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Competition for on-campus jobs fierce

By Micole Aronowitz

Thursday, February 19, 2009

He is triple majoring in art history, African-American studies and humanities, with a minor in peace and conflict studies. He works two jobs, one at the Bursar’s Office and the other at the Art and Design Gallery. Plus, he volunteers 10 hours each week. Zack Borth is busy.

“I have to work,” Borth, Arlington junior, said. “I have to pay the bills.”

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Photo by Allison Richardson

Zack Borth, Arlington junior, sits with Nicci Equels, Kansas City junior, before his art history class on Wednesday afternoon. Borth works anywhere from 26 to 29 hours a week.

According to the Office of Institutional Research and Planning, as of fall 2008, the number of student employees on campus, including graduate teaching assistants, was 4,807. That number has increased each year since 2006.

Ann Hartley, associate director of the University Career Center, said there was a demand for on-campus jobs. In January, there were 127 campus job openings and 3,193 applicants.

“It’s fairly competitive to get a job on campus,” Hartley said.

Hartley said the benefit for students working on campus was the convenience. She said on-campus employers could be more flexible with students’ schedules than off-campus employers.

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Photo by Matt Bristow

Zack Borth, Arlington junior, works at the Art and Design Gallery Tuesday afternoon. He is a full-time student who has two jobs and volunteers ten hours a week.

Borth recommended finding a job on campus because of that flexibility.

“If you can, an on-campus job is best because they really do work with you,” Borth said. “They understand you are a student. So if you have to work, work on campus.”

But because competition for campus jobs is high, some students are forced to find work elsewhere. Others prefer off-campus employment.

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Photo by Matt Bristow

Junior Navarro, Belle Plaine, lifts weights at Robinson Center on Monday afternoon. Besides his physical fitness class, Junior must balance his time between a full schedule and working almost thirty hours a week.

Junior Navarro, Belle Plain junior, has worked at Applebee’s, 2520 Iowa St., as a server for a year and a half.

He said his typical day, split between work and class, began at 7 a.m. and ended around midnight. He said managing his time was key to juggling his hectic schedule.

“It’s a lot of willpower,” Navarro said. “I get up early so that I can do my homework. I really have to take advantage of that time.”

Navarro said he didn’t have to work, but he chose to work between 20 to 30 hours each week.

Navarro’s advice to other students looking to work while in school is to practice effective time management.

“Definitely have to have that balance of work, school and fun,” Navarro said. “If you don’t have that balance you’re just going to be overwhelmed, always stressed and eventually it is going to catch up with you. You need something to look forward to.”

Borth said work provided an escape from class and vice versa.

“I feel that working balances out my stress from school and school balances out stress from work,” Borth said. “Truly, each has its own outlet.”

Hartley said students were able to work as many as 30 hours a week without being classified as full-time employees.

She said the main reason for students to work while in college was driven by financial need. But she said there were other influences, such as gaining specific experience.

“A lot of time students take a job during college to help build their resume and get some additional skills other than what they are doing in the classroom,” Hartley said.

Aside from work, Borth volunteers at the Douglas County Dental Clinic, Douglas County AIDS Project and the Spencer Museum of Art. He said his reason for volunteering was that it served as a release from the other stressors in his life.

“That’s where my motivation comes from,” Borth said. “Once I get done with work, I get to go volunteer. I love helping people.”

— — Edited by Andrew Wiebe

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