Anyone who has walked by an intramural football game over the last few years has heard the unmistakably deep and pervasive voice of Darren Burton. Burton is fun loving, gregarious, fifth year senior who has spent time on both the varsity football and track and field team. While no longer a varsity athlete, Burton is still quite involved with athletics, now as an intramural referee. Officiating keeps him busy throughout the school year, and he presides mostly over football, but occasionally soccer and basketball as well. This is Burton’s fourth year on the job, and the money is not the only thing that brings him back semester after semester.
“The spending money is nice […] plus it’s a resume builder, showing that you can manage people,” Burton said.
Perhaps the best aspect of the job is that it doesn’t interfere with Burton’s school schedule.
“That’s the benefit of the work-study and MAVworks jobs, they realize you have class, that’s one of the reasons I’ve done it all these years,” Burton said.
Burton’s job as an intramural referee is a product of MAVworks a program similar to work-study, except the funding comes from Colorado Mesa University itself. This program demonstrates that while CMU strives to set up its students for a successful future, it has not overlooked the importance of employment for students while still in school.
However, MAVworks and work-study come with certain strings attached. Both programs, fueled by CMU and State/Federal funds respectively, require the student to be enrolled full-time (12 credit hours), to have filled out a FAFSA and to maintain an “adequate GPA.”
MAVworks and work-study supplied 870 jobs over the 2016-17 scholastic year. Though the nearly nine hundred jobs is an impressive number, the requirements to be awarded such funding keep part-time students from employment.
Colorado Mesa Career Services, on the other hand, aids both full and part-time students in finding internships and graduate programs. On Aug. 30, they held their Fall Job fair, which was an example of their focus on future and current employment for students. Booths ranged from long-term commitment options, such as the Army, to jobs for current students, such as Larchwood Inns.
The latter, a local rehabilitation center, was looking to hire both long-term nurses and housekeepers and dietary aids. Corie Scotto, who ran the booth said Larchwood was looking for “part-time, full-time, whichever works better for the student or graduate.”
While the billboards scattered around campus are not covered with job listings, it would be inaccurate to assume there are no jobs at CMU for students, whether on or off campus. Students at Colorado Mesa have MAVworks and the Career Service desk at their disposal.
As Patty Diekman, CMU’s Work Study Coordinator, advised students “get your FAFSA done early…definitely be proactive.”
Perhaps few will be as lucky as Darren Burton, whose job aligns very closely with his personal interests, but there are certainly jobs to be had for anyone.
