were on a hiring freeze, so she shifted gears and moved to Wyoming.
“I planned on going directly into the workforce, this worked out for the best, it gave me a chance to figure out where I wanted to go from here, [ and to] get myself together after college” Rabun said.
Rabun may have hit a rapid in the job search, but she has a job interview this week in Nashville, Tenn., with a public relations firm, McNeely Pigott & Fox, who was previously on a hiring freeze. She interned for the firm last summer and said she really enjoyed the work she did with them. Rabun said she is not sure if they will offer her a job, but if they do she will have to decide what is right for her career path, and if there is a way she can make public relations work in Jackson Hole.
Rabun said she has fallen in love with Jackson Hole and ideally she said she would like to find an opportunity within the public relations field there.
Rabun said the economy definitely played a roll in her decision to move to Wyoming. “Only two or three of my friends actually got jobs,” Rabun said. “The economy has been so bad, even out here, the tourism has dropped, [but] it’s starting to turn around.”
Edited by Chelsea Cook
Unemployment rate affects students even before graduation
By CHELSEA COOK
From an economic standpoint, Athens, Ga. is, by definition, the quintessential college town. The university serves as the main economic powerhouse for the county? Check. Population and residency occupants reduce to half during the summer months? Check. Unemployment rates still low, despite the recession? Not so fast.
For July 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an unemployment rate of 7.7 percent for Athens Clarke-County – and while lower than the national average, unemployment in Athens is significantly higher than comparable college towns. Gainesville, Fla., home of the University of Florida, clocked in at 1.9 percent while Charlottesville, Va., home of the University of Virginia, is even lower at 1.4 percent.
As small businesses close their doors and the University’s hiring freeze continues, finding a job in Athens has become a struggle -- and for students, finding a part-time job is even more difficult.
“I think a lot of [part-time] employers think that students who want jobs don’t apply for them out of necessity,” said Walt McGinnis, a junior sociology major from Tucker, Ga. “That’s just not true. I’m not trying to find a job so I can have more of a booze fund, I’m trying to find a job to stop putting my utilities on my credit card.”
McGinnis has applied to 12 employers since June, and has yet to land a part-time position.
Brittney Ferris, a senior early childhood education and family development major from Atlanta said the daycare center where she has worked for two years has stopped hiring students.
“When I first started here, I was one of like four girls who were in my major. They have since quit and I am the only student left,” Ferris said. “A lot of my co-workers are in their 30s and came here after losing their jobs at other pre-schools and daycare centers.”
Ferris also said she doesn’t think the center has intentionally stopped hiring students, but that more experienced adults were applying who were more eligible and had more availability.
Mallory Orr, manager at Pitaya, a clothing store downtown, said this is exactly why she thinks fewer students are getting hired.
“I know what it’s like to take classes and need a job,” said Orr, a senior fashion merchandising major from Winder. “But it’s hard, because although I get way more students who apply, if an [adult] with years of retail experience and a wide-open schedule comes in here, they are obviously the better candidate.”
Amy Scott, hiring manager and banquet director at Trumps Catering downtown, said she has seen an increase in non-student hires over the past two years.
"I think that catering is a respectable job that is flexible, so we have several [applicants] that are over 30, and a lot of them have more than one job," Scott said. Although Scott recognized that these types of applicants may be more eligible, she said wouldn’t necessarily hire them over a qualified student applicant.
Orr also said it is more likely that a post-graduate would hold onto the position for a few years, while hiring a student usually only lasts for a year -- at most.
“It’s just frustrating,” McGinnis said. “How am I supposed to get experience if I can’t get hired? And how do I make myself stand out in a pool of applicants that have so much more experience than I do?”
Orr offered advice to McGinnis and the many other students in his position:
“Be flexible,” she said. “You have no idea how many people fill out their availability [on a job application] and write something like, ‘No Fridays, no game days, Sundays negotiable.’ Are you kidding me? Jobs are hard to find here and everywhere right now, so fight for it. Make sacrifices if you have to.”
- Edited by Sloane Wimberly
From an economic standpoint, Athens, Ga. is, by definition, the quintessential college town. The university serves as the main economic powerhouse for the county? Check. Population and residency occupants reduce to half during the summer months? Check. Unemployment rates still low, despite the recession? Not so fast.
