Vier Virtu Crat, senior from Bali, Indonesia, works the register at Fast Track.
More than 2,000 students were employed by Murray State in 2013, as reported by the University.
Approximately 70 percent of Murray State students receive a form of financial assistance, including non-repayable grants, low interest loans and part-time employment.
Student employment at the University is compensated at an hourly rate of minimum wage for most positions, and the position is not guaranteed if the worker’s behavior is not up to par, according to the Murray State website on financial aid.
Kathy Girgis, senior from Louisville, Ky., is an advocate for on-campus employment, as she has worked in the Racer Oral Communication Center for more than two years.
“The people who work here are like a family,” Girgis said. “We care about helping others more than just doing homework.”
Girgis enjoys working with other organizational communication majors.
She believes it helps the community of their staff because they understand how to communicate well.
“I love working at the Racer Oral Communication Center,” Girgis said. “I have it pretty good here.”
The work environment at Murray State is fun and positive said Jordan Maberry, sophomore from Alton, Ill.
“My bosses don’t feel like bosses,” Maberry said. “I enjoy going to work rather than feeling like I have to.”
Maberry works in the Office of Recruitment and said she believes she works in one of the “more desirable” positions on campus.
She said she believes the position is favored because of the relational environment and positive staff.
“The Office of Recruitment is not just a friendly face for the University,” Maberry said. “They really are friendly people.”
Joel Walker, junior from Benton, Ill., said he enjoys working on campus in the Thoroughbred Room because of its convenience and flexible work schedule.
He said he likes not having to worry about losing his job during the University’s academic breaks.
Girgis and Maberry agree with Walker on the positives of working on campus.
Walker said the greatest challenge of working on campus is not working enough.
“I tend to want to work more than 20 hours, and so the limit is hindering,” Walker said.
Working off campus can require employees to work more hours, making it difficult to balance academics with work.
Sydney Warfield, sophomore from Louisville, Ky., recently quit her job at Taco John’s because of the hours she was assigned.
She wasn’t able to be as involved on campus as should would have preferred, Warfield said.
“On-campus jobs are more understanding of students’ needs,” she said. “Plus I don’t have a car and I’m tired of having to walk there.”
“It is better to work on campus because it’s easier to get there and they work around your schedule,” said Gage Davis, freshman from Paris, Tenn.
Davis is a commuter and works off campus at a local grocery store.
He said he doesn’t enjoy the long shifts and the fact that they don’t account for his class load.
A diverse arrangement of on-campus employment opportunities is available to students.
Positions such as tutors, resident advisers, models for the art department and various clerical positions are currently available.
Story by Abby Siegel, Contributing writer