A Students’ Guide to Employment on Campus

Adya Sarin ‘28

Studying at Sarah Lawrence can feel like a daunting task– with conference papers piling up, the 100-page readings and presentations you haven’t started. That some students voluntarily chose to take on a part-time job both on and off campus in addition to all that work may sound almost psychotic. The Phoenix spoke to some of the students who hold jobs on campus. What we found is many students  who said their jobs actually enhanced their academic experience. 

Elise Sica ‘28, a first-year film student working as a Space-Manager in the Heimbold’s (the Visual Arts Center) Equipment Room, told The Phoenix, “I treat it as another class because I’m learning stuff on the job.” Having designated time to work hands-on with camera equipment, widening her knowledge and experience for her class. 

Another first-year student said, “having a job on campus has changed my overall college experience because it gives me more structure, otherwise I would probably be bedrotting or doom scrolling all day.” In interviews, many student  employees emphasized the importance of time management when it comes to having a job on campus; the act of prioritizing time for yourself and for your workload is a skill that often comes in handy when facing the challenges out in the real world. 

Stella Raine ‘27, a sophomore who works at a restaurant in Tuckahoe, shared strategies of having two days in her week designated solely for her academics and working night shifts (sometimes till 11 p.m.!) to ensure her work doesn’t overlap with her classes. 

For Raine, working in a service job off campus poses a fair range of challenges such as having to take the train from Fleetwood every week, and not being able to get off work until the last customer leaves. Nevertheless she finds the experience of the job rewarding enough to make up for these minor inconveniences. She tells us that “Having a job in the real world where you have to engage with Bronxville residents and get a little humbled and humanized is so important to establish social understandings and comprehend the way people work”, stressing the importance of being able to work with people who are not students or staff on the Sarah Lawrence campus. As for advice for students wanting to work Off-Campus, Raine said “Lots of people get discouraged because they have no prior job experience, you have to keep trying, super important to bring your resume into wherever you're applying, extra step to take to show you’re interested.” 

Having a job whilst actively being a student has many benefits. For example, Manahil Rashid-Awan ‘28, is a first-year whose work as a Career Services Assistant primarily entails peer-to-peer counselling, basic career advising and marketing for Career Services—all skills she sees as immensely helpful for her future career. 

Teona Conevska ‘28 works with the Office of Student Philanthropy as a Student Philanthropist, a job that often keeps her on her toes. “You get all kinds of unexpected calls,” Conevska said. She said about her time at the Call Center:  “Sometimes recent alums and parents that love chatting and sometimes people who really don’t feel like answering any questions or having a conversation.” This, in turn, has encouraged her to come up with solutions as she goes, think on the spot, and communicate with the donors on the other end of the phone professionally and effectively for what is ultimately a gratifying job. 

Sica tells us that she enjoys working with her co-workers, her time in the Heimbold Equipment Room being a good way to connect with upperclassmen and meet people in the film department. Other interviewees highlighted the financial freedom that having an on-campus job allows for. Conveska said that “Being able to financially support myself, especially as an international student, has been really helpful,” considering that as an international student she cannot work off-campus. 

Alumni Subhashree Rath ‘18 who worked as a Lab Assistant in the Darkroom Lab and as a Digital Media Lab Monitor for the IT Helpdesk reflects that the two roles helped her become a better communicator and gave her “a sense of responsibility as (they) had to clock in and out at designated times for the shift.” She also remembers how the jobs allowed her to take stock of her finances. The math helped her plan ahead for her weekly expenses and also calculate how much she would need to save to make a successful trip to the city and back. Rath recommends giving on-campus employment a shot.“There are plenty of options depending on your personality,” Rath said. ““If you are more outgoing you can work in people facing roles such as in the Admissions office or as a Resident Advisor, or if like me you are a bit shy, you could try your hand at the media labs or libraries. Taking on these responsibilities goes a long way in not being afraid to ask questions and make decisions.”

Colleen Flaherty, a Writer and Project Manager working with the Office of Marketing and Communications, who also oversees a student employee. Flaherty advises that students be persistent and make regular follow-ups when applying for a job. She also states the importance of “Making sure your documents are really sparkly, your prose is clear and being honest about your experience. If you're curious and show interest and initiative, that goes a long way into getting hired”. 

As for the actual process of getting jobs on (and off) campus, MySLC is probably a student's biggest aid, with hiring departments listing work vacancies that are highlighted in green on the Student Employment page of the website. What one typically has to do is mail a short cover letter accompanied by their resume to the hiring departments after which (if selected) they would proceed with an interview with their supervisor. We would also recommend scheduling a short appointment with the Office of Career Services for resources on developing an effective resume and cover letter. 

There are opportunities to work with departments ranging from Admissions to Marketing and Communications to Operations to even Graduate Studies. Many students also enjoy working as Space Managers in the HUB or Gryphon Guides for the upcoming academic year, applications for which often open towards the end of the Spring Semester. Furthermore, the college has made efforts to encourage employment opportunities for International students and students on Work-Study, with on-campus employers only able to hire these students for the first two months of each semester, after which the on-campus jobs open up to all students.