For July 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an unemployment rate of 7.7 percent for Athens Clarke-County – and while lower than the national average, unemployment in Athens is significantly higher than comparable college towns. Gainesville, Fla., home of the University of Florida, clocked in at 1.9 percent while Charlottesville, Va., home of the University of Virginia, is even lower at 1.4 percent.
As small businesses close their doors and the University’s hiring freeze continues, finding a job in Athens has become a struggle -- and for students, finding a part-time job is even more difficult.
“I think a lot of [part-time] employers think that students who want jobs don’t apply for them out of necessity,” said Walt McGinnis, a junior sociology major from Tucker, Ga. “That’s just not true. I’m not trying to find a job so I can have more of a booze fund, I’m trying to find a job to stop putting my utilities on my credit card.”
McGinnis has applied to 12 employers since June, and has yet to land a part-time position.
Brittney Ferris, a senior early childhood education and family development major from Atlanta said the daycare center where she has worked for two years has stopped hiring students.
“When I first started here, I was one of like four girls who were in my major. They have since quit and I am the only student left,” Ferris said. “A lot of my co-workers are in their 30s and came here after losing their jobs at other pre-schools and daycare centers.”
Ferris also said she doesn’t think the center has intentionally stopped hiring students, but that more experienced adults were applying who were more eligible and had more availability.
Mallory Orr, manager at Pitaya, a clothing store downtown, said this is exactly why she thinks fewer students are getting hired.
“I know what it’s like to take classes and need a job,” said Orr, a senior fashion merchandising major from Winder. “But it’s hard, because although I get way more students who apply, if an [adult] with years of retail experience and a wide-open schedule comes in here, they are obviously the better candidate.”
Amy Scott, hiring manager and banquet director at Trumps Catering downtown, said she has seen an increase in non-student hires over the past two years.
"I think that catering is a respectable job that is flexible, so we have several [applicants] that are over 30, and a lot of them have more than one job," Scott said. Although Scott recognized that these types of applicants may be more eligible, she said wouldn’t necessarily hire them over a qualified student applicant.
Orr also said it is more likely that a post-graduate would hold onto the position for a few years, while hiring a student usually only lasts for a year -- at most.
“It’s just frustrating,” McGinnis said. “How am I supposed to get experience if I can’t get hired? And how do I make myself stand out in a pool of applicants that have so much more experience than I do?”
Orr offered advice to McGinnis and the many other students in his position:
“Be flexible,” she said. “You have no idea how many people fill out their availability [on a job application] and write something like, ‘No Fridays, no game days, Sundays negotiable.’ Are you kidding me? Jobs are hard to find here and everywhere right now, so fight for it. Make sacrifices if you have to.”
- Edited by Sloane Wimberly
Good will measured in meters
This meter, one of four in downtown Athens, encourages donations that will go toward helping the city's homeless
By Robert Carnes
"A donation here will provide help for the homeless. Please do not give cash to panhandlers.”
Four signs bearing these words hang from four parking-meter type devices in downtown Athens. Distinguished from the nearly 750 downtown parking meters by their newly painted red heads, these meters collectively generate nearly $700 in donations annually.
All revenue collected in the meters is given to the Northeast Georgia Homeless Coalition, a group of organizations united to combat the effects of homelessness. They spend the money on bus passes for the homeless, since receiving help or finding employment can be especially difficult without reliable transportation.
“The meters act as another option to people who would rather not give money directly to people on the street,” said Ed Moore, the chair of the Homeless Coalition. “They never produce much money, but what there is goes to meet a specific need.”
All four of the meters are located on College Avenue between Broad and Clayton streets. Installed by the Athens Downtown Development Authority about 10 years ago, these meters do more than just gather money. They spread a message.
“We’re always grateful to get the money, but it is more important to educate people about the presence of organizations that help the homeless,” said Katherine Lookofsky, director of the Athens Downtown Development Authority. “The biggest thing is getting their names out there and knowing that there is an alternative to just handing cash to panhandlers.”
By giving downtown patrons this alternative, the meters promote a more organized way to donate.
“Money given directly to individual panhandlers could be abused,” Lookofsky said. “Instead, we provide an alternative to give to organizations that can spend the money more effectively.”
