Features on the Outlook and Options for the Class of '09

It's a high anxiety time for seniors on college campuses across America. With the U.S. Department of Labor reporting that the unemployment rate has spiked to 7.6 percent, or a 16-year high, economic analysts continue to project a bleak employment outlook for the class of 2009.

Dr. Phil Gardner, director of the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University, writes in the current edition of THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine, recruitment of new college graduates was already cooling off in the fall.

"Companies [were] still seeking to fill a number of positions and [had] a busy fall on many campuses," Dr. Gardner reported in his feature The Outlook for the Class of '09. But, he went on to warn, "Do not expect the same level of intensity during the second semester, however, as employers will be more likely to be very cautious as they monitor economic conditions."

This semester, the recruitment situation seems downright chilly in many corners of the stumbling economy.

So, what are concerned students to do? This is the question we take up in a couple of interrelated feature articles recently posted on THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online.

As Walter Vertreace argues in How to Find Your Dream Job In a Nightmare Economy, "The process you would use to target your job search and evaluate opportunities in a stronger economy will still work today."

Researching companies, reviewing company websites and government sources, noting "top companies" lists, networking with knowledgeable professors, alumni and company employees in your network -- the same rules and tools still apply. Finding a job in today's market requires the same diligence, smarts and legwork as in better times, only augmented.

It's not always easy for jobseekers to meet and nail down knowledgeable employees of potential hiring organizations to ask their advice. In an extended online feature, Job Outlook for the Class of '09: Recruiters' Messages, we invited several recruiters from major employer organizations to share their frank advice for those seeking to enter the job market amidst today's harsh economic realities. An online-only companion to Dr. Gardner's feature, the real-world advice column will be updated on a rolling basis this semester with new contributions, many of which are being contributed by representatives of companies participating in our second semester Virtual Diversity Career Fair, an event for companies still actively hiring entry-level candidates up until graduation.

For other soon-to-be-grads, the difficulty of finding a job and the desire to be more strongly positioned for career with an advanced degree, making a direct move to apply to graduate schools is an increasingly attractive option.

As Catherine Cannon reports in a video piece for VoA News this month (Video: College Graduate Job Outlook (in streaming Windows Media Format), directors of college career offices are anticipating seeing more of their newly minted graduates head straight for graduate programs rather than get their feet wet in an entry-level employment opportunity. The current edition of THE BLACK COLLEGIAN features a special section for prospective Graduate and Professional school students -- what we're calling "a bit of an appetizer" introducing a new publication, "Diversifying Graduate and Professional Schools" to launch later this year.

For college seniors especially who have not yet found employment, we encourage you to review these features in our magazine at your campus career center, or on our website. You may preregister now for our career fair, which will be co-presented this year by the IMDiversity.com Career Center and Black College Wire, as well as post a searchable resume.

SuperScholar/EXCEL at XU Accepting Applications

NEW ORLEANS - The Xavier University SuperScholar/EXCEL program returns to the campus this summer June 21- July 18, 2009. The four-week summer program, which prepares African American students for college and ultimately for graduate or professional school, is currently accepting applications.

Students are required to live on campus and also participate in social and cultural events. Extracurricular highlights include the Essence Festival, a steamboat cruise and a talent/fashion show. The total cost of the program is $1950; merit scholarships up to $1550 are available.

To participate in Xavier's SuperScholar/EXCEL summer program, students should be high school seniors in the fall of 2009 or graduating seniors who have been admitted to Xavier for the fall. Applicants are encouraged to apply by March 15.

For full details, see the complete release SuperScholar/EXCEL at XU Accepting Applications.

Scholarship Deadline March 1: Chemistry Majors

African-American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian students who are high school seniors, or college freshmen, sophomores or juniors are among those who can now apply for a scholarship from the American Chemical Society Scholars Program. Applications will be accepted through March 1, 2009, for the 2009-2010 school year.

Students must plan to major in or already be majoring in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering or a chemically-related science, and they must plan to pursue a career in the chemical sciences. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on college level and economic need.

For full description, see the full release, ACS Scholars Program Accepting Applications for Minority Students Studying Chemistry.

Added: African-American History Month Contest

It's back! Our annual African-American History 101 Contest!

