Since her freshman year of college, College of Fine Arts senior Katrina Tamarro has held a job on the side. While she has faced difficulties at times, Tamarro said her work-study jobs have helped her to become financially independent.
“You have to schedule out when you can get your homework done, work your job and have a social life,”
Tamarro said. “It’s tough at times but, in my opinion, work-study gives you great experience to prepare you for the real world.”
As the financial crisis has led many student toward work-study jobs to help pay for college, students said they have learned to juggle their work, academic and personal schedules.
Work-study manager Rachel Caine said that students who have retained a part-time job have developed organizational skills.
“There have been several studies over the years that show that students who work while attending college tend to be more organized, better at time management and ultimately end up with higher grades,” Caine said in an email interview.
Caine said that BU employs more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Of those, 2,713 students, or about 30 percent, hold work-study jobs, she said.
BU has received funding for work-study jobs since the Federal Work-Study program was established as part of the Economic Opportunity Act in 1964, according to the Campus Compact website.
Work-study is designed to provide students with part-time jobs to help finance “the costs of postsecondary education,” according to a statement made by the Department of Education.
Students must show financial need to participate in the work-study job, Caine said. While Caine said that BU offers a variety of jobs to students, but that positions in offices and laboratories tend to fill up the fastest, as well as jobs with afternoon and evening hours.
Kamarro said she considers the work-study program a “rewarding experience.” She held a work-study job for two years and now works at BU dining services as a regular employee.
“Having a job during college also looks very good to future employers who will value a well organized employee,” she said.
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