By Kari Lutes, Features Editor
When students think of a campus job, they probably think of the card swiper in the Caf or the barista in the Hiccup, but those necessary and front-line service jobs aren’t the only ones available on campus. From I.T. in the basement of Kinlaw to the pool at the Luce, many offices on campus hire students, giving them an outlet for their passions and a foundation for their future careers.
For seniors Tommy Otley and Ariane Arquisola, the Luce Center was a natural place to look for a job.
Otley, a swimmer and lifeguard in high school, found lifeguarding at the Luce to be a natural fit. The job is one of few at Asbury that pays over minimum wage, but it also requires training and certification as a trade-off — a trade-off that can come with stress.
“I have made many saves,” Otley said, “The job can be stressful, especially when the pool is busy, [but] it is always rewarding seeing kids that couldn’t swim before learn [to swim].”
Not only is the job rewarding as it’s being carried out, but Otley also sees it as an opportunity for the future.
“As a pre-physical therapy student and a swimmer, I have a great interest in water rehab and its possibilities,” Otley said. “Being around the pool has raised my awareness of how pool rehab can be used to help increase the quality of life for many people.”
Arquisola, who worked as a physical therapy assistant in high school, found a job as a student athletic trainer at the Luce. The job entails everything from laundry to assisting with rehabs and is aligns with both her skills and passions.
[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“Being around the pool has raised my awareness of how pool rehab can be used to help increase the quality of life for many people.”[/perfectpullquote]
“I’m really passionate about fitness, anatomy, and helping people in general,” said Arquisola, who has a minor in exercise science.
Another pull of the job for Arquisola was the atmosphere.
“I knew my major wouldn’t give me a lot of opportunities to meet athletes, so it bridges a social gap for me,” she said. “It’s something a little different that I love to do.”
While jobs at the Luce tend to be more physical, other jobs on campus are more like a typical office job, which provides good preparation for a future in the work force. Senior Payton Sheeran and sophomore Natalia Berkey found jobs in different offices on campus that align with their majors and goals for the future.
Sheeran, an education major, works as a staff assistant in the education office, doing everything from filing to making runs to CPO for professors.
“[This job] teaches me the office side of education,” Sheeran said. “I never used a copier before I had this job.”
Sheeran also found that by working in the Education office she was able to connect and form relationships with her professors even before she had them in class.
“I like that I get to know all the professors,” Sheeran said, “It helps build a relationship with them especially when I have them in class, because they already know me.”
Berkey’s job as a student worker in the Career and Calling office is a good opportunity to apply what she learns in her communications major.
“All I’m doing is communications,” Berkey said. Her job involves meeting with students to help them find the next steps in their careers and representing the Career and Calling office at the Career Corner in the Stuce.
Not only is the job good preparation for her future goals, but it’s also great for networking.
“The connections we’re making are amazing,” Berkey said, “We’re the first faces [businesses] see [at Asbury]. This job is a great first step to entering the career world, it really opens doors for me.” Jobs that students find on campus can be a foundation in their passion that prepares them for their future.
