As Penn State students pack their bags after graduation, many will be leaving Pennsylvania to find jobs in other states. The "Stay Invent the Future Initiative" put forth by former Gov. Tom Ridge offers college students the chance to reconnect with Pennsylvania's employers.

"The initiative started because Pennsylvania saw a net migration of over 20,000 students leaving the state between 1995 and 1997," said Michael Gildea, manager of the initiative. It's important to attract young workers to the state and retain those already here, he added.

Over the past decade, Pennsylvania has experienced an increase in the number of college students leaving the state after graduation and is the home of the nation's second-largest percentage of residents older than 65.

The goal of the initiative is to increase awareness of the job opportunities Pennsylvania has to offer so students are enticed to stay after graduation, Gildea said.

Some Penn State students mirror Gildea's idea.

"Students are leaving because they are not informed of the opportunities available in Pennsylvania," said Rich Barbaro (freshman-engineering)."If I find a good job in Pennsylvania I'd love to stay here and live in the State College area."

Lucas Fisher (sophomore-landscape contracting) said the Midwest is appealing to him but he is still undecided whether he will remain in Pennsylvania after graduation. Fisher said he feels uninformed about the prospect of living and working in the state.

"I believe there could be a lot more done to inform students of opportunities available in the state," Fisher said.

A marketing campaign consisting of radio and television ads aimed at informing students of Pennsylvania's qualities is one of the main components of the project.

The initiative launched its Web site (www.stayinventpa.com) in December and has already seen more than 161,000 hits. The site does not have the look of a traditional government Web page because it was purposely designed to appeal to the younger target audience, Gildea said. Students can find links to top area employers and even connect to employers through the Pennsylvania Virtual Internship/Job Fair, he added.

Students can post their resumes on the site as well as send them to potential employers, Gildea explained. The fair will run until May 10 and is similar to the job fair Penn State holds at the Bryce Jordan Center each year, he added.

Pennsylvania does an excellent job of attracting students to the state for college, Gildea said.

"There are numerous industries and tremendous opportunities in Pennsylvania," Gildea said. "It's a good time to be in Pennsylvania."

Despite the initiative, the state has not taken enough of a proactive role to showcase the numerous opportunities available to young people, said Dan Fee, spokesman for gubernatorial candidate Ed Rendell.

Pennsylvania has the second oldest population in the nation because college graduates too frequently feel they need to go elsewhere to find good jobs, Fee said. There must be more of a focus on the economic development that is needed to rebuild communities and make them safer places in which to raise a family, he added.

"No other state compares to the uniquely situated geography that Pennsylvania has to offer," Fee said. Pennsylvania is the gateway to the Midwest, a key stop on the Eastern seaboard and in the center of everything, he added.

Shane Acernesé (junior-communication sciences and disorders) agrees the state has a lot to offer and said he plans to stay in Pennsylvania after graduation.

"You can live in a nice rural area and be only miles away from a big city," he said. "Pennsylvania is a good place for schooling and provides an excellent job market."