Rising prices at colleges often discourage students from furthering their educations, but with ACC’s work-study programs, some students are succeeding academically and financially.

ACC provides several options for students interested in financing their educations through working jobs on campus. Students who are eligible for financial aid can work up to 15 hours a week in “work study” in various departments, from Academic Advising to the Fitness Center. ACC also employs students who are not eligible for financial aid in “student-hourly” positions. Students in work-study positions receive their funding from the state, but students in hourly positions receive their funding directly from the academic department in which they work.

Lily Ryan, a second-year student in ACC’s Business program, works in the Cashier’s Office through the work-study program. Ryan plans to transfer to Metro State University of Denver after she finishes her business degree at ACC.
She is enthusiastic about her work position.

“I love it,” she said. “ I love the cashier’s office. It is moving me into something I want to do as a career, and I love the people and being a part of the staff gives a different perspective than that of the normal student.” Ryan originally worked in the Financial Aid Office, but transferred to the Cashier’s Office this past summer.

Ryan, along with other students in the work-study program, appreciates the flexibility of her job. Unlike many off-campus jobs, the ACC program respects the needs of students, she said.

“They can’t work me during classes or breaks, and sometimes I can do homework on the job, so that is very helpful as well,” she said.

The program also provides students with the flexibility to transfer between departments, and many departments will accommodate students who need to work more than the 15-hour limit.

“My twin sister was working in Academic Advising and her work study hours ran out, so they took her on as an hourly to keep her working,” Ryan said.

Students can find postings for available work-study positions on a board in the Financial Aid Office. Once a student identifies a position he or she is interested in, he or she conducts an interview with the appropriate department. Students must also verify their eligibility through the Financial Aid Office, and students must be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours each semester they work in the program. Candidates for student-hourly jobs go through a similar process, although those candidates do not have to be eligible for financial aid.

Applying can take some time, however. Ryan said her wait during the background check process was the worst part of her experience. More information is available at https://www.arapahoe.edu/paying-college/financial-aid/types-financial-aid/work-study-program.