As a part of my financial aid award going into my first year at Lehigh University, I was given the opportunity to participate in a paid work-study position. I, at the time, had no idea what it was, let alone its connection to my family’s financial situation going into a four-year stint at a private university with another kid in college at the same time.
Turns out, my work-study position through Campus Athletics has been one of the most important aspects of my time here over the last four years. Of course, I’m not the only one who has found rewarding experiences through Lehigh’s work-study positions; others have written about their unique experiences working as an American Reads tutor for Broughal Middle School, as a lifeguard in Taylor Gym and so much more on the Student Blog for years!
In the first few weeks of my first year, an email was sent to what I assume was the pool of students eligible for a work-study position on campus, showcasing all the roles available and the time requirements needed for each. After a bit of back and forth with some of the managers of these roles and slowly whittling down the list of offerings that interested me, I found myself face-to-face with the office assistant role for the Intramural Sports Office.
I went down to Grace Hall, where the office is located, and took a look around. Next, I set up a Zoom meeting to meet with my potential boss: a friendly, flexible and professional leader named Jane Josephson. She has been a true mentor to me throughout my college career, and I am glad I ended up at her metaphorical doorstep in Fall 2020.
From then on, a group of other work-study-eligible students and I have worked together in rotating shifts at Grace Hall in an assistant/administrative capacity, helping distribute gear for club and intramural sports teams, organizing lists for events such as the annual Turkey Trot, and much more. I log my hours using a university-controlled app called MobileClock, which connects directly to the Payroll Office on campus.
I am fortunate to have been promoted to a supervisor position in the Intramural Sports Office. One of my job responsibilities includes providing driving services to other supervisors so they can attend sporting events, which typically take place up the mountain at Sayre Park Fields. It’s less than a mile away but involves a steep and sidewalk-less journey.
The financial benefits of this job have also been valuable. Receiving my paycheck every few weeks and having a little bit of walking around money is, as any full-time college student knows, very important. I am so lucky to go to a school like Lehigh that looks out for its students and their families and provides them with all the necessary resources they could possibly require.