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Making the Most of your College Career: Student Employment

Student employment is easily one of the best opportunities that students have on campus. Supervisors are friendly and flexible – they know that you are a full-time student with many responsibilities. There are many fun positions on campus that will allow you to gain work experience as well as amazing life lessons.

Here are some of the many campus employment opportunities for students:

  • Teaching Assistant: Professors will often offer this to students they know well and who have proven their responsibility. This involves activities such as grading papers and assessments, but can also include taking attendance and proofreading works as well.
  • Dining Hall Staff: The three main dining halls on campus are called Hicks, MAP (Mary Anderson Pew) Cafe, and the GeDunk. Responsibilities include cleaning, dish washing, and taking care of equipment. Customer service experience is very important to post-collegiate employers.
  • Lobby Attendants: This entails monitoring a single selected lobby on campus. Buildings where this is often required are Memorial, Ketler, Harker, MAP, MEP (Mary Ethel Pew) and Colonial dormitories. These attendants monitor those entering and exiting the building.
  • Admissions Secretary: This involves responding to questions on the Grove City website while simultaneously scheduling student interviews and even tours as well. This is a good way to gain some mild administrative experience.
  • Admissions Tour Guide: Visitors often come to campus to see what Grove City is really like. This involves giving tours to prospective students while teaching the history and purpose of the College. You get to meet many nice people through this opportunity while being the face of the College for hundreds of families.
  • Alumni Staff: Working for the Carnegie Alumni Center can take many forms. This can involve preparing for big events, and it can also involve preparing small gifts and favors for visitors. Another opportunity within this category is being a Crimson Caller – these are individuals who call alumni requesting support for their alma mater.
  • Bookstore Cashier: This involves working at the college bookstore and serving customers that come to shop for clothing, books, and supplies. The bookstore is an exciting place to work and there are many enjoyable tasks to perform here.
  • Career Services Assistant: The Career Services Office takes their mission seriously. They have a reputation for being one of the best in college services for placement. This opportunity allows you to help schedule appointments, assist with resume workshops, and help in advertising big events throughout the year. This is a great job for meeting many business professionals, you will inevitably gain some networking in the process.
  • Chapel Staff: As a Christian campus, Grove City College prioritizes the chapel program. You can play an important role in this by scanning students’ IDs, leading in prayer, and making announcements at the beginning of chapel. I know many students who do not regret taking this amazing opportunity.
  • Library Assistant: This involves maintaining organization of the campus library. Assistants help students with questions and offer guidance as to where they can find good resources for their coursework.
  • Mail Room Assistant: With this opportunity you can help organize the campus mail that arrives for students. Grove City’s mail room is a bustling place and there is always something interesting to do. Much responsibility comes with operating the mail that comes for students.
  • Sport Event Security: Many students enjoy attending sporting events. Did you know there is a way for you to get paid for watching other students play? This position involves monitoring the crowds and ensuring that everyone is safe and that there are no threats to athletes and spectators.
  • Lifeguard: As a lifeguard you watch over the pool during its open hours of access. You are responsible for the safety of those who come to enjoy this fun facility.
  • Tutoring: This is a great opportunity to share your knowledge with students who are struggling in a particular subject area. If you pass a class with a grade which meets certain standards of subject-matter expertise, then you are an ideal tutor. Helping others is a great way to expand your own knowledge. I have found that you truly master a subject when you teach it to others.

The people that I have had the pleasure of serving with at the Student Union GeDunk have been a tremendous blessing to me. They are more than coworkers, they are true friends to me. I have so much respect for these incredible people. I would encourage all students to take a look at open opportunities and fulfill a need on campus.

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Life Changing Electives: The Seminar in Life Management

The Grove City Business Department is helping students of all majors start their post-collegiate career off right with the Seminar in Life Management. This very reasonable and manageable 1-credit elective teaches students the importance of employment and benefits decisions, savings, investments, and budgeting. By the age of 30, you will have made nearly 90% of the important financial decisions that will make or break you.

