National Student Employment Week 2024

April 9 – April 15, 2024 • Sponsored by National Student Employment Association

In 2024, National Student Employment Week (NSEW) takes place from Tuesday, April 9, to Monday, April 15. According to National Today, NSEW “sets aside seven full days of recognition, appreciation, and encouragement for the student employees and employers. Every year, the second week in April is dedicated to highlighting student employment practices across colleges and universities that help undergraduate students develop invaluable practical skills and, importantly, pay for their tuition expenses.”

Shannon Williams

National Today goes on to report that NSEW is sponsored by the National Student Employment Association (NSEA), noting how “NSEW is designed to honor students and their employers, and target university/college campuses to develop career-enhancing opportunities, increase participation, and celebrate their employed student body.”

Shannon Williams serves as the community-based learning coordinator at Inver Hills Community College. Shannon understands how important student employment can be in a student’s quest to achieve success in college.

“Our student employees are such a valuable part of our team!” she said. “We have more than ninety student employees across campus and at community nonprofits. Student employees are an integral part of building community, providing feedback that helps us to improve our services, and just making the college an overall fun place to work. Students who work on campus can expect to gain skills in leadership, communication, problem-solving, customer service, and so much more.”

Nate Eddy

Nate Eddy is a financial aid representative at Inver Hills. Nate works with students to help them pay for their college educations. He explains that student employment helps build real-world job skills that are transferrable to post-graduation employment all while working around a student’s busy academic/extracurricular schedule.

“Inver Hills offers a wide variety of employment opportunities at $15 an hour both on campus and with local nonprofits,” Nate said. “Students can work up to twenty hours per week while classes are in session and up to thirty hours per week while classes are not in session. Students get more connected with the campus community and build relationships that can help further their educational and personal experience here at Inver Hills by applying for student employment!”

Student perspective…

Cori Evans

Cori Evans

Criminal Justice Major
Student Ambassador
BSOL Lead Chapter Officer

Student Senate Communications Director
PTK Honor Society
Inver Hills Community College

Age: 20
Hometown: Cottage Grove, Minnesota
Current residence: St. Paul Park, Minnesota
High school and year graduated: South Washington County Alternative High School, Class of 2021
Major and degree earning at Inver Hills: Criminal Justice Transfer Pathway A.S.
Extracurricular activities and clubs at Inver Hills: Student Ambassador, Beta Sigma Omega Lambda (BSOL) Chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) Lead Chapter Officer, Student Senate Communications Director, Phi Theta Kappa Member
Inver Hills planned graduation date: Spring 2024
Transfer plans after Inver Hills: Transferring to Bemidji State University in fall 2024 to pursue B.S. in Criminal justice with Emphasis on Corrections and Reentry
Career plans: Work as a corrections officer with the ultimate goal of becoming a warden one day; possibly go into academia if the opportunity presents itself
Other degrees, diplomas, and/or certificates: Mental Health First Aid certificate, QPR Gatekeeper Training certificate

One word that best describes your experience at Inver Hills:

FAST-PACED

Cori Evans Q & A

Cori Evans

What are your primary duties as a student ambassador at the college?
My primary duties as a Student Ambassador are to plan campus events and get students involved on campus.

How has your on-campus job helped you pursue your academic goals?
Having an on-campus job has helped me pursue my academic goals because it has held me accountable with my school work and my GPA. It’s nice to have an on-campus job because if you have a big project or need extra homework time, you can usually flex your schedule to focus on school work.

Three words that describe you as a college student:
BUSY. AMBITIOUS. OUTGOING.

What advice would you give students who are thinking about applying for a job on campus?
My advice to someone thinking about applying for an on-campus job would be to go for it. It can be a lot of work getting enough hours at an outside job with your class schedule and working on campus makes it easier to get hours because you can work in between classes.

If you could make one thing happen on Earth right now, what would it be?
If I could make anything happen on Earth right now, I would ensure that women have the access to proper healthcare and are protected no matter what decision they choose is best for them and their lives.

More about student employment at Inver Hills…

Getting a job on campus begins when you receive an award notification letter that lists your student employment eligibility.

On-Campus Job Listings

Learn more about how student employment works by visiting Paying for College.

Student perspective…

Vanessa Otuonye

Vanessa Otuonye

Nursing Major
Community-Based Learning Assistant
Food & Resource Center
Inver Hills Community College

Age: 23
Hometown: Nkwerre, Nigeria
Current Residence: Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
High school and year graduated: Merit Base Christian School, Class of 2016
Major and degree earning at Inver Hills: Nursing A.S.
Extracurricular activities and clubs at Inver Hills: Volunteer Club
Inver Hills planned graduation year: Spring 2026
Transfer plans: Metropolitan State University to earn B.S.N.
Career plans: Registered nurse (RN)
Other degrees, diplomas, and/or certificates: Bachelor of Performing Arts (B.P.A.) with a focus on Dramaturgy, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

Experience at InverHills:

AMAZING

Vanessa Otuonye Q & A

Vanessa Otuonye

What are your primary duties at the Food & Resource Center?
I log the refrigerator and freezer temperature every morning. I greet and welcome visitors and assist my coworkers when visiting the Open Door Pantry, where our Food & Resource Center gets its food.

I also stock our pantry and take inventory. We have a snack table that I stock with variety of snacks throughout my shift. I keep our food pantry space clean and organized.

How has your on-campus job helped you pursue your academic goals?
My job has made me more outspoken as I have to relate with clients and my coworkers at work. This has helped me participate more in class discussions. My job has also helped me with my organization skills with my school work.

Three words to describe me as a college student:
PROACTIVE. COMMITTED. DRIVEN.

What advice would you give students who are thinking about applying for a job on campus?
Just Do It. It’s a learning experience and your work serves the community—and the pay is great.

If you could make one thing happen on Earth right now, what would it be?
Find a cure for all diseases.

History of National Student Employment Week¹

National Student Employment Week was inaugurated by the National Student Employment Association. Although there are no sources indicating when the first NSEW was held, it is believed that the earliest employment of students began around the same time as the founding of Harvard College in 1636.

The National Student Employment Association is an organization working to promote student employment through research, professional development, opportunities, and the exchange of information. Every year, the National Student Employment Association celebrates the second week of April as National Student Employment Week to create a direct opportunity for student employment professionals to recruit undergraduates in positions relevant to their careers.

Universities and colleges celebrate this week by appreciating jobs well done. Every year, this week brings a chance to recognize the importance of the student workforce in the education sectors and honors the student employees who have continued to set a good example.

Many campuses nationwide reveal the National Student Employee of the Year during this week. Students nominated by their supervisors based on their employee contributions throughout the year are judged on qualities like reliability, initiative, professionalism, and uniqueness, to name a few. One student is crowned as the Employee of the Year, saluted for his/her hard work, and rewarded enormously.

LEARN MORE…
Learn more about student employment at Inver Hills by contacting:

Office of Financial Aid
Inver Hills Community College
College Center
651-450-3495
finaid@inverhills.edu

Career Development & Community-Based Learning
Inver Hills Community College
College Center: Top Floor
651-450-3683
careerdevelopment@inverhills.edu
SEARCH JOBS

¹ SOURCE: National Today: National Student Employment Week

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