Despite political turmoil in Pennsylvania in the past few years, 68.2 percent of the state's college-aged adults say they are satisfied with the state of affairs, according to a 2006 Penn State Poll.

In addition, the poll found that 36.7 percent of adults believe taxes, unemployment and jobs top the list of important issues.

Some Penn State students said they are concerned with the job market they will face following graduation.

The Penn State Poll, which ran from Sept. 23 through Nov. 14, has been a project of the Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg since 1987. Researchers reached 856 households in Pennsylvania to gather information for the survey.

About 70 percent of adults reported being more or less satisfied with "the way things are going in Pennsylvania." The number closely reflects how satisfied college-aged adults were as well, the poll reported.

Matt Hracho (senior-political science) agreed that unemployment is one of his top concerns for Pennsylvania. He said he is concerned with finding a job in his hometown of Reading so he won't be forced to move to a city such as Philadelphia or Washington, D.C., to find a job.

"Of course jobs are huge because we're all going to need one," Hracho said. "They're scarce, and it's tough to get them."

When asked by the Penn State Poll, 315 households said taxes and the job market ranked as their biggest concerns. Education came in fourth with about 7.9 percent.

Many adults also said they believed the nation's economy to be fair, not good or excellent. About 44 percent of college-aged adults agreed.

Erin Burke (senior-Latin American studies), another graduating senior, said she is concerned about unemployment and jobs because she has not begun an in-depth job search yet.

However, Burke said she believes she will have a good chance of getting a job because of her Penn State degree. She said she would be a more appealing job candidate than someone without a degree or someone who has not graduated from Penn State.

"But what actually tops my list of concerns is the shape of our national government," Burke said. "I actually want to get a job with the government, especially in foreign policy."

Hracho noted a similar issue that caused him concern: terrorism.

"All those things -- health care, jobs, the economy," Hracho said. "They wouldn't mean anything if a nuclear bomb would go off tomorrow."

Courtney McDermott (sophomore-supply chain and information systems) said she wants to enter the pharmaceutical business after graduation. Although McDermott will not face the scare of the job market for a few years, she said she still supports the concern for employment.

"Even though Penn State is number one in the country for supply chain, it's harder to get into pharmaceuticals, so jobs are definitely a concern," McDermott said. "I want to be able to maintain the lifestyle I've always had."

Auden Thomas, director for the Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg, said the poll was done through a random telephone digit dial survey.

She said that each household might be called up to about seven times to get a response from an adult there.

Thomas said the Center for Survey Research uses a double randomization technique by calling random households throughout the state.

The center then asks to speak with a person at the household older than 18 who most recently celebrated a birthday.