Listen to the 2025-26 executive editors of The Post’s farewell podcast! VOLUME 116, ISSUE 32
THEPOSTATHENS.COM
APRIL 28, 2026
Grads share experience directing films, screening at The Athena CLAUDIA FULLER FOR THE POST The end of the semester is a busy time for any senior. Many students are completing their capstone projects. For Scarlett Fried and Eli Kaltenecker, however, it’s the culmination of months of hard work, as they are both screening their respective films at The Athena. Early in April, Fried, a senior studying media arts production, screened her film “Rooted” at The Athena. Wanting to create a “love story that was like a drama on a farm,” Fried drew inspiration from several films, including “Little Women” and “Dirty Dancing.” Fried is a self-described “theater girl” who loves musicals. Her love of music extends to “Rooted,” as the identity of the film is informed by music. “That was like a big aspect for this film,” Fried said, “to have a lot of music in the background.” When asked about her experience screening “Rooted” at The Athena, Fried said it was “such a blast” to see her name on the marquee and watch her film on the big screen. “I’ve only watched it on my laptop until I saw it with a whole crowd of people.” continued pg 7
Highlighting some of the greatest graduating Local photographers capture Bobcat graduates athletes CAITLYN VANCE | FOR THE POST GRADUATION PHOTOS BY ETHAN HERX, PEARL SPURLOCK, RYAN GRZYBOWSKI ART BY ABBY DOENCH | ASST DESIGN DIRECTOR
CHARLIE FADEL FOR THE POST With Ohio University days away from the 2025-26 academic year ending, now is the perfect time to take a look at and honor some of the best senior athletes who finished their
As Ohio University’s spring 2026 commencement draws near, popped champagne caps cover the Court Street bricks, and caps and gowns fill College Green. Graduation photos are considered a rite of passage for multiple Bobcats. Graduates hire local photographers or students to capture their final weeks on campus. Plenty of students plan their pictures months ahead in hopes of achieving a memorable photoshoot. “I have them send me a Pinterest board, show me what they kind of want, as well as locations they really want, especially on campus,” Kelly Prim, a junior studying commercial photography who captures senior portraits, said.
Pinterest is a popular app where users can find and save images based on their aesthetic or interests. Prim, who has taken photographs since the COVID-19 pandemic, does graduation shoots for other colleges, notably Marietta College. Prim’s senior packages cost $300 for a two to three hour shoot, according to her website. Prim’s graduation season schedule for OU shoots fluctuates by year, affected by how many graduates she knows personally. “My freshman year, I had no photos here,” Prim said. “My sophomore year, I did about 20 people ... this year I have two people, close friends that are graduating.” Prim said with a typical graduation session, clients will receive about 50 photos.
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Career uncertainty grows for recent graduates DREW HOFFMASTER | FOR THE POST college careers with the Bobcats this season. This year was a very successful year for Ohio and its sports teams, as sports like football, volleyball, women’s basketball and softball had very solid years with lots of great seniors suiting up for them.
On March 21, Fortune Magazine published an article stating the entry-level job market is worse now than it has been in 37 years. According to The Associated Press, U.S. job openings rose to nearly 6.95 million in January; however, in February, employers cut 92,000 jobs. Previously, 2025 was the weakest hiring year since 2002, with the job market adding fewer than 10,000 jobs a month. The AP attributes all of those problems to the lingering effects of high interest rates, uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump’s policies and the increasing use of artificial intelligence. Craig Davis, an Ohio University journalism professor, said he is unsure of the claims mentioned in Fortune Magazine’s article
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because he has not had many students face severe obstacles when it comes to finding a job. “I haven’t had students come up against the wall in terms of getting jobs,” Davis said. “I do know that it’s dropped off and it’s harder, but we don’t have tangible evidence.” Historically, when the job market is weak, graduate programs see an increase in applications, as many people seek to further their education in times of economic uncertainty, according to Candace Boeninger, the vice president for enrollment management at OU. OU does not currently have its enrollment numbers for the graduate program next year. However, this academic year, there were 5,017 students pursuing graduate degrees at the Athens campus, an increase of 117, according to enrollment data. continued pg 2