2008 Woodie Awards
Scholarship jobs to be had off campus
Margaret Hooper
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: News
Junior Brandon Kimble has discovered an alternative to an on-campus scholarship job.
"I told one of my classmates my scholarship job was giving belly rubs," Kimble said. "She asked me what professor I worked for."
Kimble volunteers at the Adair County Humane Society to fulfill his scholarship job requirements.
"It's folding newspapers to be used in the kennels, washing out the kennels, feeding the dogs or just even playing with them," Kimble said.
Truman requires most students receiving a scholarship to work 60 hours a semester, and most find a job on campus. But students also can log scholarship hours working for a non-profit organization in Kirksville such as the Sheriff's Department or the Adair County Public Library, according to the Financial Aid office Web site.
Sue Neely, director of financial aid, said that of the 2,000 students working a scholarship job, only between 80 and 90 students choose to do them off campus. The Financial Aid office currently is looking for ways to increase student awareness about off-campus opportunities.
"I think students are interested in having something that is meaningful to them or that they could use in the future with their major," Neely said.
Students wishing to work off campus must submit the Scholarship Appeal Petition in addition to a Scholarship Renewal Form. Although the Scholarship Appeal Petition asks students to state a reason for their appeal, Neely said the form is not asking students to provide special reasons or extenuating circumstances.
"The University supports community service, so it's fine with the University if students want to do the service hours off campus," Neely said.
She said she has found that students disagree over how much effort a scholarship job should require.
"We've heard students comment both ways," Neely said. "Some people want, you want to call it, the easier job, where it's kind of a break when you've had a stress-filled day with classes and you're in other activities, but other students even work more hours beyond their service hours with the scholarship because it's connected to something they really want."
"I told one of my classmates my scholarship job was giving belly rubs," Kimble said. "She asked me what professor I worked for."
Kimble volunteers at the Adair County Humane Society to fulfill his scholarship job requirements.
"It's folding newspapers to be used in the kennels, washing out the kennels, feeding the dogs or just even playing with them," Kimble said.
Truman requires most students receiving a scholarship to work 60 hours a semester, and most find a job on campus. But students also can log scholarship hours working for a non-profit organization in Kirksville such as the Sheriff's Department or the Adair County Public Library, according to the Financial Aid office Web site.
Sue Neely, director of financial aid, said that of the 2,000 students working a scholarship job, only between 80 and 90 students choose to do them off campus. The Financial Aid office currently is looking for ways to increase student awareness about off-campus opportunities.
"I think students are interested in having something that is meaningful to them or that they could use in the future with their major," Neely said.
Students wishing to work off campus must submit the Scholarship Appeal Petition in addition to a Scholarship Renewal Form. Although the Scholarship Appeal Petition asks students to state a reason for their appeal, Neely said the form is not asking students to provide special reasons or extenuating circumstances.
"The University supports community service, so it's fine with the University if students want to do the service hours off campus," Neely said.
She said she has found that students disagree over how much effort a scholarship job should require.
"We've heard students comment both ways," Neely said. "Some people want, you want to call it, the easier job, where it's kind of a break when you've had a stress-filled day with classes and you're in other activities, but other students even work more hours beyond their service hours with the scholarship because it's connected to something they really want."
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