Student employees had the opportunity to gain additional hours this year in multiple departments in the university.

Departments such as Student Programs and University Recreation hired numerous new employees this semester.

“Our mission when hiring students is that they should be students first and take care of their academic progress,” Eddie Simmons, associate director of UREC, said. “We hire around 750 students each year to give them real world experience.”

The university provides students the opportunity to work flexible hours and help them succeed academically, Simmons said.

“If we have a student working 30 hours or more a week, we should be dividing those hours in half and giving another student the opportunity for a job,” Simmons said.

In the fall, the university begins with 2,000 student employees and ends up with close to 3,000 by the end of the spring semester, Stephanie Hickey, a coordinator for Career Development, said.

“Student employment is here to serve as a support to students seeking employment both on and off campus,” Hickey said.

Hickey said with “good networking skills, following up, and showing persistence, you can find work on campus.”

Appalachian has an ‘odd jobs listerv’ students can subscribe to and receive emails about job opportunities in Boone.

Senior middle grades education major Claire Lankford said the university has been great when it comes to flexibility with her schedule.

Lankford works under Student Programs at the university and said she works roughly 16 hours a week.

“They’re very good about working with you,” Lankford said. “There are plenty of opportunities for you to get around [your schedule].”

Story: MEAGHAN JOHNSON, Intern News Reporter