Five reasons for students to work on campus

Colleen Rich — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 15:51:10 +0000

Five reasons for students to work on campus Colleen Rich Fri, 10/28/2022 - 11:51

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Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

When you’re looking for a job in college, the most important thing you need is flexibility. Working at ��ӽ紫ý makes it easy to balance your classes with work. That’s why on campus jobs at Mason are great—we want you to focus on being a student first.

Did you know that working on campus can be one of the most memorable times of your college career? Mason’s Office of Housing and Residence Life (HRL) shares our top five reasons students should consider working on campus.

1. Flexibility

Campus positions are designed with student schedules in mind. Campus employers also know that life as a full-time student can get hectic with midterms, project deadlines and finals. Most positions at Mason offer flexibility to help you prioritize your school work. You can also trade shifts with other student workers to ensure you have the necessary time to focus on your school work as well as participate in campus activities. To top it off, if you’re living on campus, your work commute is a breeze.

2. Boost your Resume

Students who work on campus end up building relevant skills that will serve them after graduation, such as balancing work life with school.

"On-campus employment is an accessible and enriching way for students to develop transferable skills, gain real-world experience, and successfully prepare for their careers."
—Janae D. Johnson, associate director of student employment and enrichment for the Office of University Branding.

3. Personal Satisfaction

Students who work on campus, in addition to earning a paycheck, say they have a more satisfying college experience and that they are more prepared for the future.

“In my three years working in HRL, I have learned how to balance work and school while having fun at my job and making important connections. I have been able to build working relationships with professional staff. I have learned the importance of teamwork, which has helped me both in my classes and internships. I also made lifelong friends who I will always share these memories with, and I cannot thank HRL enough for giving me these opportunities and skills.”
—Sarah Rabinowitz, community assistant, Housing and Residence Life

4. Stay Connected

Photo by Cristian Torres/Strategic Communications

Whether you work at the University Libraries, as an IT assistant, in the dining halls, as a lifeguard, a campus tour guide, as a fitness receptionist, a videographer, or a graphic designer, working on campus helps students connect with students, faculty, and staff who might be outside of their field of study. Developing these relationships enriches students’ on-campus experience.

5. Develop Lifelong Friendships

Working on campus is a great way to meet new people. Like many on-campus employers, Housing and Residence Life is looking to hire student staff for the next academic year. Find out more here. HRL Student Staff applications opened on October 24, check out Handshake for more information.

Don't miss your chance to be a part of a community of leaders making a positive impact in the lives of Mason students every day! Check out all future positions on Handshake, and make an appointment with University Career Services to help with your resume and cover letter!

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Topics

Students

University Career Services

University Life

Employment

Housing and Residence Life

Policy and Prisons: What Happens After Incarceration?

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 15:36:59 +0000

Policy and Prisons: What Happens After Incarceration? Andrew J Schappert Tue, 02/08/2022 - 10:36

In This Story

Michael K. Fauntroy

Public funds that might be spent on education, infrastructure, and health care, among other programs, are diverted into an increasingly voracious criminal justice system that, ultimately, creates a negative impact on the lives of the incarcerated, their families, and their communities, particularly for those reentering society after incarceration.

That issue and others regarding the state of the prison system in the U.S. are the topics of a conversation called “Convicted and Condemned: The Politics and Policies of Prisoner Reentry,” hosted by the Schar School’s Race, Politics, and Policy Center (RPPC) and featuring Howard University Associate Professor Keesha M. Middlemass, who published a 2017 book of the same title.

Schar School Associate Professor and RRPC Director Michael K. Fauntroy will moderate. The virtual discussion takes place Wednesday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET. It’s free and open to the public but registration is required.

Studies show that two factors serve as big deterrents to crime for those formerly incarcerated. “Thousands of people reenter society every year in the state of Virginia, and to improve public safety and reduce the potential for new criminal activity, the reentering population needs to have the opportunity to access housing and employment. The negative impact when people are not provided a chance to [successfully] reenter includes increased homelessness.”

Not surprisingly, “racial disparities in who is incarcerated and who reenters disproportionately impacts Black communities,” she added. “When individuals fail to reenter, there are other costs, including re-incarceration and the negative impact on children, families, and communities.”

As for job opportunities, obstacles abound.

“Employment restrictions are numerous and are across all employment sectors,” she said. “Adults with a felony conviction are denied the right to work in the public sector, such as in public education, and licensing boards add administrative hurdles to get a professional or occupational license, which increases the likelihood of denial.”

This discussion, she said, is important to have amid a political climate in which “little is being done about the policies embedded in statutes outside of the criminal and sentencing statutes.

“In other words, the collateral consequences are not being changed. There is little to no appetite to reform the hidden and collateral consequences of a felony conviction, so they will continue and be added to by state legislators.”

Topics

Schar School News February 2022