However, not everyone shares the opinion that these meters have a positive impact on the homeless.
“I don’t know anyone who has seen a cent of that money,” said Michael, a local schoolteacher who plays guitar on a downtown street corner to earn extra money. Although not homeless himself, he has dealt with many homeless people though his experiences downtown.
“You’re better off buying them some bananas or a burger, or something that they can actually use,” said Michael. “I just don’t think they give back enough to the people who really need it.”
Michael has needs of his own and a family to look after. “Now we can eat tonight,” he said, looking at the cash gathered in the open guitar case at his feet. “The economy’s tough and we’ve all got to get by any way we can.”
As a student at the University of Georgia, Jordon Robinson, a senior from Alpharetta, Ga. agrees.
“Every little bit helps, but you can’t get rid of poverty altogether,” she said. “I would almost rather give money directly to a person in need because you can look them in the eye and see the gratitude.”
On each donation meter is a card with the addresses of several other local Homeless Coalition organizations that provide food, shelter, clothing, employment opportunities, and medical attention.
One such organization is the Homeless Day Service Center where Moore also works as a case manager. Located at 375 S. Peter St., the center provides the homeless with access to showers, washers and driers, telephones and other resources. Case managers work one-on-one to give counsel and special attention to those in need.
Edited by Alison Loughman
Work-Study Program Grows In Popularity
By Carey O'Neil
University of Georgia student Ashley Bene doesn't mind juggling school and work. Since both her parents lost their jobs, she does as much as she can to help out.
“It's tiring, but you get used to it,” she said. “I'm a little crazy, like the Energizer Bunny, I guess.”
Bene, a junior from Woodstock, said she does her best to stay positive.
“That's all you can do,” she said. “If you beat yourself up about it then you just go crazy.”
She begins her day at 7:30 a.m., then bounces between classes and work until walking home around 6:30 p.m.
Bene is a member of the University's Federal Work-Study Program, which has been increasingly
popular as unemployment rates have increased.
Sherryl Fern, federal work-study coordinator for the University, said work-study positions are all most likely filled.
Fern said students must apply to be eligible for work-study jobs. After applications are submitted, Fern's office determines which students receive admission to the program, then allows them to apply for jobs through a Web site similar to Monster.com.
Fern said this semester, all of the work-study program money was applied for by April 6.
“It ran out a little earlier this year than last year,” she said. “It could be a combination of more people applying and more people applying early.”
Bene has been in the program for several years working at the library on the Georgia Newspaper Project converting newspapers to microfilm.
While the job isn't the most exciting, Bene said she enjoys the people and is happy to be working.
“If that's what I need to do to go to UGA I'll make it work,” she said.
Lucille Davis, student assistant coordinator for the libraries, hires work-study students. Because the federal government pays 75 percent of work-study students’ wages, Davis said her department has been taking advantage of the money.
“This year we're hiring more student workers than we ever have,” she said. “We're right at about 31, 32 students. There are a couple more that we're waiting on.”
The library is just one of 65 departments taking advantage of the work-study program, Fern said. Although most students work as office assistants, Fern said a few lucky ones get more interesting jobs.
“We have a couple of jobs through poultry diagnostics, and there's one job where they feed the animals,” she said.
It is also possible for students to work as lab assistants, and this semester there was an opening at the University Health Center in the dental lab.
Most students in the program are paid the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour and are eligible to earn up to $1,500 a semester. To earn the full amount, the average student would have to work nearly 14 hours weekly.
Holly Getchell, director of employer relations for the University Career Center, said her office has gotten mixed messages about student looking for jobs.
"We had a part-time job fair in August and that attendance was amazing," she said. "We've had other events, just things like our regular walk in hours, and the numbers from that have been basically the same or even less than what we would expect."
Although the Career Center has been getting mixed messages, Getchell said the career fair on Sept. 23 will clearly indicate how many students are worried about jobs.
Bene said she feels lucky to already have a job. She said she finds her school work schedule almost relaxing compared to the summer, when she worked two jobs for around 50 hours a week.
“I get one day off when I go home, so that's my summer,” she said. “It hasn't given me much room to breathe.”
Bene said she doesn't mind the work, especially when student debt is her only alternative. With a little brother starting college the year after she graduates, she said she does what she can to be frugal.
