By Karen Parr-Moody
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Gabriella Delgandio is a newly-minted graduate, fresh out of one of the best universities in the Deep South, Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. Yet like many new graduates, she belongs to what the New York Times has called “Generation Limbo.” These are highly educated 20-somethings who haven’t gotten their preferred jobs yet.
As they wait for their careers to take off, members of Generation Limbo pursue other jobs in unrelated fields. That is what Delgandio – who graduated 
with a degree in international relations – is doing as she sells homemade frozen treats at Clarksville’s Downtown Market. The market takes place every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at One Public Square through October.
The name of Delgandio’s home-based business – Post Grad Plan Popsicle Company – is, as Delgandio puts it, “A way for me to silently mock myself.”
But despite the mockery, Delgandio is serious about the tenets of her small business. For one thing, she’s sourcing her ingredients as locally as she can. (Her mother, Louise Delgandio, also pursues the local-sourcing route with her Downtown Market business, Louise’s Bakery & Kitchen.)
Delgandio also infuses the $3 frozen pops with creativity. Flavors include honeydew basil, roasted cantaloupe, mango, avocado, blackberry rose, vanilla gelato, chocolate gelato, peach, strawberry and a special multi-colored pop called Red, White and Blue(berry).
“I try and make them creative and give them an international flair,” Delgandio adds, noting that, for example, her mango pop includes a pinch of cardamom to give it that hint of India.
“It’s kind of like blending in my degree of international relations,” she said.
A pint-sized customer enjoys the Red, White and Blue(berry) pop./Karen Parr-Moody
Karen Parr-Moody began a career as a New York journalist, working as a fashion reporter for Women’s Wear Daily, a beauty editor for Young Miss and a beauty and fashion writer for both In Style and People magazines. Regionally, she has been a writer at The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper and currently writes about arts and culture for Nashville Arts magazine each month.