Graduating Scholar Left in Cold by Hiring Freeze
Liam Powell, like countless other US scholars, stands on the threshold of seizing his professional destiny after wrapping up his academic journey. His dedication to the field of global health led him to an internship opportunity with the United States Agency for International Development. With such an experience under his belt, he aspired to embark on a postgraduate internship at the State Department. Despite successfully navigating through the application process and securing the opportunity, his dreams were halted by an unexpected hiring freeze.
Regrettably, the department has withdrawn your preliminary selection for the student internship program. In the aftermath of these events, Liam is on his way back home from Duke Kunshan University in China, armed with a degree but facing an uncertain future without work in his preferred field. Similarly, Alyssa Johnson looked forward to progressing towards a doctorate in ecology after completing her tenure at Purdue University.
Graduate admissions across the nation have stooped to an unprecedented low. Institutions and academia are battling to protect their current resources and people. Clearly, the last couple of months have upended the grand visions of many graduating seniors and caused numerous promising career plans to be reassessed or even abandoned.
Universities such as Columbia and Harvard have found themselves under scrutiny from the White House, being subjected to bias accusations. The administration has further complicated matters by negating federal contracts and putting a hold on research funds.
Bobby McAlpine, the soon-to-be-exiting student body president at Ohio State University, has been deeply affected by these events. From his interactions with fellow students, the one constant that emerged was a deep-seated fear, especially concerning government actions, most of which seem to be made without seeking input from those who are most affected – the students.
Decisions and legislation that directly impact their lives seem to be happening in vacuums. Senate Bill 1, for instance, decreed the termination of all diversity and inclusion offices within public university spaces across Ohio. This decision hit close to home for many students, including Bobby.
Bobby attributes his achievement of being able to navigate through college and stay on course, mainly due to the support he gained from his university’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Listening to the rest of the group share their experiences about their altered postgraduate plans or shifting career targets in recent months generated a profound dialogue.
Alyssa, after conducting a four-year-long research on how contaminants affected amphibians and their disease dynamics, expressed concern over the funding for her research. Since her research title included references to both climate and diversity, she was particularly apprehensive about the source of her project’s funding.
Liam’s perspective on the issue was deeply personal, stemming from witnessing the Trump administration’s ongoing dismantling of USAID, which ultimately skewed many of his career preferences. It was a stark realization that everything he had been preparing for would have to be reconsidered due to the turbulent shifts in his chosen profession.
On interacting with both American and international students, the universal sentiment was one of deep concern and apprehension, more so considering the policies of ICE and experiences at the border. Being unable to offer reassurances or comforting words added to the feelings of helplessness amid pervasive uncertainty.
However, not everything is bleak for Liam. He still considers the field he’s passionate about and has not entirely given up on it. He views the current changes more as a postponement of his objectives rather than abandonment.
There are alternate prospects he would embrace enthusiastically, such as serving the public if regular academia fails to meet his expectations. However, the ongoing flux makes it an uphill task to realize such a dream.
Given the current circumstances, staying silent is no longer tenable. The challenges facing the students are more significant than ever, and unity is vital for their collective survival. Alyssa and Bobby’s insights reflected much of these thoughts, especially on the isolation and diminution they felt due to the prevailing conditions.
Recognizing their shared experiences and standing together in these times can lead to improvement and possibly, something beyond the existing challenges. In this context, Liam holds onto hope, despite the need to revise his timeline and reroute his journey.
In spite of the tumultuous turn of events, he maintains a steadfast faith in eventually reaching his post-college aspirations. Although it might just take him a bit longer than anticipated, he remains earnest and unbowed in his quest for success.