It’s that time of year again. After a bittersweet commencement—where proud feelings of accomplishment intermingle with heartfelt goodbyes—it is time for the new graduates to enter the workforce or their next level of education.
But for the class of 2020, graduating during the COVID-19 pandemic has turned this experience into something entirely different. Now, they are facing the sudden loss of friends and mentors, trying to salvage opportunities, and charting their first steps into an uncertain future at the same time.
From the difficulties of more than 1,000 universities shutting down mid-semester and transferring to an exclusively online format, to losing internships and jobs, canceling graduation ceremonies, and no final goodbyes with friends or professors, many seniors simply feel robbed of their final year of undergrad.
Here’s how two Fort Wayne seniors are coping with the changes, and how COVID-19 is impacting their post-graduation plans.
SARAH ALLEN 
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Allen
University of Saint Francis
Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in English
Sarah Allen is one of many seniors who must figure out a new plan for life after graduation.
“It’s all very scary,” she says.
Originally, Allen wanted to immediately pursue graduate school and work toward earning her master’s degree in English. She applied to several out-of-state schools, such as Wayne State University in Michigan and Ohio University.
“I was applying to places with funding and stipend-offers, which for me would mean moving out-of-state and being a full-time student at whichever university I took an offer from,” she says.
From there, she would have started looking for living situations in the summer and began classes in the fall of 2020. But with the multitude of effects from COVID-19, this is no longer possible for her.
“Everything is uncertain, in general, now, but academia is particularly scary,” she says.
Like other students, Allen continuously sees dooming articles about how COVID-19 is affecting enrollment, the future of universities, and the lives of other grad students whose funded graduate offers have been pulled by the school. Although she did get offers from two different schools, she had to weigh the risks of what it would mean to leave Indiana and potentially have her funding pulled, among other concerns.
She notified both schools that she would reapply again next year when the outlook might be more secure. Until then, she's planning to find a job closer to home (when it’s safe to do so) and save money.
ALYSSA VANCE 
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Vance
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Business Marketing (BSB Bachelor of Science in Business)
Alyssa Vance is another graduate who has experienced some hard hits from the COVID-19 pandemic. While she had no intention of pursuing graduate school, she was keeping her eye out for potential internships and/or full-time jobs in her field.
Yet, job searching is another task that has proven challenging during COVID-19. While Vance has always known it was her “goal to find a job or organization that would complement (her) ambitions and career goals after graduation,” many businesses across the country and in Fort Wayne are furloughing or laying off their current staff—let alone not hiring.
On top of a difficult job search, Vance also experienced an unforeseen and sudden end to her spring internship.
“Before the outbreak, I worked as a Rental Representative at Penske Truck Rental (where I interned last summer),” she says. “Sadly, I was temporarily laid off early into the outbreak due to being in part-time status.”
Nevertheless, she has been able to make the best of a bad situation. Vance used her resources to find a new part-time job that is an even better fit for her career interests.
"Recently, I have been able to secure a job at Brotherhood Mutual Insurance in their Marketing department,” she says.
Although she’s very proud of her accomplishment, she still recognizes the difficulty of trying to find a dream job for her “ideal” future. In many ways, the pandemic has forced the graduates to be less particular and instead appreciate any opportunities that come their way.
“I was hoping to secure a job that was not only full-time, but more so on the creative side of marketing,” she says. “During this pandemic, any opportunity to get my foot in the door is valuable in my eyes.”
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To other 2020 graduates facing similar situations, Allen and Vance share a few words of advice.
“Be willing to be flexible," Allen says. "Graduation and post-graduation plans have changed for everyone, and I think we have to be willing to adapt to what’s happening rather than holding onto old plans that might not be viable. Also, celebrate your achievement! You have a degree now; just because you didn’t get to walk doesn’t mean you didn’t graduate with a whole college degree. Your hard work still means something.”
“The best advice I could give others during this pandemic is to not be discouraged!" Vance says. "It takes time to get situated in whatever career path your life will take you. I would just advise others to be patient, and do not lose hope! Your time will come. Keep up the hard work and dedication to what you love.”