Programs and services that define the student experience are all partly run by employees who are students themselves. Jobs like this can be found on Aggie Job Link, a website that helps provide resources like job search tools, resume assistance, internship opportunities and professional networking.
Though many students work for financial supplementation, others may also apply for work experience, resume building or even to meet people and make friends.
Britney Larriva, a second-year human development and Spanish major who works in the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC), was introduced to her job through Aggie Job Link.
“Having an on-campus job is really nice. It’s a good opportunity, it’s great that they make it available and flexible for students,” Larriva said.
While working on-campus may seem convenient for students as employers are aware of holidays and finals week, Rachel Vogel, a second-year nutrition science major and an administrative assistant at the Study Abroad office, said that her job has still significantly impacted her academic habits.
“I actually find that having a job — it takes up more of my day, and so that means when I do have free time I need to study, to prioritize,” Vogel said.
Vogel’s duties primarily involve helping the quarter abroad programs process enrollment and overseeing administrative tasks.
In her four months on the job, Vogel said that the most rewarding part has been seeing the joy that comes from helping students finalize their study abroad plans. She said that she’s both enthusiastic about and committed to her job, and plans to work there for as long as she can, moving up within the program.
“It’s really just inspiring … it’s cool to see people get excited about travel,” Vogel said.
Students may be motivated to work for various reasons, and Aggies who qualify for financial assistance can utilize a work study program that helps provide jobs in a scholarship-like form. Through this program, students can gain experience, with the plus of a little more financial help.
“I don’t come from a lot of money, and I recently joined a sorority, so in order to pay for that and help my mom out … I pay for my books,” said Tiffany West, a first-year environmental and civil engineering major, who currently works for Unitrans cleaning busses and assisting supervisors in their given duties.
West’s time on the job has connected her with people also eager to work.
“I’ve gained friends … it’s given me a chance to meet upperclassmen,” West said.
Jobs on campus can vary in time commitment and demand. The Resident Advisors, or RAs, hold one of the most time consuming and important jobs. Sometimes stereotyped as the kill-joys of freshman year, RAs provide integral support to students in both their personal and academic lives.
Hannah Milner, a third-year managerial economics major, worked as an RA during her second year at UC Davis.
“You’ve got to learn more about the resources on campus … it was a really hands-on job,” Milner said. “There were difficulties with residents that you needed to sort out.”
Being an RA comes with perks, such as priority registration, which according to Milner, often attracts a new group from within the freshman class each year.
Milner currently works in the Managerial Economics Library in the Social Sciences and Humanities Building. She said this new job is a lot less demanding than the RA position, allowing her more flexibility. As an RA, she was always on call for her residents.
“I remember this one experience where someone was so upset over the grades they got … it was difficult. They came to me and I just remember that after we had our conversation and I let her know that it’s normal to have difficulty transitioning, she just seemed so much more calm. Little things like that from residents was definitely what was great,” Milner said.
