According to a recent article in the Daily Sentinel, Mesa State, both directly and indirectly contributed $317 million into Grand Junction’s economy in 2009 and 2010. As a total, this is a 40 percent increase from 2007 to 2008, and while a lot of this increase can be attributed to the various construction projects around the college, Mesa’s 8,131 students have accounted for $85.7 million worth of spending in those two years, respectively. To put that into perspective, each of the 8,131 students enrolled at Mesa, on average, has spent $10,539.91 from the beginning of 2009 to the end of 2010.
So where exactly is it that this money is going? Mesa students know exactly where it’s going. Sophomore Federico Vargas said, “The economy really hasn’t affected what I spend my money on. If anything, it’s helped me. I’m more aware of what I’m spending my money on, I’m more knowledgeable, and I always know how much I have left in my account.”
For many students, the first priority for their hard earned cash are bills. Bills involving vehicles are the most prominent, whether it be insurance, payment or gas.
Vargas, who pays all three said, “The gas can be the worst part of it. Normally, when I’m not attending school, I usually spend around $20 a week on gas. When school starts back up, however, that number can easily double to the point where I’m spending almost $200 a month just on the gas. What can you do, though? My truck’s a necessity.”
Speaking of necessity, food was right behind bills for what students spend their money on. Ironically enough, many students who live at home with their parents tend to eat out quite frequently, and likewise many residents with meal plans do as well.
Sophomore Callie Osborn generally eats fast food over eating at the cafeteria.
“When I get food, it’s usually between midnight and two in the morning. Everything at the school is closed at that time,” Osborn said.
One of Osborn’s most visited fast food restaurants is McDonalds. Being located directly across from the college makes it an ideal eatery for students and residents of Mesa State. In fact, the McDonalds on the corner of 12th and North is not only open 24 hours a day, but they also take walk-ups, which means that even without a car, if the lobby is closed, anyone can still go through the drive-thru and order. Constantly eating out can come at a steep price, however. Osborn said that she can easily spend $30 or more a week on food, and in the course of time, that can easily climb above $100 a month.
Entertainment is also a must have. For many students, movies are a great source for that entertainment. Just like everything else, though, entertainment can be costly. To see a movie in theatres will cost over $10 and that’s without snacks. Buying DVDs can also get expensive, so many students have switched to alternative methods. For Osborn, it’s the Red Box, which has a wide variety of movies for rent for only a dollar a day. For sophomore Jenna Penn and many other students, Netflix is a lifesaver. For a monthly fee, Penn is not only able to watch and rent as many movies as she wants, but she can also stream them directly to her television or computer.
In a time where the economy is poor, Mesa State is thriving. Enrollment rates are high and the students are continuing to spend money. With your help, Mesa State will be able to breathe life into the city of Grand Junction, once more.

jathoele@mesastate.edu