The “City of Brotherly Love” is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the sixth largest in the United States. Originally the site of our nation’s capital, Philadelphia is also one of the oldest cities in the country. Philadelphia was founded by Quaker William Penn in 1682. The word Philadelphia is Greek for “brotherly love,” and it’s what Penn hoped to foster in his new colony’s capital city. It’s a city rich with American history. Both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were drafted there. Philadelphia remained the nation’s capital until 1800 when it was moved permanently to its current home in Washington, D.C.

The Pennsylvania Railroad, at one time the country’s largest in terms of revenue and traffic volume, was headquartered in Philadelphia. After a merger, the railroad was renamed Penn Central now known as Conrail. The city hosted the nation’s 100th and 150th anniversary celebrations. This first “planned” city is home to Fairmount Park, one of the largest in the world. Philadelphia has mid-20s winters and summer highs hovering around the mid-80s.

Liberty Bell is one of the largest monuments of Philadelphia, located in Independence Hall, which is part of the Independence National Historical Park. Recent college graduates looking for entry level jobs in Philadelphia might like that it was also home to Betsy Ross and Edgar Allen Poe.

For those die hard shoppers, there’s the Gallery at Market East, one of America’s largest downtown shopping centers, in Center City. Philadelphia also has theaters like the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts where the Philadelphia Orchestra performs and the Academy of Music, which serves as home to the Philadelphia Opera. Museums like the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the Rodin Museum are available. The Rodin has the largest collection of work by the sculptor outside of France. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the largest in the United States.

Like most big cities, Philadelphia has its own sports teams. For football lovers, there are the Philadelphia Eagles. The Philadelphia Flyers provide entertainment for those craving hockey, the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team and the Philadelphia Phillies are the city’s Major League Baseball team. They have a second hockey team, a lacrosse team and a professional soccer team. Any recent college graduate looking for an entry level job in a city that can cater to his appetite for sports can’t go wrong with Philadelphia.

Philadelphia has many prestigious and well-known colleges and universities from which to choose for students seeking a quality education. Some of Philadelphia’s biggest institutions are as follows:

*Temple University – the most popular majors at this university are Elementary Education and Teaching, and Psychology.

*Drexel University – the most popular majors here are Information Science/Studies and Mechanical Engineering.

*University of Pennsylvania – this Ivy League school, which is home to the Wharton School of Business, offers majors in Finance and Nursing – Registered Nurse Training (RN,ASN, BSN, MSN).

*Villanova University – offers majors in Biological and Physical Sciences, Finance and Nursing – Registered Nurse Training (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN).

*St. Joseph University – this Catholic Jesuit university offers majors in Business/Marketing, Social Sciences, Education, English and Psychology.

Other Philadelphia colleges and universities that a student might want to attend are:

La Salle University
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
The University of the Arts
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
Thomas Jefferson University
Moore College of Art and Design
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Chestnut Hill College
Holy Family University
Bryn Mawr College
Haverford College
Cabrini College
Rowan University
Widener University
West Chester University
Ursinus College
Immaculate University
Neumann College

There are many job opportunities for college students seeking quality internships and for recent college graduates looking for entry level employment. Some of Philadelphia’s largest employers are the Federal Government, the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia School District. Recent college graduates and interns can find jobs at the Federal Reserve Bank in accounting, finance and research; at the U.S. Mint in marketing or maintenance; one can work for the city in civil engineering or as a librarian; or work for the school district as teachers or administrators. But for those who are looking for corporate employers, Philadelphia offers the following:

University of Pennsylvania – a recent college graduate can find employment in such areas as accounting, admissions, research and counseling.

Jefferson Health System – This large health care provider offers positions in legal, physical therapy, pharmacy and marketing.

MBNA – owned by Bank of America, this international financial institution offers entry level job opportunities in operations, sales and customer service.

Du Pont Corporation – this well-known chemical and plastics company has internships and entry level jobs in sales, legal, human resources and engineering.

Christiana Health Care System – their hottest jobs and internships are in nursing. They also have jobs in research, management and occupational therapy.

Philadelphia claims a rich history, cultural and ethnic diversity, and plenty of jobs to go around. With reasonable temperatures and numerous activities, recent college graduates and college students looking for internships can find a lot to satisfy their needs away from the job in Philadelphia.

Source: http://www.phila.gov/
*Population statistics courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau – Census 2000.