With Commencement less than a month away, seniors are excited but also apprehensive about the changes graduation will bring. For those seniors whose post-graduation plans are not yet finalized, the prospect of graduation is even more nerve-wracking. Senior Martha Hurley said she is still desperately searching for a job after graduation. After only recently deciding what she wanted to do and beginning the job search, she discovered many of the most interesting companies were simply not hiring. “I am most definitely worried,” Hurley said. “I absolutely hate the thought of not knowing where I’ll be or what I’ll be doing a few months from now.” In order to escape the troubled job market caused by the current economic crisis, some seniors are taking a gap year, a chance to travel and volunteer abroad before going to graduate school or attempting to find work. Many of those hoping to travel describe the opportunity to travel before being tied down by other obligations as a chance not to be missed. Instead of going straight to medical school after graduation, senior Meghana Bhatta will be traveling to Malaysia to complete a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. As well as teaching English to high school students she will be researching women’s health care in a predominantly Islamic nation. Although she looked into internships and fellowships to avoid searching for a job during the recession, Bhatta’s main reason for traveling to Malaysia was not related to the economic crisis. “I felt I needed a break before jumping into another round of intense schooling,” Bhatta said. “I will be serving immigrant communities, which is related directly to my professional goals. I don’t think I’ll get another chance like this to explore my interests so freely.” The Career Center still has many seniors coming through its doors scrambling to find a post-graduation work placement. Some have a specific plan in mind and are already involved in an active job search, while others are still completely undecided about their future — a fairly common trend over the past few years. Cindy Funk, the director of the Career Center, urges seniors to come in if they need help or are feeling lost. The center offers an expedited process to help seniors find post-graduation jobs. This includes meetings with a career coach and the Vanderbilt Intern and Professional network, a Web site that allows seniors to find job and internship postings generated by Vanderbilt alumni. “The job market is tight but there are a number of seniors who have been successful in securing employment,” Funk said. “Their success can be attributed to being targeted, strategic and flexible in their search. The Careers Center is ready to help.” The Vanderbilt Institute Research Group is conducting a Graduating Senior Survey to examine the post-graduation plans of seniors, and the difficulties faced in finding a job or internship. This data will be published this summer.