News Editor
A stampede of roughly 200 students began lining up outside Lowell Heiny Hall as early as 3 a.m. last Thursday to apply for MAVworks, a first-come, first-serve work-study financial aid program offered to middle income students by Colorado Mesa University.
“I lined up at 5:30 a.m., and I was about the 50th person in line,” senior Johnny Nitti said.
MAVworks, a unique program for students who don’t qualify for typical needs-based financial aid, enables them to work roughly 20 hours a week on a campus job, merging wage-based salaries with practical educational experience.
“I love that Mesa provides MAVworks,” Nitti continued. “It’s a great way to feel accomplished as an employee by giving the benefits of being paid for your work, when in college we all know that most times that’s not the case.”
Nitti has worked as a community lacrosse coach under MAVworks since the program’s implementation, and he appreciates the programs flexibility with his academic and extra-curricular activities.
“What we’re really trying to figure out is how to help families who make more than what’s required to earn low-income aid available through things like Pell Grants, but don’t make enough to just write off a check,” Vice President of Student Affairs John Marshall said.
While state and federal government financial aid are distributed on the basis of income and subsequent student financial needs, MAVworks is available to any students who don’t currently have financial aid and maintain a 3.0 grade point average.
MAVworks was launched as a pilot program back in 2010 with a $50,000 starting budget, and according to John Marshall, it became evident that demand for campus jobs far outweighed the university’s actual capabilities.
“We looked at demand and how many students were getting Work Study, and the numbers were just so far out of whack,” Marshall said.
According to a report published by CMU earlier this year, 687 students received Work Study jobs (the Federal equivalent of MAVworks) in the 2011-2012 academic year, but 4,899 students had filed for Work Study on their FAFSFA.
“It has started to supplant state and federal work study, which has been reducing over the years, and our conclusion is that campus jobs are amongst the best financial aid you can provide,” Marshall said.
Funding for MAVworks has increased exponentially over the past three years. CMU reported $480,888 being pumped into the program back in the 2011-2012 academic year compared to $215,167 in state funding, and plans for expansion are still underway.
“We’ve got great students who are committed to making their educational career successful, and that’s exciting,” Marshall said. “I think this commitment this year is meeting that demand.”
“The on campus job is the only reason I am able to be a full-time student, play lacrosse and still have a chance to make spare cash on the side that works directly with my schedule,” Nitti concluded.
Students interested in a MAVworks job can apply at the Finanacial Aid office in Lowell Heiny Hall. Since the program is based on a first-come, first-serve basis, applicants may have to join a waitlist until other opportunities become available.
Cferganc@mavs.coloradomesa.edu
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