Students have to balance all of their clubs, classes and activities at WJC with their commitments off campus.
Kelsey Jones, sophomore nursing major, works at the Fish Market at the Liberty Bind. She enjoys working there because she likes the friendly atmosphere and the fact that it is a family-owned business.
“I originally got the job over Christmas break, and I chose to go off-campus because I liked the business and the owners of the restaurant,” said Jones.
For Blair Sundhausen, sophomore non-profit leadership major, having an off-campus job means being able to experience what work is like beyond the Hill. She works at Morning Day Café located on the Liberty Square.
“The best part about working at Morning Day is the people I work with and the people I serve. My boss, Miranda, and my coworkers are my family,” she said.
Sundhausen enjoys the fact that having an off-campus job allows her to network easily. Her boss has written her many recommendations for internships and job positions.
Grant Janssen, senior physics and ACT-In major, finds that his experiences working off-campus have allowed him to have a better idea of what it will be like to work after graduating from college.
“I took a job off-campus because it gives me more relevant working experience than working for William Jewell,” said Janssen.
Some students have been working since high school. Taylor Ekart, first-year non-profit leadership and psychology major, had already been a gymnastics coach for two years before she came to Jewell. Because of that, she decided to get a job at Liberty Gymnastics Academy. She is the assistant coach of two competitive teams that practice there.
“I like my job because it gives me a break from being on campus,” said Ekart.
At her job, Ekart gets to do something that she truly enjoys outside of her academics, which is something that many students who have jobs appreciate.
Some students have jobs aimed at preparing them for what they want to do for the rest of their lives.
Savanna Myers, senior nursing major, works at Children’s Mercy Hospital in downtown Kansas City. She works as a nurse technician, performing some of the tasks that she will be responsible for after graduation.
“I chose to have a job off-campus, and particularly at Children’s Mercy because, as a nursing major, it is important to have hospital experience when applying for jobs. I have always wanted to be a pediatric nurse, and knew that this was the best way to get my foot in the door,” said Myers.
If you have an off-campus job, it can be challenging to balance that with school, but these students have been able to do it with just a few key tips and tricks.
“Work requires me to put in my requests off at least two weeks in advance, which means I have to have at least the next two weeks planned out ahead of time,” said Sundhausen.
Nate Egharevba, senior psychology major, said that balancing his time was important in determining whether or not he would take a job off-campus. He works at Sam’s Club as a freezer and cooler associate.
“[My job] is flexible with my class and previous football schedule,” said Egharevba.
Feature photo by Kyle Rivas.