Demand for on-campus jobs up

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By Kelly Mori, Staff Writer 4:58 PM Friday, July 10, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — In past years, Clark State Community College has left some of its 100 summer job positions unfilled because it didn’t get enough qualified applicants.

This year, however, is a different story, said spokeswoman Jennifer Dietsch.

“We have seen an increase in the number of students applying for campus jobs, making it easier to fill the openings,” Dietsch said.

With jobs hard to find and fears about the future mounting, colleges have seen substantial increases in on-campus job seekers.

Wittenberg University senior Megan Ameen has worked various summer jobs throughout her college career. But this year, finding summer employment was more important than ever, she said. She sought one of about 230 student summer jobs at Wittenberg.

”I’m working 40 hours a week,” said Ameen, who is financing her own schooling. “I’d work more, but that’s the (maximum) the university will allow.”

Wittenberg has had to tighten its belt this year, but cutting student positions was off limits,” Budget Director Debbie DeWitt said.

“We think that it’s very important to keep our students engaged on campus,” DeWitt said. “And absolutely for financial reasons ... we want to make sure they have whatever resources, whatever means we can to help them.”

Jennifer Dick, also a senior at Wittenberg, feels lucky to have snagged a 30- to 35-hours-a-week job in the university’s communications department.

“I have a friend at (the University of Cincinnati) who was looking for a job for a long time,” Dick, of New Bremen, said. The friend, who couldn’t secure a position at the university, finally found work at a shoe store.

Cedarville will create however many jobs it needs to for its students, university spokesman John Davis said.

“We recognize that our campus’ physical location in a small rural village limits the amount of close campus student job opportunities,” Davis said. “Cedarville has taken the approach that we will provide a job to any student looking for on-campus employment.”

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