Labs, food and sports
Even though it may mean minimum wage and no health benefits, according to Jodi Burton, a sophomore in exercise science, working on campus has its perks.
“I really like it. It works with my school schedule and I can switch shifts with other people so I’m able to do my homework,” Burton said about her job at the Quick Stop in the TSC.
Burton’s job behind the cash register is just one of the many jobs on campus. Others work with food, computers, sports and even copy machines.
Burton has been working at the conveniece-like store since the beginning of the school year and plans to work there next fall as well. Since she doesn’t have a car, working in the TSC is close and convenient.
She also has a good schedule, only having to work, at the latest, until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 p.m. on Fridays, and 3 p.m. on Saturdays. So basically, Burton can always do something fun on weekend nights. And, she added, her schedule is rotated so sometimes she doesn’t have to work weekends at all.
Some of the unknown perks include getting a free meals every time she works at The Marketplace in the TSC as well.
If students work at the library, they don’t have to pay library fines and working at the bookstore pays when employees get free textbooks every semester. To get that benefit, however, the student must work at the store for a year.
Mattie Kennedy, who works at the Quadside Café in the library, said she gets discounts on some of the food. Her favorite thing about the job is meeting people and getting better at preparing drinks and sandwiches.
“Even though I don’t drink coffee, I like making espressos and knowing that I’ve made them perfect,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy is not a student this semester, but will be in the fall. She said it will be nice to have a job that is close to classes.
Chris Tingey, a senior in English, worked for two years as a scorekeeper for intramural sports and said the biggest benefit of that job was only having to work about five hours a week and that it worked with his school schedule. He would recommend any student working on campus.
“It’s a really good opportunity, especially if you’re having a hard time finding a job in Logan,” Tingey said.
He said he now works at Café Rio but admitted he liked score keeping more. He really liked his supervisors and all the other scorekeepers.
Cristian Vasquez, a junior in civil engineering, jokingly said the best part of his job in student lab services is flirting with beautiful girls. He says even when they don’t respond he does what he can.
Vasquez has been working for student lab services for more than a year and said he likes it because he doesn’t have to do very much. When students don’t need help, he can do whatever he wants, whether it be homework or just playing on the computer.
He did say every once in a while he has to tell people to get off of inappropriate Web sites though. But even that doesn’t bother him.
“I just say ‘excuse me, if you don’t get off that site I’m going to kick you out,'” he said. “I’m not afraid of them.”
Vasquez has gotten a couple of raises since he began working but still only makes a little more than $6 an hour.
“It’s not bad for doing nothing,” he said.
Students who work on campus also get holidays off and many of them move home for the summer and Christmas break. So in spite of low pay, on-campus jobs can be beneficial.
-mnewbold@cc.usu.edu