Gannon University has a work-study program where students can have paying part-time jobs while focusing on their studies. While the jobs are only part-time, the assistant director at the financial aid office Chris Sukitsch said that “jobs are still jobs” and real world employers often contact work-study supervisors.

Most students at Gannon University are eligible for a work-study. In order to be eligible, students must be enrolled for the upcoming fall semester with at least 12 credits, have a GPA of 2.0 or greater and have a FAFSA filed. International students do not need to have a FAFSA filed; they simply need to fill out the application. While academic year work-study positions are typically 10 hours a week, summer positions are often 30 hours a week.

There are two types of work-study applications: the federal work-study and the off-campus federal-work study. Off-campus work-study positions are only available to students who are residents in Pennsylvania. The locations are usually within walking distance from Gannon.

The application is located on http://workstudy.gannon.edu. Students applying for off-campus work-study positions must fill out an additional application in the financial aid office.

The application process begins on that website by creating login information on Gannon’s job application management site. On the left menu, there is a tab which says ‘Apply for a Job.’  On this tab, you can search for a position and click on the name of the position to  see the details. Clicking on ‘Review & Submit Application’ allows you to complete the application.

There are jobs listed for ‘Summer Work Study’ and ‘Academic Year Work Study’ which are dated for each specific term. You need to fill out the ‘Summer Work Study’ application if you want a summer work study. It is not an application for the job, but a generic application to allow the Financial Aid Office to determine if you are eligible for a work-study position.

Located near the job description is a button which says ‘apply.’ Hit apply to complete the application after reading the job description. You cannot submit your application unless your most recent FAFSA is completed. On the following page, you need to fill out your social security number (not required by international students), birth date, and family information. You are required to fill out any information listed as “Important Information.” Once your application has been sent to the Financial Aid Office, it will say “YOUR APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED.” Do not submit any more applications.

The Financial Aid Office will review your application and email you further information. Applications for summer work-studies will be reviewed by the end of April and emails will be sent by the first week of May. Eligible students will be placed on a list that supervisors can review online when they are ready to hire.

Once a work-study is hired, he or she must fill out additional paperwork and bring his/her social security card to the human resources department before beginning work.

All hired on-campus work-studies are required to submit their hours online via Web Entry. Off-campus work studies fill out their weekly time-sheets signed by their supervisor and turned into the financial aid office before 10:00 AM of each payroll Monday.

Not every eligible work-study will be hired because there is a limited number of positions, and a potential work-study must fit the job description or be interested in the job in order to be hired. Schuster Theater technical director Jax Vadney hires work-studies to build and paint sets, hang lighting fixtures, and design costumes for the theater. “I would tell a student to find something they are passionate about learning and find jobs that fit that,” Vadney said, “I would say do something related to your major. You have one on one time with your faculty member and experience even more training.”

Many students looking for work-study positions often ask Vadney for one despite having no interest in theater. “When students first start, they go to that lovely list every financial aid student could look at. Students come to me and ask if I could give them a job. I ask if they are into theater, and they say no,” said Vadney, “I would recommend choosing a few potential work study jobs and deciding which one best fits you.”

More information could be found on http://www.gannon.edu/Financial-Aid/Types-of-Financial-Aid/Work-Study/.