As a college student, there is so much you want to do both on campus and off campus. Unfortunately, the costs of those college experiences are higher than before. It is hard to afford all the fun parts of college, such as trying new restaurants or going shopping. With Philadelphia so close, there are a lot of opportunities to explore the city with sports games, concerts or just enjoy the sights and sounds within the City of Brotherly Love.
There are job opportunities both on and off campus, but securing off-campus positions can be challenging without reliable transportation. They can also schedule you during inconvenient hours, leading to trouble with balancing classes and work while trying to find time for a social life.
If your car is not on campus, there are other ways in which you can make money. These options can include anything from working in Admissions to working in the Fitness Center or the campus coffee shop. There are also opportunities to work as a Teaching Assistant (TA) or a Resident Assistant (RA).
Working on campus is more convenient for busy students and can provide them with flexible schedules. Your employer understands that you are a student first and a worker second. Campus jobs help you build your resume by developing your skills and giving you job experience while allowing for more freedom.
Eastern University has Federal Work Study that is given out to students based on their financial needs. This money is allotted in a student’s Financial Aid package and students can earn that money through specific jobs on campus, but this is not required of all student positions.
If you are not eligible for Federal Work Study, you can still work on campus through ECE which is Eastern Campus Employment. The funds for this come from each department directly and you receive the payment directly from the school. Certain campus jobs can give compensation through scholarships and stipends depending on the department.
Working on campus allows you to make money while being a student and works with you to establish convenient, reasonable hours. Eastern does not let any student to work over 20 hours a week, but students may work fewer than those 20 hours if they so choose.
If you are looking for ideas of where to start looking for jobs on campus, you can start with jobs like working at the fitness center desk, the bookstore or the mail room. Eastern campus jobs are often posted on Handshake, and can be accessed by signing in with your Eastern email. Some jobs are more academically involved, such as the Writing Center and Peer Tutors. Some professors offer Teaching Assistants money as well. If those positions are not paid, then they will be used for credits.
There are jobs on campus, such as working in the bookstore, that are convenient for saving money on gas and time commuting to work. Saving time driving places allows Eastern junior Ella Sedor to work longer hours in an environment in which she feels safe and loved. She enjoys working at the bookstore, especially at the beginning of the semester when she gets to assist her peers and help students with diverse needs, including finding the right textbooks.
Working closely with not only students, but their families is a benefit of working in Admissions. “I get to be a part of their experience in taking a tour of campus and getting a feel of it,” said student Osmond Chan. Chan sees the benefits of working within a small group and practicing “client-facing skills” to properly communicate with families looking to enroll their children at Eastern.
The Fitness Center is another flexible campus job with an easy way to make money. Justyn Torres worked at the fitness center and said that it is, “an easy way of making money on campus and being able to do homework and study while still making money.” Some jobs are more in-depth with work, while others are allow space to do homework or other projects that need to be completed if nothing needs attended to.
While jobs like the bookstore, Admissions and the Fitness Center are flexible with hours and their pay, there are more in-depth jobs, such as becoming a RA. RA Kadin Kolstad mentioned how it feels like a community. “It kind of feels like everybody’s in it together. We are able to confide in one another and empathize.” This is important in the RA position since it can be stressful knowing that if something happens, you have to be there.
Campus jobs offer flexible hours to help student prioritize their academic success. By saving time and money on transportation, students can still have jobs and make the money they need from the convenience of campus.