SRJC graduates jubilant despite tough job market

More than 350 students received their diplomas at Santa Rosa Junior College?s graduation ceremony Saturday morning, their excitement undiminished by a bitter recession and the worst job outlook in years.

For more than 3,000 family members and friends, the commencement at the John Surryhne Outdoor Stage was a symbol of hope and a bet on a better future.

?They face a fairly bleak job market and a very, very tough economy,? SRJC President Robert Agrella said a a reception after the ceremony.

?Regardless of what goes on in the economy, you?re still going to see a lot of jubilation today,? Agrella said.

It was the college?s 90th annual commencement and Agrella?s 19th. In all 1,182 associate degrees were awarded for the 2008-2009 academic year, while more than 2,500 skills and achievement certificates were also awarded.

In some cases, graduates of four year universities have returned to the junior college to obtain an occupational certificate because they have not been able to find work in their field of study.

For university-bound grads, the task of finding the ideal job is still a few years off.

Josh Maresca, a 21-year-old Santa Rosa resident, received his associate arts degree in business marketing and will be attending California State University, Sacramento next fall.

?Man I just feel really good,? said Maresca, who was joined at the ceremony by his mother, father, brother and girlfriend.

Maresca said he hopes that by the time he graduates from the university, ?the economy will turn around.?