Anyone good with East Coast (US) geography??? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**Delaney** · 03-07-2007, 11:10 AM

So here is the deal. I have been accepted as a PhD student at University of Maryland. I have been place at the Center for Environmental Science which is in Frostburg, MD. A tiiiinnnyyy town in NW Maryland.

Here is my question: Does anyone know the job market there or what cities I can look at close by? My boyfriend is coming with me and will need a job

He got his degree in mathematical science/computer science and wants to do somethign with computers.

Any help/advice you have would be great! Thank you

**blinkchick2134** · 03-07-2007, 11:42 AM

Cumberland seems to be the closet larger town (since its not really a city). Here's the Wikipedia site on Frostburg: here
That gives you nearby towns and some information on the area.

The local university seems like the biggest employee. Maybe he could get a position with them? Monster or Hotjobs didn't turn up anything in that area besides restaurant managers and lawn care.
Frostburg State University

**Delaney** · 03-07-2007, 11:57 AM

Thanks Amber

I tried careerbuilder.com but nothing good turned up. If anyone happens to be from the area and knows a place, let me know! Thank you!!

**space virgin** · 03-07-2007, 01:50 PM

Is there a craigslist for anything nearby?

**Delaney** · 03-07-2007, 02:49 PM

Nope... I found a town nearby that has a little better opportunities (Morgantown, WV). Anyone been there?

**Delaney** · 03-07-2007, 02:50 PM

Sorry, that post was totally unclear. Morgantown, WV is about an hour away and has craigslist... but an hour is a long commute.

Any othe ideas??

**Esterina** · 03-07-2007, 06:10 PM

I can't help you but I wanted to say CONGRATS !

**travelpunk** · 03-07-2007, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delaney

Sorry, that post was totally unclear. Morgantown, WV is about an hour away and has craigslist... but an hour is a long commute.

Any othe ideas??

Hahaahaa...that's a normal drive each way if you live in Los Angeles! 4 guys from work drive 1.5 to 2 hours each way to work/home because of distance and traffic.

But, I hear ya.

**travelpunk** · 03-07-2007, 07:17 PM

You might also try Monster.com or hotjobs.

**Delaney** · 03-08-2007, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atchoum

I can't help you but I wanted to say CONGRATS !

Thank you!!

I am pretty excited to give the whole PhD thing a shot, I just want my bf to be happy too since he said he would move wherever I wanted to go to school...

Thank you for all the help guys. We will figure it out!

**Delaney** · 03-08-2007, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelpunk

Hahaahaa...that's a normal drive each way if you live in Los Angeles! 4 guys from work drive 1.5 to 2 hours each way to work/home because of distance and traffic.

But, I hear ya.

Haha, I know. I am spoiled here in Portland with my 15 minunte commute

An hour wouldn't be bad, I know!

**Joker** · 03-08-2007, 11:36 AM

I guess this is what happens when I am busy for a few days...

Morgantown is the closest "metropolitan" area to FBurg outside of Cumberland. That side of the mountains is relatively rural. Once you go east to Hagerstown, and Frederick proper, you get into the falloff of the DC-Baltimore corridor. Those are where the real money jobs are.

As for work in the Burg, been a few years since I was out there, but the majority of friends I had that partied, I mean, went to school there, :P usually worked in the bars around Cumberland that catered to students. FWIW I'd see if the Burg has a placement program for its grad students as well.

However, its not at all uncommon to commute over an hour to work around here for sheer cost savings. Plenty of folks live in WVa and Western MD and commute to Baltimore or DC because of the cost of property is so much lower than the metro areas. Hell, people commute from Baltimore to DC for that reason!

Good luck, and enjoy the fun in the Burg. Deep Creek Lake isn't too far away. And really nice in the Summer, and the skiing ain't half bad.

**Delaney** · 03-08-2007, 11:43 AM

Thanks Joker! So it would not be unreasonable to live in FBurg and work in Hagerstown? I did notice there were a lot more job listings there and according to googlemap its about an hour and 25 minutes away...

Do you mean placement program for a place to live? Or a job when I am finished? It's through UM so I know they will help me find a job when I am done, but I am not sure about housing.

I am getting paid to do research but obviously that is not much (not enough to support myself and boyfriend) so I was hoping he could find a decent job

Thanks again for the help!

**DC_Jessica** · 03-08-2007, 11:53 AM

Ahhh that's my hood! And since I'm from Pittsburgh, everything you're talking about is smack in the middle of the route from Pitt to DC.

If you want any local papers' job sections, just lemme know! I'll be happy to send if you PM your address. (Dunno how "net savvy" the Cumberland/Hagerstown area is going to be as far as job searches go...)

And an hour long commute is par for the course, especially in the DCish area. Really, DC is the next big city over from Pittsburgh (closer than Philly, that's for sure), so the entire area in between is made for commuters and/or people who love being in small towns with the possibility of big city hijinx if you're willing to drive a bit.

**DC_Jessica** · 03-08-2007, 11:54 AM

And just a little point of contention - we are not East coasters! Mid-Atlantic, baby, woohoooo!!!

**freespiritz** · 03-08-2007, 09:36 PM

Just wanted to say congrats and that I hope it works out for you guys! What sort of research will you be doing?

**Delaney** · 03-09-2007, 10:31 AM

urban ecology research... looking at water quality in the streams and rivers that feed into chesapeake bay. Thanks for asking!

**Joker** · 03-11-2007, 09:02 PM

All the way up in Fburg? Thats a bit outside the metro watershed area, I'd think. Surprised it isn't offered at College Park.

And yes, the hour+ commute isn't uncommon around here.

If not anything, living in Cumberland and commuting to either is a helluva lot cheaper than the Burg, just because of all the college students forcing the rent up, I'd think.

**Delaney** · 03-11-2007, 10:19 PM

Thanks for all the advice! The research is in Baltimore, the classes are in Fburg

I will be driving a lot!

Thanks again. You guys rock

**BigE** · 03-12-2007, 06:37 AM

I spent 4 years of my life in Emmitsburg and anything to the west was all in the hills. Not much out there. There are some companies in the Fredrick area. He would have to commute.