“It's not a good time to be in my family,” she said, “but we always work it out and figure it out and we're always fine.”
University of Georgia student Ashley Bene doesn't mind juggling school and work. Since both her parents lost their jobs, she does as much as she can to help out.
“It's tiring, but you get used to it,” she said. “I'm a little crazy, like the Energizer Bunny, I guess.”
Bene, a junior from Woodstock, said she does her best to stay positive.
“That's all you can do,” she said. “If you beat yourself up about it then you just go crazy.”
She begins her day at 7:30 a.m., then bounces between classes and work until walking home around 6:30 p.m.
Bene is a member of the University's Federal Work-Study Program, which has been increasingly
popular as unemployment rates have increased.
Sherryl Fern, federal work-study coordinator for the University, said work-study positions are all most likely filled.
Fern said students must apply to be eligible for work-study jobs. After applications are submitted, Fern's office determines which students receive admission to the program, then allows them to apply for jobs through a Web site similar to Monster.com.
Fern said this semester, all of the work-study program money was applied for by April 6.
“It ran out a little earlier this year than last year,” she said. “It could be a combination of more people applying and more people applying early.”
Bene has been in the program for several years working at the library on the Georgia Newspaper Project converting newspapers to microfilm.
While the job isn't the most exciting, Bene said she enjoys the people and is happy to be working.
“If that's what I need to do to go to UGA I'll make it work,” she said.
Lucille Davis, student assistant coordinator for the libraries, hires work-study students. Because the federal government pays 75 percent of work-study students’ wages, Davis said her department has been taking advantage of the money.
“This year we're hiring more student workers than we ever have,” she said. “We're right at about 31, 32 students. There are a couple more that we're waiting on.”
The library is just one of 65 departments taking advantage of the work-study program, Fern said. Although most students work as office assistants, Fern said a few lucky ones get more interesting jobs.
“We have a couple of jobs through poultry diagnostics, and there's one job where they feed the animals,” she said.
It is also possible for students to work as lab assistants, and this semester there was an opening at the University Health Center in the dental lab.
Most students in the program are paid the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour and are eligible to earn up to $1,500 a semester. To earn the full amount, the average student would have to work nearly 14 hours weekly.
Holly Getchell, director of employer relations for the University Career Center, said her office has gotten mixed messages about student looking for jobs.
"We had a part-time job fair in August and that attendance was amazing," she said. "We've had other events, just things like our regular walk in hours, and the numbers from that have been basically the same or even less than what we would expect."
Although the Career Center has been getting mixed messages, Getchell said the career fair on Sept. 23 will clearly indicate how many students are worried about jobs.
Bene said she feels lucky to already have a job. She said she finds her school work schedule almost relaxing compared to the summer, when she worked two jobs for around 50 hours a week.
“I get one day off when I go home, so that's my summer,” she said. “It hasn't given me much room to breathe.”
Bene said she doesn't mind the work, especially when student debt is her only alternative. With a little brother starting college the year after she graduates, she said she does what she can to be frugal.
“It's not a good time to be in my family,” she said, “but we always work it out and figure it out and we're always fine.”
Edited by Ashley Strickland
Local baby store finds success despite economic downturn.
By Austin Pratt
Competing against giants like Wal-Mart and Target may seem like a daunting task, but a baby store in a small shopping plaza has found its niche.
Rattles and Rhymes, located at 112 Athens West Parkway, has grown into one of the largest baby stores in Northeast Georgia. The store was opened by Maxine Guerrera in 2002 after she saw the need for a baby store in Athens, according to store manager Christi Morris. Guerrera was unavailable for comment on this story.
Morris said the store has tripled in size since it opened and is considered one of the largest baby stores in Northeast Georgia both physically and financially.
“Our customers were asking for products we didn’t carry when we first opened,” Morris said. “So, being the only real baby store in Athens, it made sense for us to bring in more products and expand the store size.”
Like many businesses in the current economic situation, Rattles and Rhymes has earned less this year than it has in previous years. However, according to Morris, business has been affected only slightly.
“A baby is one thing you can’t postpone,” Morris said. “If you’re having a baby you will need to buy the products to take care of it and prepare for it. So, our customers are prepared for the economy.”
