Jake Oeth was faced with a tough decision weeks before he graduated from Loras College in the spring.

He could either attend Drake University Law School or accept an entry-level position with U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa.

He accepted the administrative secretary position with Harkin and made the move to Washington, D.C.

He hasn't regretted it.

Oeth is one of four tri-state area graduates who are being featured in an ongoing TH series titled "Tracking the Grads," which examines the challenges for recent graduates as they enter the "real" world.

So far, life in the real world has treated Oeth well.

About two weeks ago, the former Loras basketball player was promoted to legislative correspondent in Harkin's office. Instead of answering telephones, Oeth now will work on civil rights, disability, judiciary, labor and pensions issues.

"I feel really good about the opportunity to work for the senator in this capacity," he said. "I've learned a lot already since I've been here."

He hopes to learn more before he attends Drake sometime in the

tracking the grads Turn to the TH as we continue to monitor four tri-state area college graduates who are facing an uncertain job market and the challenges of young adulthood in their first year after college.tracking the grads Turn to the TH as we check in with four tri-state area college graduates, facing an uncertain job market and the challenges of young adulthood in their first year after college.

future.

"It definitely has been rewarding to be out here and serve the people of Iowa," Oeth said. "I feel like I'm working for a great man."

His roommate might disagree with Oeth's boss.

At the beginning of November, Oeth moved into an apartment with fellow Loras alum Neil Ruhland, who works for U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

"Obviously we have our different political views," Oeth said. He added the two may disagree on politics, but they remain friends.

"Yes, Jake works for a Democrat and I work for a Republican, but at the end of the day we interact like any other two roommates would," Ruhland said. "We do not spend a lot of time commenting on the other's boss's political philosophies. Instead, we talk about what is on TV that night, what we want to do for dinner or what people we both know from Loras are doing."

Oeth plans to return to Ogden, Iowa, to visit with his family during Christmas.

"And just see where the new year takes me. I plan to kind of live in the moment."

Here are the other graduates the TH will check in with in the upcoming weeks:

* Liz Ball, a Loras graduate, who lived New Orleans as an AmeriCorps employee with the St. Bernard Project until the end of July.

* Cassie Lehman, a Clarke College grad, who accepted a position at Accelerated Rehabilitation in Chicago.

* Tiara Walz, a University of Dubuque ROTC graduate, was a medical service corps officer in Fort Knox, Ky.