Local businesses weigh in on student workers and their collegiate journeys

from Daily Wildcat | Spring 2023 Commencement & Year-In-Review | May 2023

The school hopes to achieve carbon neutrality and more by 2040

BY AJ STASH CASTILLO @comicsconverse

For many students at the University of Arizona, graduation is the first step to beginning their dream careers. While still in school, it’s common for students to hold down other jobs in the meantime to make extra money. This means local businesses are used to a cycle of students throughout their time at the UA, whether they’re customers or student workers.

Ben’s Bells, mainly located in Downtown Tucson at 40 W. Broadway Blvd., hires both student workers and volunteers. It sell ceramic bells to hang around Tucson as a symbol of kindness, and hosts workshops, field trips and more.

While many students desire a job on campus, working at a nonprofit such as Ben’s Bells can provide unique experience, according to Monique Conway, the marketing and events manager.

“It’s been really cool to see what people are interested in because a lot of people don’t think about nonprofit, once they graduate, as a career path,” Conway said. “So it’s nice being able to show them the different aspects of taking photos of our products or coming into the studio and taking pictures of volunteers and sharing it on social media. There’s a lot of different things you get to do and promote as a nonprofit.”

Ben’s Bells was created in 2003 and has since expanded to four locations: two in Tucson, one in Phoenix and one in Bethel, Connecticut. But the bells have been found as far as Singapore, according to the Found Bell Locations map.

The bells and the organization’s message have become a staple in Tucson, even leading people to pass on flower-shaped kindness coins to others as an act of kindness. There are also several murals located at different local schools and around the city as a way to symbolize community and kindness.

Conway said she feels like working at a nonprofit can open up new paths for students that they didn’t know existed before.

“I’m the one that does all the interviews with the UA and [Arizona State University] students, so it’s fun to see them and hear the questions that are asked,” Conway said. “I tell them to look at the difference between for-profit and for-nonprofit, and a lot of the times people don’t think about that. My passion is in nonprofit. It’s just not where all the money is at, but it gives you a purpose.”

Ben’s Bells has another location in Main Gate Square at 816 E. University Blvd., open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Downtown Tucson location is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There are also a variety of retail shops near the UA campus that often hire students, such as Creations Boutique. Creations Boutique and its sister store, Sky and Sand, are located on Fourth Avenue.

Lisa Warman, the director of retail, said working in retail can help students learn integrity and time management skills.

“If they are in college, and we’ve had a couple that have been in high school, we just try to teach them the best leadership skills possible,” Warman said. “In a retail setting, you’re always pivoting, you’re always multitasking. There’s many different facets: operations, merchandising, customer experience, branding.”

Warman took on Creations Boutique about 13 years ago when it was an outlet store, rebranding it into a boutique.

While she said they don’t hire many student workers, the few that are hired often learn more lessons to apply to themselves, their work or school.

“One memory that pops into my mind is when we hired someone from the University of Arizona who was in the Retail and Consumer

Science Department,” Warman said. “It was when pop-up shops were brand new and we had one over at the UA […] and just watching them shine not only in an area they’re comfortable with, which would be work, but also in their area of learning and expertise at the UA was just so rewarding to me because I got to see all of the skills they’ve trained on come to life.”

Creations Boutique is located at 444 N. Fourth Ave. and is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Local restaurants are another type of business that regularly hire students, like Caruso’s Italian Restaurant. Located in Downtown Tucson, Caruso’s and other businesses in the area are often popular when it comes to students looking for work since the Sun Link streetcar provides accessible travel.

Despite the high interest in work, Caruso’s general manager Ande Motzkin said there are a lot of factors that come into play when hiring students.

“There are huge hurdles when hiring student workers. First and foremost is school. That’s a hurdle for us because of the schedule. My personal belief is that school is first and foremost and the second is my business,” Motzkin said. “Usually, I will ask students for their schedule […]. I also ask them to be very open with me and tell me as soon as things come up, like exams.”

Caruso’s is located at 434 N. Fourth Ave. and is open 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday and is closed Mondays.

Motzkin said it’s amazing to see student workers grow up in front of her eyes and come back to visit after they graduate from the UA. She also offered words of encouragement to the graduating class of 2023.

“Be diligent, have integrity, be humane, use humanity. I think nothing in life is easy, but anything worth having is worth fighting for,” Motzkin said. “Stay kind to one another and stay committed to your communities.”