Morris believes that Rattles and Rhymes still finds success during the downturn in the economy because of the relationship they have with customers and the knowledge they possess concerning the store’s products.
“Most big retail stores have employees selling products that are just regular 9-5 type workers,” Morris said. “The difference with our employees is that we are very comfortable with our product and what it has to offer. We want a relationship with our customers because we really do care.”
Christopher Hanks, entrepreneurship director at the Terry College of Business, believes that the key to a successful business is the ability to adapt to new situations and not make excuses during tougher times.
“You want to play the cards you’re dealt,” Hanks said. “To have success, there should at least be one thing the business offers that is compelling, provocative, and that makes it unique. You never want to be a ‘me too’ business.”
Hanks refers to a quote by Jack Welch, former CEO and Chairman of General Electric, when it comes to running a business, “if you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.”
With a large product selection, employees with knowledge about the items they carry, and a strong desire to build a relationship with their customers, Rattles and Rhymes has found a competitive advantage.
It also helps that Rattles and Rhymes is the only real baby store in Athens.
Maura Snow, mother of two, has been coming to Rattles and Rhymes since she became pregnant with her first child three years ago. She said that she really loved the look of the store and was fully prepared for her baby after shopping there.
“I come here because they have almost everything I need,” Snow said. “This store is basically a one stop shop for me.”
Julie Fitzgibbons, mother of one, has recommended Rattles and Rhymes to many of her friends after having great experiences as a customer in the store.
“The employees there really do their best to take care of you,” Fitzgibbons said. “The focus was always on me, my satisfaction, and anything they could do to make that time in my life as easy as possible.”
Competing against giants like Wal-Mart and Target may seem like a daunting task, but a baby store in a small shopping plaza has found its niche.
Rattles and Rhymes, located at 112 Athens West Parkway, has grown into one of the largest baby stores in Northeast Georgia. The store was opened by Maxine Guerrera in 2002 after she saw the need for a baby store in Athens, according to store manager Christi Morris. Guerrera was unavailable for comment on this story.
Morris said the store has tripled in size since it opened and is considered one of the largest baby stores in Northeast Georgia both physically and financially.
“Our customers were asking for products we didn’t carry when we first opened,” Morris said. “So, being the only real baby store in Athens, it made sense for us to bring in more products and expand the store size.”
Like many businesses in the current economic situation, Rattles and Rhymes has earned less this year than it has in previous years. However, according to Morris, business has been affected only slightly.
“A baby is one thing you can’t postpone,” Morris said. “If you’re having a baby you will need to buy the products to take care of it and prepare for it. So, our customers are prepared for the economy.”
Morris believes that Rattles and Rhymes still finds success during the downturn in the economy because of the relationship they have with customers and the knowledge they possess concerning the store’s products.
“Most big retail stores have employees selling products that are just regular 9-5 type workers,” Morris said. “The difference with our employees is that we are very comfortable with our product and what it has to offer. We want a relationship with our customers because we really do care.”
Christopher Hanks, entrepreneurship director at the Terry College of Business, believes that the key to a successful business is the ability to adapt to new situations and not make excuses during tougher times.
“You want to play the cards you’re dealt,” Hanks said. “To have success, there should at least be one thing the business offers that is compelling, provocative, and that makes it unique. You never want to be a ‘me too’ business.”
Hanks refers to a quote by Jack Welch, former CEO and Chairman of General Electric, when it comes to running a business, “if you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.”
With a large product selection, employees with knowledge about the items they carry, and a strong desire to build a relationship with their customers, Rattles and Rhymes has found a competitive advantage.
It also helps that Rattles and Rhymes is the only real baby store in Athens.
Maura Snow, mother of two, has been coming to Rattles and Rhymes since she became pregnant with her first child three years ago. She said that she really loved the look of the store and was fully prepared for her baby after shopping there.
“I come here because they have almost everything I need,” Snow said. “This store is basically a one stop shop for me.”
Julie Fitzgibbons, mother of one, has recommended Rattles and Rhymes to many of her friends after having great experiences as a customer in the store.
“The employees there really do their best to take care of you,” Fitzgibbons said. “The focus was always on me, my satisfaction, and anything they could do to make that time in my life as easy as possible.”
Edited by William Moore
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