Campus Connection

UWL is No. 23 nationwide for providing part-time student jobs

UW-La Crosse is one of the top schools in the nation in providing part-time university employment opportunities to its students. UW-La Crosse was ranked No. 23 on a list of 250 schools nationwide for the high number of on-campus jobs provided to students. UWL offers 1,756 part-time jobs, according to the list from studentloans.net. The ranking was determined by how many non-federal work study job opportunities each school offered based on licensed Peterson’s Financial Aid Data from 2016. Prospective students and families often inquire about part-time employment opportunities for college students, and it can be a factor in deciding whether or not they will attend UWL, notes Corey Sjoquist, UWL director of Admissions. "The variety and number of student jobs at UWL not only provides an option for students to earn money to pay a portion of their education costs, but oftentimes helps them acquire skills that prove beneficial in their professional careers," he says. Student’s on-campus job leads to new career outlook UWL senior Brett Simon, a student coordinator at the Recreational Eagle Center, helps supervise UWL intramural sports, works the front desk at the REC, and leads weekly staff meetings and clinics for intramural officials. "You learn a lot of transferable skills back to classroom and into the future," he says. "You learn how to manage your time, customer service, how to handle money, and you gain professional development opportunities like attending different conferences." He likes the convenience of working on campus and that his supervisors encourage him to be a student first. Moreover, he has found a strong community and support system at his job, and that got him thinking more about his future. Simon says his positive campus job experience led to a major and career-track switch. He is now looking at graduate school for recreation management with goals of one day holding a leadership position in recreation or athletics on a college campus. "Getting this job has shown me a new area, a new profession that I never knew existed," he says. While Simon can't put a price tag on the value of his work experience, campus jobs also make a financial impact. They help students pay for college at a time when student debt continues to make national headlines. “By working part-time in one of the many on campus job opportunities, students are making the best use of their resources, while also reducing their dependence on student loans and lowering their overall indebtedness,” says Louise Janke, UWL director of Financial Aid. About the ranking  Jobs included on the list are only those provided by the college as a form of self-help aid. Rutgers University-New Brunswick took the No. 1 spot with 7,704 jobs. For a full list of the top 250 colleges, view the full article.