I’ve heard many people talking over the last few days about the most recent unemployment numbers released last Thursday. The national unemployment rate dipped below 8 percent for the first time in four years, bottoming at 7.8 percent in September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Was there a true drop in unemployment, or were the numbers fudged as a political maneuver? I took a look.

While I examined the numbers, I found that a year ago the national unemployment rate was at 8.9 percent, so it’s true the current numbers are dropping.

But does this mean President Barack Obama is doing his job? I will give him the benefit of doubt and say it does look like we are moving in a more positive direction, which is good news for all of us at Emporia State who will soon be seeking careers. If this trend continues, jobs will be more available as we graduate and join the workforce.

However, it would be nice to see some information on the types of jobs that are being created. I would hope that they are in education and technology. Manufacturing is also an important part of the American way of life, so if this sector could be built back up with fewer jobs outsourced to other countries, then one could hope a sustainable economy would follow.

As you continue your studies at ESU, keep this thought in mind – what you learn now will benefit you as you go out into the workforce. It will be your ideas and commitments that change how we live and work in the United States.

The future is in our hands. Learn as much as you can about your field of study. It is important that those of us that have this chance to further our education take advantage of that chance and prepare to move into the world, assuming that we can change things.

We can make our country strong again. But for now, we can study hard and grow. With our collective energy and strength, maybe someday we will turn on the news or open a newspaper to see the unemployment rate is near zero.