By Ashley Saleh/reporter
Students looking for on-campus employment that works with their classes may be interested in the Federal Work-Study Program.
The college can place students who qualify into jobs in various departments around the district as a form of federal aid for school.
NE student Vanessa Arevalo said the program has benefited her in different ways.
“My work-study job allows me to make money and still have time to attend class and get my homework done,” Arevalo said. “This is also my first ever job, so I’m getting work experience to put on my resume in order to make me more marketable for future jobs or careers.”
TR financial aid specialist Stephanie Castillo said this program offers many benefits for students.
“Engagement on campus is a huge benefit because you’re here,” she said. “We can place students in departments where they’re studying.”
Through work-study, participants can get firsthand experience in their field of study, she said.
Wendy Hernandez, South financial aid associate, said the flexibility of hours is another bonus for students.
“We really try to work around their hours,” she said. “They also might be able to focus more on their work because they’re on campus and we work with their schedule.”
NE work-study supervisor Andrew Rodriguez said several steps determine eligibility for students who want to participate.
“First, the student must complete the full FAFSA online,” Rodriguez said. “Once the financial aid office at your campus receives your application and determines that you are eligible for work-study, you must complete a work-study orientation online or in person. Once you complete the orientation, you would proceed to the link provided in the orientation, upload your resume and apply for jobs that fall under the work-study category.”
Students receive an award letter specifying the amount of work-study grant money they can receive.
While there is no deadline for the work-study program, only a limited number of positions are available on each campus.
“You want to apply as soon as possible to get the most bang for your buck,” Castillo said.
If students said they weren’t interested in the work-study program on their FAFSA application but want to participate later, it’s not a problem, Hernandez said.
“They can come into our offices, and we can see if they’re eligible for it,” she said.
