Amid hopeful signs, much still must be done to reverse the outflow of college graduates, leaders say

MAX SCHULTE From left, Stacey Zimmerman, Natalie Kremer and Greg Pilato check the Comix Cafe menu on a recent Saturday. Kremer says that on the University of Rochester campus ''there's no awareness of what the city is all about.''

By Christine Van Dusen
Democrat and Chronicle

(April 30, 2000) -- Robert Wechsler left Rochester 12 years ago in search of a job in a thriving metropolis. He bounced from New York City to Miami, then settled in Nashville to work as chief operating officer of a dot-com.

''If you want to do a career in a high-profile corporation or industry, it's very difficult to do it (in Rochester),'' the 29-year-old said. ''And from a singles' perspective, it's not a good place.''

But now, Wechsler wants to move back to Rochester. That's exactly what local officials in business, education and government want to hear. They're designing strategies to attract more people to this area and to keep local college students from fleeing after graduation.

It's a significant issue for Rochester. A recent study conducted for M&T Bank found that 40 percent of upstate residents aged 18 to 30 plan to move out of this region in the next five years. The national average was 21 percent.

Though some local officials say those statistics are inflated, they all agree that the flight of educated young people has serious current and future economic implications. With a record number of jobs available and Rochester's population aging and relatively flat, it becomes crucial to hold on to these local college graduates -- a pool of educated talent more than 8,000 students strong.

So far, small and mid-sized growing businesses have been able to fill their available positions with downsized workers. But that supply of talent will eventually run out.

''It's going to become exceptionally tough to fill multiple job vacancies and ensure an ample labor supply,'' said Marc M. Goloven, senior regional economist for Chase Manhattan Bank. ''This has become a top priority for the public and private sectors.''

The young people who are leaving cite numerous reasons why: the weather, the business climate, the social scene. About 65 percent of upstate residents believe young people in upstate communities would not be able to find good jobs locally, according to a recent survey by Zogby International of Utica.

But the survey also found that 71.9 percent of respondents aged 18 to 29 are optimistic about the region's future.

Wechsler is among the optimistic. Local officials hope their efforts will inspire other young people to feel the same way.

''The world for them is much larger than Rochester,'' said Dr. Albert Simone, president of the Rochester Institute of Technology. ''We have to compete with other people to persuade them to stay.''

Taking action

All the talk and the recent findings have spurred some action. The Greater Rochester Metro Chamber of Commerce has launched grrecruits.com to link local businesses with career development counselors at the local colleges. Members of the Industrial Management Council have met with local students.

On Tuesday, RIT brought together a panel of local officials to talk about ways to retain the area's best and brightest.

And www.connectroches ter.com, the new Web site to market Monroe County, is up and running. Created and advertised by the county's Economic Development Task Force for about $60,000, the site is aimed primarily at businesses. But it also includes some links that promote Rochester's quality of life.

''Everyone is waking up to the fact that we do need a strategy for recruiting young people,'' said Thomas Battley, the county's economic development manager.

Local education, business and government officials have come up with some ideas: establishing interactive job fairs, creating a ''brand'' image to better market Rochester, improving and promoting local social activities, inviting students to business events and developing incentives for students who stay here to work.

In establishing this strategy, Rochester officials go up against a major foe: the perception of the community. Most college students have already made up their minds about the area, and their impressions are not always positive. Many grew up in major metropolitan areas and see themselves as just passing through.

''This seems like a big company town,'' said Natalie Kremer, an 18-year-old freshman biochemistry student at the University of Rochester. ''But it seems like when you're on campus, you're in your own little world. There's no awareness of what the city's all about.''

Until now, there has been little effort to increase student awareness of the opportunities that exist in Rochester. Only recently have the local colleges and businesses attempted to connect in a meaningful way.

Creating future workers in Rochester is not the mission of local schools, according to a report by the Leadership Rochester Economic Development Team, a group of local leaders. Even so, the schools do see the potential value of encouraging students to seek employment here.

''The colleges have a vested interest in the students and trying to find what's best for the students, and it might not be in Rochester,'' said Chris Davis, a 26-year-old film student at RIT. He grew up in Long Island and wants to pursue a career in feature film cinematography. ''I like it. I just can't stay. Rochester has really grown on me.''

Davis particularly enjoys the summer festivals here and suggests that more effort be made to keep students here during the summers. The schools should make summer classes more financially feasible and set up summer co-ops.

''There's a lot to do,'' he said. ''But in the winter, it dies out.''

Perhaps Rochester could find ways to overcome its climate. Students flock to other cities known for their bad weather -- rainy Seattle, windy Chicago, snowy Minneapolis.

No matter how much marketing Rochester does, though, there will still be students who want to explore the country's cosmopolitan hotspots, he said.

Bringing them back

Many recent grads are nomadic by nature and want to seek adventure in big cities after they finish school. That's why Monroe County should focus on marketing to alumni, Battley said. They're the people who may now be tired of the big-city environment.

The cost of living here is comparatively low, housing is affordable and the area's schools are good, he said. Rochester needs to market those assets better.

Weschler agrees.

''It's a great place to raise a family,'' he said. ''It's very safe, with an incredible school system and athletic network.''

But, he says, it's not as good a place for young and single people. There aren't enough social activities in the city, and college students don't often get a glimpse of what social opportunities do exist.

Rejuvenating downtown would be a good start, said Jenn Anderson, a 19-year-old operatic vocal performance major at the Eastman School of Music. The city seems to shut down after 8 p.m., she said. She'd like to see 24-hour cafes and diners, new places to socialize at night.

The city has a lot of big and impressive plans, said Stephen Adams, who graduated from Brighton High School in 1978 and now works as a systems engineer in Virginia. He visits his family here at least once a year.

Almost every day he reads up on what's going on in Rochester, and he's excited to hear about the proposed fast ferry to Toronto and the potential development of the waterfront. He looks forward to checking out a new soccer stadium.

But he isn't going to move back to Rochester. He has been laid off twice in his life, and he worries he would not find another job as quickly in Rochester. But Rochester does have its advantages, he said. The traffic near Arlington, Va., is ''murder.''

If Rochester could capitalize on its strengths, he said, more people would consider and reconsider living here. The city needs to move faster and be more progressive.

Said Adams, 39: ''Rochester needs to change its thinking and take action.''