Whether you realize it or not, as a student employee you help make essential contributions to the campus that allow faculty and staff to concentrate additional time and efforts on serving students.  Many campus departments would find it difficult to offer the level of customer service they do to students, parents, faculty, and visitors if it weren't for part-time student employees like you.

In addition to enabling you to earn a portion of the funds needed for your college education, campus employment can help you develop a variety of skills including interpersonal, oral communication, time management, teamwork, and computer skills—all of which are in high demand by full-time employers.  In addition, your work offers you more opportunities to learn about the university and develop relationships with faculty and staff.

Did you know that U.S. Department of Education studies show that for students attending four-year colleges, the only form of financial aid that bears a positive relationship to degree completion after the first year of attendance is part-time campus employment?  It's true.  And students working part-time also tend to do better academically and develop a closer relationship with the university.  Slightly more than half of student employees have grade-point averages of 3.0 or higher.

You probably know that your campus job can offer convenience, flexibility, and a way to supplement and enrich your experience while at Ball State.  You're meeting people, establishing a work record, developing skills you can use in other jobs, and learning how to manage your time.  You can also develop career contacts and get more involved on campus.

Your supervisor may be nominating you for the prize drawings conducted by the Career Center.  Prizes to be awarded include gift certificates from local merchants, food coupons from local restaurants, and free use of textbooks for a semester from T.I.S. Bookstore.  In addition, many departments will be hosting special luncheons and receptions as well as giving students "We Care" treat packages from University Banquet & Catering.

The staff of the Career Center joins employers all across campus in saying, "Thank you for helping us make Ball State University a better place to work and learn."

Al Rent, director of University Marketing at Ball State, worked at WLBC radio and TV and WBST radio. Al says his student employment taught him creativity, teamwork, and management skills. The management skills certainly came in handy when he hired David Letterman for his first radio job. According to Al, the two of them produced some strange radio shows together. He also said that an on-campus job made working and class attendance very convenient.

Rick Rowray, executive director of the Youth Opportunity Center in Muncie, worked off campus with a financial service firm as an intern. Rick says one of his most memorable experiences as a student employee was attending corporate training with older professionals, which he feels made his class work more relevant. He states, "I gained more from my experience than I thought at the time."