Readers are invited to take our African-American History 101 Pop Quiz, and possibly win $50.00 cash and be named THE BLACK COLLEGIAN's African-American History Scholar on your campus. Winners are announced along with their photo on THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online!

Entering is easy: Contestants must be currently enrolled in a four-year university. Simply email us using the link at the bottom of the Quiz with the correct answers, along with your name, address, phone number and the name of your university. Be the first one from your school to score 100 percent on the quiz, and you win! Winners will be notified by email.

The deadline for this year's contest is March 9, 2009.

Think you know your stuff? Try the African-American History 101 Pop Quiz now.

THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Second Semester Super Issue

We're pleased to announce the release of THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine Second Semester 2009 Super Issue - the Top 100 Employers / African-American History Month Issue!

Online previews of the magazine features will be released at THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online throughout the month, as well as extra and extended, online-only features. Highlights include:

• TOP 100 Employers for the Class of 2009
• Job Outlook for the Class of ‘09
• African-American History 101 Contest
• Barack Obama: The Making of the President 2008
• How to Find Your Dream Job In a Nightmare Economy
• Living Beyond the Dream - 40 Years After Dr. King
• Diversifying Graduate and Professional School
• Career and Life Management Plan: Why Include Graduate School?

The magazine is distributed through Career Services offices on college campuses nationwide. Ask for your copy in February.

New Section: Xtra Video & Media

THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online editors are pleased to introduce a new feature, Xtra Video and Media, highlighting original videos or multimedia pieces contributed by our readers.

Want to see your original video featured on THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online? Visit the section to view our inaugural submissions and share your own original clips showing your talent, passion or hobby, your campus and friends, your life as a collegian.

Election Night Results and Protection section

The editors have been working on posting the Election Night Results and Protection section at our sister-site, IMDiversity.com, whittling down the crazy array of info out there to compile live coverage streams, a shortlist of places to locate coverage, as well as a detailed section of resources (some ethnic- or language-specific) for identifying, reporting, and getting assistance confronting any voter intimidation, obstruction or other problems today.

Anyone who encounters voter obstruction is encouraged to consult the section, and/or to contact 1-866-OUR-VOTE (English), 800-966-5946 (Multingual Asian), or 1-888-Ve-y-Vota (Spanish), as well as the US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Voting SectionCall 202-307-2767 or toll-free at 800-253-3931.

New Features: Students & the Shaky Economy

Everybody's talking about it. But how does today's shaky economy affect students?

From our Campus & Student section, two timely new features zero in on the problem of shrinking dollars in the face of the rising costs of being a student.

Campus and the Economy: How Wall Street Woes Impact You
You're getting back to the books and may be buried in the fervor of a still-fresh semester. But when you come up for air, you're likely to find that Wall Street's woes extend to campus corridors. How so, and what you can do to survive what may be a rough ride?

Rising College Costs - It is a Presidential Campaign Issue!
It's not just the
economy that tops voters' concerns. The rising cost of college is a critical,
yet largely overlooked issue for voters this election, according to a new
National Education Association (NEA)/Project New West survey.

Updates to Mother Lode of Career Opportunities and Contest

The staff has updated the extended online edition our Mother Lode of Career Opportunities feature following the submission of information by scores of new employers who told us they are offering opportunities to entry-level candidates.

In addition, the online edition of the Mother Lode, announced last month in our First Semester 2008 Super Issue, features an expanded section of advice letters from Career Directors at some of America's leading universities.

Not only can visitors to the Mother Lode find a comprehensive collection of entry-level opportunities with employers of all types and sizes, but afterward enter our contest to win a free AKB-220, the water-resistant, flexible, and dust and contaminant proof take-anywhere keyboard from Adesso.

So stop by and explore the newest batch of employers who said they are actively recruiting seniors and recent graduates, and some who are are also recruiting interns. New employers are being added on more or less a weekly basis!

CNN Reports: Colin Powell endorses Obama

CNN is reporting that "Former Secretary of State Colin Powell announced Sunday that he will be voting for Sen. Barack Obama, citing the Democrat's 'ability to inspire' and the 'inclusive nature of his campaign.'

