By Fabiola Rio
On campus, jobs available to students are often said to be extremely competitive, with many students applying to several position postings before finally securing even an interview.
According to Student Employment Coordinator Jordan Latt, out of the over 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled at Lewis & Clark, only 734 have logged hours into the student employment tracking app, Workday, this fall. The department has been working to expand student opportunities by encouraging student supervisors to cut hours to allow for a larger workforce, showing the great demand for campus jobs. Many students would agree that there is an apparent weakness in the school’s ability to offer jobs proportionate to the volume of student applicants. This obvious flaw often hides another important question about the quality of the student work available. What do students who are currently employed on campus have to say about their jobs?
Students who were interviewed expressed a desire for on-campus jobs to include community involvement, good hours and reliable communication from administration.
Christianah Olufade ’26, a Resident Advisor (RA) in the Global and Cultural Community (GLC) in the Platt-Howard Residence Hall shared their insight as an employee of Campus Living. This is their second year as an RA in Platt-Howard.
“As an RA, my main goal is to ensure that my residents have a safe and supportive community,” Olufade said. “I focus on community building by planning and hosting programs, offering support, and fostering a positive living environment within the residence hall. I help residents feel connected and create a sense of belonging.”
Olufade also noted that they are responsible for handling conflicts — submitting work orders, and responding to emergencies, if any arise.
“I don’t believe my job is to police my residents,” they clarified. “My job is to respect my residents, our shared space, and myself and (to make sure) that they also feel supported to do the same.”
One challenge Olufade has encountered as an RA has come from the need to consciously separate their work life from personal time.
“Finding a work-life balance as an RA is both challenging and rewarding, and it’s definitely a learning curve,” Olufade said. “Because of the unique nature of the role: I live where I work, which can blur the lines between personal time and job responsibilities.”
Olufade’s position requires them to understand and respond to the needs of their residents, getting to know them on a personal level in the process. In doing so, RAs often must sacrifice their personal peace while in their residence hall. This is made more difficult by the Campus Living Office, who sometimes don’t recognize the potential struggles of student Resident Advisors.
“I would want the administration to understand the importance of flexibility and clear communication in student jobs,” they said. “For many of us, a sudden shift in policies or expectations can disrupt an already delicate balance between work, classes, and extracurricular commitments.”
In contrast, Watzek Student Team Lead Lily Werner ’26 spoke of the ease of her work-life balance.
“Here at the desk, you’re able to work on stuff if you need to,” she said. “I work mostly during the day, so it is a bit busier, so I don’t get to do as much as I used to in the past, but with this job, it’s really good.”
Like Olufade, Werner wished that the administration acknowledged the value of work study jobs for students limited to on-campus work opportunities.
“Here at the library, we kind of struggle sometimes, so I feel like the administration could recognize the importance of students working on campus, especially since not everyone has the means to get around,” Werner said.
Overall, working students want to be recognized not simply as workers, but as students who work out of necessity, and who deserve to have their needs accounted for by their on-campus employers, whether that entails consistent hours, more flexible schedules or more clear and comprehensive training.
Both Olufade and Werner value a sense of community in their positions. Werner mentions that the best thing about her job is the people she works with. She says that her supervisors have become her “moms at school.”
“I feel very close to them,” Werner said. “I can always go to them if I have any personal problems.”
She has also admitted to feeling strained due to some aspects of her job, including taking phone calls and having to take on a more customer-service-type role. Although these duties are vital for the community, they can be draining for student employees.
Olufade says that to maintain a healthy balance in their life as an RA, they have adopted a “person-first mindset.”
“This approach reminds me to see my residents as individuals with unique needs, which helps me to offer genuine support without feeling overwhelmed,” they said.
While campus jobs primarily allow students to support themselves financially, their labor also improves campus life and the school environment. Olufade and Werner both aim to foster community through their roles; Olufade by caring for their residents and maintaining their residence hall, and Werner through her work in the distribution and organization of educational resources to students and faculty alike.
“Knowing our efforts are seen and valued makes the work we do feel worthwhile and sustains our motivation,” said Olufade. “Additionally, transparent job expectations, accessible procedures and pathways for growth enable us to thrive in our roles and strengthen our connection to the campus community.”
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