Last Distraction: Graduates

YOUR LAST DISTRACTION

GRADUATES

Entering the workforce right out of college is challenging enough—now add in a global pandemic. For the class of 2020, the leap into the “real world” proved to be especially challenging. This unexpected disruption caused many to pivot their original plan and pursue new opportunities. While their new chapter may not have been what they were expecting, these ‘Cane alumnus are shifting and adapting to the new normal of society.

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University of Miami class of 2020 graduate Dana Franco currently works at The Lip Bar in Detroit, but that wasn’t her original plan. “The companies I was interested in working for were on a hiring freeze around the time of graduation,” Franco said. “I wanted to take a job as soon as possible due to the uncertainty of when companies would be hiring again. That resulted in me taking my current job, which is outside where I planned to live.”

After graduation, public relations and theatre arts major Gabby Rosenbloom was set to pursue acting. Since the theatre industry shut down due to the pandemic, she was forced to pivot. “Everything went virtual, so a lot of people needed help with their PR and reformatting their business for an online presence,” she said. Rosenbloom is currently working as a freelance public relations manager.

Justin Stevens, a broadcast journalism and media management major, used the extra time during the spring and summer months to work on his website, reel and make connections that would help him once stations began hiring. “I ended up reaching out to ‘Cane alumnus on LinkedIn and had chats with around 20 to 30 of them,” Stevens said. “It was great talking to people in the industry who were also ‘Canes.” After applying to 50 jobs and not hearing anything from 49 of them, Stevens now has a job offer from CBS News.