“Dear Brooke, I’m looking for on-campus paying jobs that aren’t for work-study students only. Do you know of anywhere I can apply?”
With all of the expensive, end-of-the-year events, it’s no surprise some of us Stags are looking for a little extra cash—I know I certainly am. While it might be too late to apply for a job now, as we only have a couple of weeks left of the school year, here are some positions to keep an eye out for when the fall semester rolls around!
Peer Note Taker – I served as a notetaker three separate times for different courses and it’s definitely one of the easier jobs you can have. If a student is registered with the Office of Accessibility and in one of your classes, you may receive an email from your professor at the beginning of the year to see if anyone is interested in being a peer note taker. In this role, you are expected to type electronically (or neatly handwrite if the course heavily uses numbers) a detailed recount of each lecture and upload it promptly to my.fairfield.edu in the Accessibility & Accommodations tab. You must not only include what is written on the board in the class but also what the student may have had trouble understanding or hearing—this may include announcements or reminders about upcoming assignments and due dates. Finally, you will then log your hours on Workday (the hours meaning the time your class takes place and you were taking notes) and receive $14 an hour. If you miss a class, you are still expected to upload a set of notes for the student in need.
Rec Plex – There are so many jobs that are available at the Rec Plex. From front desk receptionists to group fitness instructors and equipment or laundry room assistants, they’ve got it all. If you are currently lifeguard, CPR and first-aid certified, you can apply for the position of a lifeguard in the pools on the bottom floor. In addition to keeping all swimmers safe, you are expected to clean the pool, the deck and the surrounding areas. Lastly, students also have the opportunity to become a staff supervisor—a role where you are to be responsible for opening and closing the gym, overseeing the staff and enforcing policy.
Intramural Sports – Other jobs in the RecPlex that are more playful include working for intramural sports. There are sports officials, who act as referrers for each game, stat keepers and supervisors.
Tour guide – If you aren’t afraid of public speaking and want to talk about how awesome Fairfield is, you can interview to become a tour guide! As a tour guide, you are responsible to show prospective students different parts of campus including residence halls, academic buildings, the campus center, the dining hall, the library and more. Each tour will ask you different questions about the university such as clubs, campus life and the surrounding town which you will be expected to answer positively and honestly. I have a lot of friends who are tour guides and absolutely love it. I would suggest learning how to project your voice and walk backward before you apply, though!
NSL – If you’re a student at Fairfield, you should already know what a New Student Leader is. NSLs play a heavy part in helping first-year students transition from high school to college. They work the New Student Orientation in June, Fall Welcome in August and teach their own First Year Experience course. The class consists of dialogues that surround campus culture, time management, roommate conflicts and more. While their schedule is incredibly demanding in the summer and fall semester, they receive an average stipend of $1,400 (the pricing changes each year on differing variables).
Tutor – Depending on your major and understanding of your classes, your professor may ask you if you are interested in helping struggling students. As a result, you could find a time that best works within your schedule to meet with a classmate one-on-one and teach them course material in simpler and slower terms.
Writing Center – Before you can even apply to become a writing center tutor, you do have to complete the Writing and Responding (ENGL 2290) course during a semester where you will learn how to properly guide students in building a better-written piece. The role allows you to pick what times you are available, and students of all majors will sign up for slots to talk privately about their essays, research proposals, annotated bibliographies and more. Each appointment aims to host a collaborative meeting between the tutor and the student where suggestions are provided. Instead of the tutor changing the student’s paper directly, they work as a group so that the student grows as a writer
The Fairfield Mirror – If you are interested in a career in Journalism or writing in general, students have the opportunity to become a paid editor at the university’s independent student-run newspaper: “The Fairfield Mirror”. Depending on your position, your role may vary a bit, but a general rule of thumb is that a paid staff member will edit contributing writer’s pieces, write at least one article per week, provide pitch ideas and design a layout that will go to print on a weekly basis.
As college students, we’re all hurting for money but probably don’t have the time or energy to work on top of juggling five classes. However, some of these positions are flexible and may even cater to your interests. Check them out for yourself when the applications open up and see if you can snag yourself a paying job to feed what seems to be a constant stream of financial burdens.
Are you seeking any advice? Email Brooke at brooke.lathe@student.fairfield.edu or direct message our Instagram @fairfieldmirror to be featured!
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