While many graduates depart for jobs in urban centers like New York City or disperse throughout the country to further their education at other universities, a number of students every year choose to find employment right here in Hanover.
Remaining in this small rural town may not seem as alluring to some, but several recent graduates interviewed by The Dartmouth said they are happy with their choice to remain near the College.
"I really enjoy staying in Hanover, " said Mark McDonald '94, the director of the Dartmouth Film Society. "I love the town and the setting."
When a friend who was stepping down as director of the Film Society asked McDonald to apply for the position, he jumped at the opportunity. McDonald said he loves his current job and that he has no immediate plans to please his parents by going to graduate school.
"My parents aren't too bad," he said. "They're always saying 'when are you going to live closer to [home in] New Jersey?'"
Sarah Mullin '98, who has worked for the Green Card since graduating last June, said her parents now view her choice to stay in Hanover in a positive light.
"Very recently, my dad said to me 'you made a good decision careerwise,'" she said.
Mullin said that while she had several job offers outside of Hanover, her happiness with her job at the Green Card and the cheap cost of living in town encouraged her to stay. Besides, Mullin wanted the opportunity to experience all of the activities at the College she missed out on while completing her double major in English and French.
"I hadn't gotten as much out of Dartmouth as I wanted to," Mullin said. "[Now] I go to a lot more events."
Christie Jackson '97, who works as a Dartmouth admissions officer, said she too enjoys going to the Hopkins Center and the Hood Museum often. She said the College offers many other resources she enjoys as well.
"It's not the same type of social atmosphere as when you're an undergraduate," she said. "But I definitely enjoy it. The community is a smaller one."
In fact, the graduates said there is a community of recent Dartmouth people in Hanover. But the group of recent grads do not generally frequent fraternity parties or spend time at some of their old college hangouts.
McDonald said he most enjoys watching movies and running track. He said he will go to fraternities during Homecoming and Winter Carnival weekends, but at no other times.
Mullin too said she spend most of her time watching movies with her roommates and the myriad Dartmouth graduates who come to visit.
"Last weekend, we had four people up," she said.
Mullin added that she appreciates the chance to be alone as well.
"I don't think you could ever be bored with a place as vibrant as Dartmouth," she said.
But Mullin said the decision on whether she will continue to live in Hanover will be based on the movement of her Company. If the Green Card expands and moves to Vermont, she would likely move with it.
A recent graduate who is using his current employment in the Upper Valley area solely as a springboard to a larger career is Mike McCune '92.
After graduating Dartmouth, McCune spent several years working as a disc jockey for local radio stations. He is currently the sports director at the WNNE television station in Manchester, N.H., and he lives in Lebanon, Vt.
"You need to start out someplace small and work your way up," he said. "[I will go] wherever the job takes me."
As a less recent graduate, McCune said he stays away from campus more than he did his first few years after graduating. He will only go back to Dartmouth on special weekends.
McCune said he would like to work for ESPN at some point and also to work in his native California.
"[The Upper Valley] is a nice place to live," McCune said. "It's comfortable here."
Jackson said the College presented an opportunity for her to get into the field of education. She added that she too liked the area in which the College is situated.
Many of the recent graduates will likely join most of their classmates for further study or in more citified surroundings, but some may remain near the College for a long time.
For now, those who have decided to stay have no complaints.
"I'm really enjoying it," McDonald said.