Summer jobs survey
Area college students find work near and far this season
Now that summer is in full bloom most college kids in the area are settled into their summer jobs. Yet in this economy the question is where are local college students finding jobs this summer?
Some students returned to summer jobs they've held before; some found work near the campuses of their colleges. Some are learning new skills and some are putting to use knowledge they've learned in the classroom.
Working close to home
Seasonal jobs are rather common for students who are only home typically from mid-May to mid-August. Most common in this area are outdoor positions as seasonal hot spots like Mountain Creek or the multiple country clubs and golf courses in the region. But some area students return home to retail jobs, too.
Megan Heintz of Ogdensburg attends Fairleigh Dickenson University, College at Florham, where she is majoring in communication studies with a double minor in journalism and radio/television broadcasting; she works at the women’s shoe department at Macy’s at the Rockaway Town Square Mall when she is home from school for the summer.
“I love working with people and I'm constantly moving around; I like that I'm not just sitting at a desk alone all day, says Heintz. “I'm an active person and a people-person, and this job in particular fits my personality. As a comm. major, it is important to communicate. This job has sharpened that skill. It has also helped me multitask.”
Desiree Ganz of Hardyston is also returning for her second summer to a seasonal job. She just finished her second year at The College of New Jersey, where she majors in elementary education and music. She is a beverage cart attendant at Crystal Springs.
“It is great to go to school and have a job to come home to, I get great tips, and it is only a five-minute commute,” says Desiree.
Mountain Creek is also place for summer jobs for college and high school students, according to Chelsea Vandergroef, the resort's public relations manager.
“Being opening roughly from Memorial Day to Labor Day allows for lots of students to work here. There is also the benefit that our employees are encouraged to ‘work where they play,’” says Vandergroef. She also mentioned that employees are also offered different vouchers and discounts on passes, food and apparel.
It seems the only downside to a job like this would be a rainy summer when the park has to close.
Coming back to familiar jobs
Some lucky students have been able to return home from school and pick up the jobs they had while in high school.
Katie Saxton of Franklin transferred to The College of New Jersey in the spring of 2011, where she is studying music education and voice. She had worked at Bagel Tree since she was 15.
“I'm so grateful for the opportunity to come home for breaks and pick up some hours. It's hard for many students to find a job for these breaks between semesters, so I consider myself very lucky," says Katie.
Caitlin Artigliere of Ogdensburg just finished her freshman year at Quinnipiac University and is majoring in advertising. This summer she's managing several jobs. She works at Westy's Gymnasium and also is a junior coach. She has worked at Westy’s for almost two years now, beginning when she was in high school. In addition she has a paid internship at Weichert Realtors in the marketing and commissions office. That's a job she sees as a new career opportunity.
“Westy's is very flexible when it comes to scheduling, which is perfect when you are going on family vacations, and it is only 10 minutes away. The internship is only a few days a week so it’s not taking up my entire summer and it is also giving me skills and knowledge in the workplace and in my field but it is in Morris Plains," says Caitlin.
Working away from home
It is also quite common for students to stay near their college or university to find summer jobs. Christian Rohde of Ogdensburg and Olivia DuHaime of Hardyston have done just that this summer.
Christian attends New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where he is a drama major. This summer he is living in his own apartment in Manhattan with two friends. This will also be his residence while in school next year. He is working at a Kumon Learning Center in the city and an early learning classroom assistant.
“It is a nice consistent job with air conditioning," says Christian. “The hours don't change so it’s consistent during the summer....this is my first time staying in the city without having classes also going on, and of course money is wonderful.”
“I am minoring in child and adolescent mental health studies, so this job relates to that area of study,” he adds.
Olivia DuHaime's summer job also relates to her area of study. She's majoring in nursing at Penn State University. This summer she is working at the HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital.
“The benefits of having this job during the summer are huge," she says. "I am able to live in my apartment for the remainder of the lease in State College (Pa.)," says DuHaime. “I am actively learning the real world of nursing and what it takes, putting into practice that which I've learned in theory during the school year. I take on small tasks as a nurse's aid and learn how to time manage well during a shift, a valuable skill in the nursing profession.”
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