As a Finance major, I can appreciate the valuable advice that Dr. Powell has regarding savings and investments. Topics explored in this regard include: ROTH IRAs, tax deferred annuities, index funds, and many more options.

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 says, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” Tithing and charity is a big part of this course as well. It is important to recognize the important things in life. Only 30% of Americans said they were happy in a recent poll. There is no amount of wealth that can mirror the satisfaction that a God-centered life provides.

Through my seminar project, I realized that planning isn’t everything in the key to a successful financial future. On the back of U.S. currency you will find the phrase “In God We Trust.” It is important to remember to honor this. Many Americans alternatively live by the phrase “In Money We Trust.” There is no amount of planning that can parallel God’s plan. What He has in store for my life may be very different from what I have in mind. I can react to financial parameters and industry standards, however, I must also prepare to alter my plan based on His plan.

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Making the Most of your College Career: Interning Early

The internship has taken the place of the entry-level job in today’s job market. It is more important now than ever before to gain this valuable experience on your resume. Most students believe that they are unqualified to perform an internship until their junior or senior year, but there are many great opportunities for younger students to get started early in their college career!

Internships are very competitive and waiting to apply later might be a mistake. Even though the more desirable internships might be earned by upperclassmen, you should take advantage of other opportunities. At a recent networking event on campus, an employer was asked, “What do you look for on the resume of the perfect applicant?” The response was, “First, I look at the student’s GPA, and second, I look for previous internship experience.” Accepting a modest internship during your sophomore year is probably the best thing you can do to prepare yourself for the internships that you truly desire in your years to come.

Some great opportunities exist in sales, non-profit, and management. These might not be positions that you are looking for, but they are excellent ways for you to gain real professional work experience. This will separate you from the rest when it comes time to apply for the next big opportunity.

What should you do when you start applying for internships junior or senior year? You should network with students and alumni and get your LinkedIn profile ready early because this is important. I would reach out to family and friends to see if you can use your personal connections. Informational interviews are a great way to meet new people and gain some information – additionally, there are many alumni that would be more than happy to talk with you about their profession. When it comes time to find your full-time job, the last thing you want to do is settle. It is important to intern early and make the most of your experience!

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Life Changing Electives: The Pottery Program at Grove City College

Grove City offers many worthwhile majors and minors to pursue, but if you are like most students, you will have a few general electives to fulfill as well. “General Electives” are classes of your choosing! This requirement gives students a great opportunity to explore topics and activities beyond their regular area of studies, and you can have a lot of fun doing this.

One of the most fulfilling and satisfying electives that I have ever taken is Pottery. Professor Rhoades has maintained a quality program for students with courses encompassing handbuilding, wheel throwing, sculpture, pueblo, raku, and advanced ceramics. When you are using the medium of clay, the process is always the same, but you get to choose what the final product will be. Here are some examples of the work you can create and keep at the end of the semester:

The following is a very basic description of how you begin to work with the medium of clay. You begin by wedging, the technique of mixing and rolling clay to make it consistent and remove air bubbles (air bubbles can cause problems when you fire the clay, mostly by turning your new piece of artwork into a mini explosive in the kiln). Once you have wedged your clay you can begin to create its form. There are two main techniques for doing so – handbuilding and wheel throwing. Your clay will slowly dry over time, and you can work with it until it reaches the texture of leather, at which point you cannot make any further alterations (aside from starting over again). Once your pottery is bone-dry you are ready for the kiln! First, you will bisque fire your work, then you are ready to glaze with a variety of different colors. Once you have glazed your pottery, you place your work back in the kiln for a glaze fire. If there are any runs that you do not like from your glazing then you can sand them in the studio to polish them up!

For anyone who is hesitant because they don not believe in their artistic ability, I would encourage you to take a look at my first piece of work. It is by no means a masterpiece, in fact it is an embarrassment! But Professor Rhoades is very generous and will reward you for your efforts and improvement! Yes, even this humble piece of pottery was A-worthy.