Processed with VSCO with b1 preset
Chances are, most students know about workstudy jobs on campus. Students work in the mail room, at the RSC desk, in the bookstore, at the concession stand or as an announcer for athletic events.
There are in fact multiple other workstudy jobs that are unknown to most students. Perhaps one wonders how the buildings on campus are not filled with garbage or dust, but remain clean. Or how the sidewalks are magically cleared after a devastating snowstorm the night before. Or what happens to the cardboard boxes after they are tossed into the recycling bin.
These small jobs are all the result of Northwestern’s maintenance department, with the help of students. All workstudy jobs, including the more obscure ones, are open to half-time and full-time students who are looking to get paid and help make their classmates’ lives a little easier.
Cleaning jobs are available in almost every building on campus and are probably the jobs that go the most unnoticed. In the dorms, cleaners are needed for the stairways, hallways, bathrooms and shared common spaces (lounges, TV rooms, kitchens, etc). These jobs require a student to sweep, mop, dust, disinfect and take out trash and recycling. These cleaning jobs in the dorms are low-key — students pick whichever hour each day they can work, clean for an hour, then are done and become a little richer each day. If anyone is looking for a job that doesn’t require hours of daily commitment, check out what is available in the dorms.
Other buildings on campus — such as the Rowenhorst Student Center, chapel, Ramaker, DeWitt Learning Commons or Van Peursem Hall — also have cleaning jobs available. Students working in these buildings are usually tasked with vacuuming or sweeping and mopping these spaces, typically early in the morning before students and staff enter for the day.
Another opportunity is working in the gym to help maintenance clean after athletic events. This job could have more benefits than just getting paid — you would be the first to score leftover popcorn and other snacks from the concession stand (or you can keep an eye out for half-empty popcorn bags in the bleachers, if you’re into that). If anyone is an early bird and wants to start their day off with work or is interested in cleaning the gym spaces after a game, they should apply for a job cleaning in one of the campus athletic buildings.
Outdoor workers are also needed year-round. During the fall and spring months, students are needed to mow the grass on campus. In the winter, there is a big need for students to help with snow removal.
Another interesting job is working as a member of the event staff. These students help set up chairs, tables and other equipment for events that happen all over campus, as well as help with parking for big events. Students work as needed for events, so there is less of a daily commitment as an event staff worker.
These secret jobs are great to have as a main workstudy job or as a side job in addition to another job on campus. If anyone is interested in finding a workstudy job or wants to find out about more secret jobs around campus, visit the “Workstudy” tab on MyNorthwestern or visit the campus informer. To talk to the maintenance staff, contact Rick Scholtens, Gary Jeltema, Laurie Vore, Ward Van Peursem, Glenda DeVries or Arlo Van Beek to see what jobs are available.