"I think he is a transformational figure, he is a new generation coming
onto the world stage, onto the American stage, and for that reason I'll be
voting for Sen. Barack Obama," Powell said on NBC's Meet the
Press.

"Powell said he was concerned about what he characterized as a recent
negative turn of Republican candidate Sen. John McCain's campaign, such as the
campaign's attempts to tie Obama to former 1960s radical Bill Ayers.

"'I think that's inappropriate. I understand what politics is about --
I know how you can go after one another, and that's good. But I think this goes
too far, and I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's
not what the American people are looking for,' he said."

Read the full report on CNN: Colin Powell endorses Obama

Online Preview: First Semester Super Issue 2008

We are pleased to announce that we've kicked off the online preview of the Career Planning & Job Search Issue of THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine, available on college campuses nationwide this semester.

Featuring the annual Top 100 Ideal Employers Among Diverse Students, the edition has several articles designed to help seniors optimize their job searches in a tough economy. Some of these provide expert advice on all stages of the Senior Year Job Search Calendar from preparing for the on-campus interview to understanding how to work a career fair to determining how and why to apply to grad school. Among the articles posted today are some extended versions of the magazine features.

Readers can visit our homepage at www.blackcollegian.com to view the current Monthly Issue Highlights, which include:

• Publisher's Message
• Barack Obama: Not a Sudden Miracle or Simple Twist of Fate
• Got Purpose? Got Passion?
• How to Work a Career Fair
• Study Abroad: Your Opportunity to Discover the World
• Question: How to Break into the CIA? Answer: Get an Internship
• Job Search Calendar for Senior Year

Online-only homepage features posted for the weekend also include Kam Williams' interview with Spike Lee, with a trailer of Lee's new film, The Miracle at St. Anna, and a review of the cool take-anywhere, flexible and water-resistant AKB-220 computer keyboard by Adesso, which we'll be giving away in a contest this month.

Additional features from the maagzine will be posted throughout this week and into the semester, so stop back.

Announcement: THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online Poetry Workshop

Calling all student poets and rappers!

The editors invite you to submit your original, unpublished works for our new feature, THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online Poetry Workshop!

We are pleased to offer this feature after receiving so many inquiries from aspiring and published student poets throughout the years, and encourage you to view the works of the creative writers who contributed to the feature for its launch this summer, including:

Ronald P. Clark
8-Trak
Rob Hill
Alisha Jones
Aeryn Davis-Batiste
Shekelia Baccus
Terentius Booker

Have good work to share? Contact us at the workshop!

Obama's Energy Plan

Although this link is a couple months old, but covers current questions recently raised about Obama's longstanding work toward American energy independence.  It seems that Obama's Presidency may loosen the vise-grip that the "military/oil/industrial complex" has held on our nation's leadership for generations.  In short, Obama's vision may best improve foreign policy in trade and war, while addressing gas prices, and global warming.  

Obama and Maliki, see "Eye to Eye"

Obama's exemplary leadership shines as he visits Afghanistan and Iraq.   Recent meetings with President Talabani of Afghanistan, and Prime Minister Maliki of Iraq, as well as General Petreaus, demonstrate a preparedness to fulfill his anticipated role as Commander in Chief.  

Obama Watch: Online Resources

The Official Obama08 Website…
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php

Click here to join “the largest grassroots movement in the history of politics, OBAMA ’08.” This is the “Official Obama ‘08” website. You can join for e-mail blasts, and find news, blogs, and issues our Presidential hopeful is facing day to day. Although this site isn’t “cutting edge” it does feature a map to help you connect to local and national grassroots events, giving voters a unique opportunity to get more involved in the political process and help shape the future of political platforms. Our voices must be heard!

Obama Watch: National Security

My Plan for Iraq – by Obama
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/opinion/14obama.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin
This New York Times article gives Obama’s views and plans for resolving the ongoing War in Iraq. Obama’s approach is uncompromising, humanitarian, compassionate and well thought out. This is leadership, not a front for backroom business deals or coded pseudo-nationalistic rhetoric. We may finally have a leader as President.

