For college students, juggling exams, social events, and a part-time job might sound like a superpower in the making. And in some cases, it is. Campus jobs are the unsung heroes of the college experience, allowing students to master the art of balancing work, study, and Netflix binges all in one go.
Whether they’re behind the desk at SHAPE, assisting admissions with campus tours, or being the first person people see at Stearns, these multitasking dynamos are not just earning a paycheck — they’re honing skills that will make them the office MVPs of the future. So, while some might be sleeping in or scrambling for last-minute assignments, the campus job crew is out there, turning their college years into a masterclass in time management (and caffeine consumption).
One thing that has helped the rise in on-campus jobs is work study. According to FAFSA, work study “provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the student’s course of study.”
When you apply for financial aid, it automatically shows how much you’re granted in work study money. For me personally, I don’t get much in FAFSA financial aid, but instead a good amount of work study money.
It’s good to note that once your work study money is all awarded, you’re not allowed to get any more for the semester. Setting up a plan with your advisor to become a direct hire after work study is no more, so you can keep a steady income, is highly encouraged.
If you log into your VSC portal, click on the career development tab (the one with the briefcase) and click on “on campus student employment information.” It will open a new tab with information on how to work the website. Right away you see four buttons you can press: on campus student job board, for supervisors, work study, and Handshake: jobs and internships. Clicking on the work study tab will bring you to VTSU’s website where it gives you step-by-step instructions on how to view if you’re eligible/apply for work study. If you want to look at what on-campus jobs are available, you should click on “on campus student job board.” There’s different filters you can put in for a more precise search. Company location, job category, schedule, and job location type are all things you can enter for a cleaner search. Between us, you only really need to focus on company location and schedule.
Jobs from every area of expertise are presented to you. If you favor STEM jobs, research assistants are more than needed. If you like the arts, Dibden has positions for crew chief and assistant technical director. Into education? They have tutoring positions available in academic support. If none of these sound interesting, do your own research! I’m even giving step by step instructions for you here!
I’ve worked on this campus since I came here in 2022. My first year I worked at Dibden doing box office and stage work. I never was a part of theater before, but it was something I always had in the back of my head. I figured this would be a cool way to get introduced to something that had intrigued me for the longest time. My little pea brain was filled to the brim with different lingo and terms I had never heard before. I think most of my time was spent standing in the closet looking for a wire that was right in front of my face. I didn’t (and still don’t) know how to coil, striking was a bitch, and I just wanted to be in my room. If it wasn’t for the people I got the pleasure of working with, and working under, Dibden would’ve heard my goodbyes a lot sooner.
As it turned out, I did eventually have to say my actual goodbyes due to having lower back surgery. I was cleared to come back to Vermont, but I wasn’t cleared for the physical labor that comes with working at Dibden. Instead, I found myself as the Student Life Office (SLO) secretary. A complete 180 from what I was used to.
Instead of getting geared up to fix a couple lights on the catwalk, I would answer the phone, make posters for upcoming events, hang them up, and do any other light task that was assigned to me that day.
My involvement with SLO eventually brought me to my involvement with CAB (Campus Activities Board), where I am now the vice president! It’s a beautiful job I gladly get the experience of doing. Getting to help with bringing amusement and thrills to campus for the students to enjoy has been nothing short of rewarding. If it wasn’t for my on-campus job, I never would’ve been able to do what I do today.
Even though campus employment gives students valuable experience and a sense of freedom, balancing work, school, and personal obligations frequently feels like a time management master class without the textbook. The difficulties of rigid scheduling and few possibilities necessitate a new examination of how colleges might better assist student employees.
Campuses may make sure that these employment opportunities complement education rather than replace it by encouraging more adaptable and fulfilling positions. Learning how to thrive rather than merely survive is, after all, the most important lesson in higher education, isn’t it?