Financial Aid

Student Employment: Making a Difference On and Off-Campus

Suzanne Jones
Assistant Director for Experiential Education

How do I find a job on campus? I’ve been awarded financial aid work study, so what do I do now? Can I work on campus if I am not eligible for work study? Can I continue to work after I have earned all my work study award money?

The staff of Career Services addresses these questions and many more regarding the student employment program every day. Students are encouraged to participate in the student employment program to help pay for educational expenses while having a meaningful work experience.

Available positions are posted on the Career Services web site at www.webster.edu/homecampus/homes/studentEmployment.html. To interview for jobs of interest, students should contact the hiring supervisors listed for the positions, as students are not automatically placed in jobs, even if they have been awarded work study (part of financial aid). Jobs vary throughout the university, from conducting research for professors, to solving computer problems for students and staff, to answering the phone and completing clerical tasks in a department’s office. Students receiving a Federal Work Study award may also choose to work in an approved non-profit agency in the community or as a tutor at a local school. One goal of student employment is to find a position that offers academic or career experience for the student whenever possible.

Students interested in working on-campus who are not eligible to receive financial aid work study may seek budget student employment (available to all students, regardless of financial need). These positions range from managing the functioning of the University Center to serving as a phonathon caller for Alumni & Development. Budget positions are very competitive and students are encouraged to apply early in the year for these positions.

With the capacity to work up to 20 hours per week, and earning $6.25/hour and up, many student employees earn their entire work study awards before the end of the academic year. Therefore, students should track how much of their awards have been earned and complete a “work study appeal form” at the Financial Aid Office when they have earned the majority of their work study award. The staff of Financial Aid will consider these appeals on a monthly basis and determine if a student has additional financial need to merit receiving an increase to the original work study award. Students will be notified by letter as to whether they have received such an increase, but should be careful not to work over their original award amount until they are assured that they have received additional work study funding.

Student employment is an excellent opportunity for students to make a difference both on campus and in the community at large. For questions regarding this program, please contact:

Suzanne Jones, Assistant Director for Experiential Education
Webster University Career Services
470 E. Lockwood Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63119
(314) 968-6982 or (800) 981-9805 sjones@webster.edu