Taking a look at work study

For many students, work-study is an essential part of financial aid. Not only does having a job on campus as work- study help with the cost of tuition but it also gives students pocket money for the school year. By holding a work-study position students earn $1800 towards the cost of the semester in addition to the $8.00 an hour they receive in a monthly paycheck.

Student workers can be found throughout campus, particularly in clerical positions in different college offices. According to the Office of Financial Aid jobs also include “shelving books in the library, community service, monitoring the weight room in the Life Sports Center, videotaping sporting events, and working behind-the scenes at the theater, to higher-level positions utilizing computer skills, subject expertise, and/or the ability to read a foreign language, lifeguarding, and scientific research.”

As the Office of Financial Aid indicated, some jobs require higher qualifications, while others demand more work than study when students are on the clock. Many positions allow student workers to study when there are slow periods during their shifts, however, not all jobs lend themselves to this. The Weekly spoke with Hailey Roos ’20 from the library circulation desk, Alyssa Roberts ’20 who is a videographer for the Athletics Office, and Chrystina Obleschuck ’20 from the Academic Resource Center. All three spoke about what their positions entail and how much time goes to working versus studying.

Roos said that as a circulation desk worker her job consists of “doing inventory, checking in and checking out books, and doing inventory.” When asked how much of her two hour shift she could work on homework Roos said she has roughly an hour to work on schoolwork. When asked to describe her job she said it was “definitely laid back” and did not add to the stress of classes.

Roberts, on the other hand, records sporting events.

“I’m not just under the command of one sport, anything that’s going on I’m supposed to film,” says Roberts.

She explained that the physical videoing of a game does not require a huge time commitment, “about three hours every week.” However, the conversion of the film from SD cards to her laptop and then again to various forms of media does take up a large amount of time. One particular incidence required an additional three hours. Roberts is still working with her supervisor on which tasks she is on the clock for and for how long. Compared to Roos and Obleschuck, who have set, weekly schedules, Robert’s work study job schedule is determined by when athletic events are occurring. Roberts’s position also does not allow her to complete school work while working, thanks to the constant attention that is needed during a shift.

Obleschuck works at the Academic Resource Center and her busy time was at the start of the semester.

“We process tutor requests,” said Obleschuck. “we send out the emails for the tutor requests, we do filing, schedule appointments for the different people who work in the office, and note scanning for ODS.”

The influx of activity at the beginning of the semester can be attributed to the need for tutors and the work she does with that. Now that the time has “slowed down,” Obleschuck says that it “fluctuates” and has the time to do school work about 30 to 40 percent of the time. It depends on how much work needs to be done when she comes in for her shift.

Some jobs offered by the college do seem to be easier than others, although it depends on the position, time of year, and the day. As with any job there seems to be a mix of both busy and slow days across campus.