UTICA (WKTV) - Enrollment of out of town students has increased across local college campuses in recent years.  Keeping those students in the area after graduation has been much tougher.
    
Nearly 600 students sauntered into the Clark Athletic Gymnasium for Utica College's freshman, transfer convocation, but how many will stay after studying?   Assistant Director of Development at the YWCA, Mary Davidson is a student who stayed after she received her degree.  "When you first come to Utica you don't realize that there is stuff happening and its not going to be right at your doorstep."

Davidson started with an internship at the YWCA while at UC, and is now there full-time.  She says it's a great place to study, and stay.  Others made the same choice, but it wasn't an easy one.

Abby Getman received her degree less than three months ago.  She interned at For The Good Inc., a Utica not-for profit organization.  She's become a big fan of the area, and has noticed a trend with other grads.  "Actually several of my friends not from Utica are moving back," Getman said.  "They are moving back because there aren't as many jobs in rural New York."

SUNYIT graduate Peter Zarubin says jobs in high-tech fields are tougher to find here, but he was able to just down the hall from classes at Quanterion Solutions.  "I looked at other companies out of state, but it just seemed like a better experience to jump into a company I already knew."

In time these graduates say they may leave the Mohawk Valley, but for now, they are happy here.  They hope the next wave of college grads give this region a chance.