Students hit hard by poor state, national economy

UDM students are feeling the impact of the poor economy. Many are struggling to find jobs, contemplating whether to stay in school, worrying about their parents' employment and trying to cut costs to save money. "I definitely have become more aware of what I buy and how much I go out," said Anthony Bernard, 22, a senior architecture major. "You never know, the next day one of my parents might be out of a job."

Bernard was forced to find an apartment off campus to reduce his costs.

"It's really expensive to stay on campus, and when they add the meal plan, watch out!" he said.

To save money, Mike Thomas takes a bus rather than drive to school. Doing so requires he get up almost three hours before class - "just to make sure that I am on time," he said.

And that's if the buses are running properly.

"The buses are terrible," he said.

A working father, Thomas, 26, is in school to improve his future and to provide for his son, Devon, 3. He said his daily schedule is so "crazy" that he feels as if he needs "two of him" just to be successful everyday.

Most students interviewed for this story said they are more closely watching their expenses.

Senior Paris Young used to get her hair and nails done every two weeks.

Now "it's every three weeks to a month until I do those things," she said.

Curtis Eatmon, a junior and member of the Titan basketball team, has trimmed his entertainment costs.

"Instead of renting Blockbuster movies and getting new releases," he said, "I simply just watch the free cable in the dorms."

Freshman theatre student Michelle Renaud has not been able to travel as much as she had hoped. High gas prices are to blame, she said.

But those adjustments are minor compared to the hardships faced by others.

One painful result of the recession has been the elimination of Promise scholarships by state officials last year. It left UDM students scrambling to come up with extra money.

Anthony Welch, 22, attends UDM's dental school. He said he has taken out extra loans to cover the gap left by the cutbacks.

"I got an e-mail saying that I needed to come up with an extra thousand dollars," he said. "Apart from that my dad had lost his job recently. Now I need to find a job, but it's tough."

Kyla Page agreed.

She said it is difficult finding stable work: "No one is hiring at this time."

Senior Josh Banks, 25, said he is not sure what will come from his expensive education.

"I can't find a job to save my life," he said.

Though Banks, who has a daughter, does not "get to upset" about his prospects, he has contemplated giving up on his education.

Sophomore architecture student Lisa Kulawczyk has a job - after applying to about fifty businesses. She works at Bath & Body Works, but she is not getting many hours.

Several students are worried about more than their own employment.

"My mom was laid off last year," said Angelica Savieski, 20. "We are dealing with (being) a one-income household."

Others said they are fortunate to receive great help from their parents.

Graduate student Leeshik Shin, 23, attends the dental school and admits that his parents pay his school bills.

"My parents have a business in Korea, which helps pay for my studies. But the exchange rate has affected us in many occasions," Shin explained. "I guess that it's a cultural difference because it's normal for Korean parents to pay for their children's school. But I have to pay them back after I get a job."

Graduate student Dave Escontrias, 23, said he is thankful for the work-study program because it has helped cover expenses that otherwise would have gone on credit cards or his parents' already strained budget.

"I was lucky to have a job that allowed me to have a flexible schedule and it did not interfere with my studies," he said. "But I know that not everyone is as lucky."

Regardless of the difficulties, few students interviewed by The Varsity News said they would be abandoning their education.

"I have come this far. Why give up now?" said senior Crystal Allen, 22.

She will be the among the first of her family to graduate from a four-year university.

"I wouldn't only be letting myself down but my parents as well," said Allen.

She reminds herself of that fact when things seem bad. She said she does not have much materially but is thankful to have the support of her family.



Thomas Gatchell, Chase Simon and Demetria Stephens also contributed to this story.