Curious about Obama’s plans for National Security?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/16/AR2008071602695.html

Obama addresses National Security…
Senator Obama addressed through ads and campaign announcements outlining some of his vision for addressing issues of National Security. His ideas for Change we can believe in included… “a cybernuclear proliferation with outline of planned policies and approaches to

Obama Watch: Can Obama unify Americans and the World?

Can Obama unify Americans and the World?
http://www.ebonyjet.com/politics/national/index.aspx?id=8617

Senator Obama travels to Europe this month, to garnish and anchor international support for his 2008 Presidential Campaign. It seems that resistance to his inevitable leadership is most consistently based on a racially charged resentment. On the other hand, support for Obama seems both because of and in spite of race. Obama’s support seems consistently led by those who are “thinkers” embracing a global-world-village. It seems that humanity across national and cultural borders, are all poised and ready for the overdue eradication of assumed “white” privilege and superiority. Change is in the air…

Obama Watch: TASTELESS CARICATURE (The New Yorker)…

TASTELESS CARICATURE (The New Yorker)…
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080714/pl_politico/11719

How much does RACE factor into the Presidential Election?

Magazine portrayals of Presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama, clearly convey the polarizing and inherent sentiments stirred by American race consciousness.

The Associated Press and Obama’s spokesman slam the New Yorker’s “Tasteless and Offensive” portrayal of Senator Obama in a turban “bumping fist” with his wife donning not only an exaggerated Afro, but fatigues and an M-16 slung across her shoulder. Caricatures have always had their place in political satire, but where is the line drawn? How might race shape the expectations, perceptions, and reactions of all Americans? Only time will tell… but it seems that Obama’s Presidency would shed light on a lot of America’s covert and overtly racist sentiments.

Obama Watch 7-10

United for Change
http://my.barackobama.com/ufcvideo
This short but sensitive video, demonstrates the need for people to come together, black, white, young, and old. In United for Change, people are coming together as neighbors and communities, those who all agree that there is an urgent need for change in our nation. Senator Barak Obama clearly represents change and thus hope for unity. His approach to government and the numerous issues we face, have remained focused on the interests and needs of the people. In this particular video, we get a heartwarming introduction to the spirit of change that people are pursuing in their support of Obama. Although, this video as many others doesn’t offer detailed information on his policies, accomplishments, or goals for the Presidency, it does convey the unity that his Presidency promises for our nation. Unity is the hope that this nation is in urgent need of, and Obama represents that hope for positive change.


Star Jones' Response To Bill O'Reilly's Racist Comment
http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2008/02/26/open-letter-star-jones-checks-bill-o-reilly-s-racist-remark/
Star Jones – slams Bill O’Reilly for using the terms “lynching” and “party” in the same sentence, while referring to the “next First-Lady” Michelle Obama. Bill O’Reilly apparently “hung himself” by trying to make an analogy between his use of lynching and Justice Clarence Thomas’ use of the term during his confirmation hearings. Star successfully challenges the inherent assumption of entitlement, lack luster excuse of an apology, and the threatening and apparently threatened posture of some Americans who apparently still believe that the American dream still has no room for real equity for all people…. GO get ‘em Star!

Democratic Party Hosts Platform Meetings….
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/listening/
Democratic Platform Meetings are being held from July 19 to July 27, everyday Americans will be hosting Platform Meetings across the country. This is a long overdue opportunity for everyday people to shape the Democratic Party’s platform by shaping what issues are in the forefront. Formerly, this seemed reserved for major campaign contributors, organizations, and political pioneers. This is already an indicator of positive CHANGE… something Senator Obama’s campaign seems poised to promise and deliver.

Dr. Sidney A. Ribeau Named 16th President of Howard University

Washington, D.C., (May 7, 2008)—Sidney A. Ribeau, Ph.D., has been named President of Howard University, one of 48 private doctoral/research intensive universities in the United States, the University’s Board of Trustees announced today. He was the unanimous choice of the University’s Trustees. Dr. Ribeau becomes the 16th president of the nation’s premier historically black institution of higher learning.

Dr. Ribeau has been President of Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, for 13 years. At the University he initiated a number of successful, innovative, values-based initiatives that provide students with an academic environment that develops culturally literate, technologically sophisticated, productive citizens.

See full release at Howard University site.