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Show Page 5 ^Wednesday, April 27, 2005 FEATURES Gracfoaf/on Graduates discuss money expectations By LON HATCH correspondent | The Signpost This May, thousands of Weber State University students will graduate and take their turn on the job market, each of them looking for that golden career position that will pay them what they want to earn. "I'm expecting to make around $25,000 a year at myfirstjob," said WSU student Lisa Schultz, who is studying to be a social worker. "That's just starting out." WSU student Billy Bommer has even higher aspirations. "I'd like to be in the $40,000-to$50,000 range when I graduate," said Bommer, who is studying at WSU to become a radio producer. J.T. Soter, WSU student studying athletic training, expects even greater dividends. "I expect to make $60,000 to $80,000 a year," Soter said. "Is that reasonable? Is that too much too ask?" Steve Bagley, WSU student who plans to study law, said he hopes to be an in-house attorney for motion picture corporations like MGM or Universal. He expects to earn anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000. "One of my good friends is an in-house lawyer for General Electric," Bagley said. "He was instrumental in a large deal they made and received a six-digit bonus afterwards." Although many people look at potential earnings as a source decided to substitute-teach at an of inspiration, some students elementary school," Peirce said. "I never consider how many zeros did it for a few days, and by the end will appear on their paychecks; I hated it. I didn't want to deal with they only consider how much other people's kids, and I didn't they'll enjoy the work. want to bring work home. I want "I honestly never considered to have time for my family, which the money; I was just thinking is why I decided to study nursing." about my future family," said Another important issue to Karyn Peirce, a nursing student consider is how much gender at WSU. Peirce was planning on plays into the potential earnings studying .to become a teacher equation. but had an experience early on "Right now I am not sure what that changed her mind. I am going to make," said Rachael "I was just starting college and , Hansen, aWSU freshman studying marketing in the hopes of one day owning her own business. "I am doing a research paper currently on how women are paid less than men. I found out that in Utah women only make 70 cents for every dollar that men make." Parade Magazine publishes an annual survey of what people earn in the United States. Hansen's findings for women's salaries in Utah mirror Parade's finding for the nation. According to Parade, in 2004 the weekly median salary for U.S. workers was $638. The median salary for men was $713; the median for women, a much lower $573. When starting a business, it is said that the three secrets are location, location and location. Selling oneself in the job market seems to be no different because location, more often than not, is a huge determining factor of the size of people's checks. "I'm definitely open to leaving Utah," said David Hancock, a WSU student preparing to enter law school. "Lawyers here don't make much. It is such a competitive market in Utah with both the U of U and BYU. There are a lot of graduates for very few jobs." Along with lawyers, construction workers make less money working in the Beehive State when compared with others. "1 probably won't stay in Utah," said Adam Griffin, who is studying construction management at WSU. "People in California make more than people in Utah. What you make depends on where you go." According to Parade, the 2004 graduating class entered a more welcoming job market than those who graduated in 2003. For 2005 graduates, the market is even better. Parade reports that employers will increase hiring this year by 13 percent with a majority planning on raising starting salaries as well, which is good news for students hoping to make their salary goals. You can leave a message for reporter Lon Hatch by calling 626-762 /. Graduates reflect on Honor Award is campus college experience alternative to dean's list recently quit his job at a call center to free up more time to concentrate on schoohvork and graduating. "The last few weeks have Graduation day. In the been so hectic," Bake said. "The beginning of the college relief of being done is going to experience it is an unforeseeable be really nice, but at the same day that will never come, but for time it is also going to be really the 2,119 Weber State University scary." students who are graduating Bake, like many graduating this semester, it is just around seniors, is unsure of what the the corner. future holds for them. The "You have no idea how good choice to pursue a graduate it is to finally be done," said degree or find a career is one WSU graduating senior Chad most every graduate is faced Bake. Bake has attended three with after commencement. colleges; he started his college "I might go on to try and get experience five years ago at a master's degree or apply to law the University of Utah, then school," Bake said. "Or, I might went to Salt Lake Community just get a job." College, and decided to finish Porter Williams started at at WSU. WSU four, .years ago and is "Weber had everything I was graduating with a musical looking for, so about a year and theatre degree and a minor in a half ago 1 transferred here anthropology. He is eager to and began working towards graduate and work in the theatre graduating with a double industry. major in criminal justice and "Weber has been really good sociology/' Bake said. to me and has allowed me to Bake said he was compelled have many opportunities that to work toward two degrees I don't think many people get," to make himself more Williams said. "I had good marketable in the fluctuating and uncertain job market. He See Graduates page 6 By MATT HANDY correspondent | The Signpost ByJESICAMEDELLIN correspondent | The Signpost Weber State University has long been in the practice of honoring students with high grades by sending those who make a 3.6 GPA or better a congratulatory certificate called an Honor Award. If students are looking to see if they have made the prestigious dean's list, there is no such thing at WSU. Unlike many other colleges, WSU has chosen to award its hardworking students with an honor program simply called "honors," for 3.6 and above, or "high honors," for 3.85 and above. John Allred, the associate registrar, explained that WSU hasn't had a dean's list in years. However, those students' names who make the honor roll are forwarded to the National Dean's List, a prestigious and well-known supplement to the school's dean's list. The National Dean's List ''/ get those letters, but we just make fun of them because they just want to sell you a book. It would be really nice if we had one (a deans list) because it brings prestige and looks good on a resume." - Christina Higgins, WSU student and English major will then send students a letter of acceptance and an autobiographical form to fill out. While it states that it is prestigious, some students think it is a scam because of the mass-mailing look the letter has. "I get those letters, but we just make fun of them because they just want to sell you a book," said Christina Higgins, WSU student and English major. Higgins has made a 4.0 every semester but one during her four years at WSU. "It would be really nice if we had one (a dean's list) because it brings prestige and looks good on a resume. The National Dean's List gives out 50 $1,000 scholarships for those who respond to the information sent out and enter the scholarship competition. They also have a student referral service that notifies graduate schools and employers of the award recipients. While students' names used to be printed in the newspapers, budget cuts have long since changed that. "Sadly, sometimes things are driven by budgets," Allred said. Publishing the names in See Alternative page 6 |