My experiences as a student worker at DePaul

By lily lowndes Social Media Editor

With graduation impending, my student worker status is coming to an end. I’ve tried out a few different roles and I thought I would share a look inside six on-campus jobs at DePaul.

The DePaulia

I had to start with the obvious. Becoming The DePaulia’s social media editor was one of the best things that I did at DePaul, and one of the most difficult.

If you want to be a journalist, student media is a great way to get experience. At The DePaulia, you can write weekly stories, learn how to work in a newsroom and, one of the coolest perks, see your name in print.

As social media editor, I could pursue new creative directions on our socials, but I caused myself a lot of stress by putting too much pressure on myself to succeed. Having quick turnarounds for stories and working long hours in the newsroom can do a number on you!

Being a part of The DePaulia was an amazing experience overall. The longer I was on staff, the easier it got. The best way to learn more about something is to take a leap of faith and try it out.

The Writing Center

I was a University Center for Writing-based Learning (UCWbL) employee for two years. On my resume, however, I just say I worked at the DePaul Writing Center.

Being a writing tutor was probably the best on-campus position I held at DePaul. I think I only became a stronger writer and more well-rounded person after joining the UCWbL.

All tutors have to enroll in a Writing Center pedagogy course during fall quarter to learn about how to be effective tutors. That was the most training

I’ve had for any job, on-campus or not.

It was a lovely work environment. Every staff member embodied the UCWbL’s logo: “Good writers, nice people.”

It took some time getting used to finishing work in allotted appointment time slots, but overall, it was an interesting and educational job.

14 East

When I first heard about 14 East, I was sold. Working on multimedia stories about the Chicago and DePaul communities for an online magazine seemed like a cool opportunity.

While there are editor, illustrator and photographer positions, I led fundraising efforts as the director of development and tracked finances as the business manager.

Both roles had a reasonable workload and I could complete my tasks asynchronously at any time of the week.

What I like most about 14 East is the constant communication and care surrounding each story. Every piece is fact-checked, and an editor works with you throughout the course of a week to polish your story for publication. The newsroom is made up of such kind and talented people!

Student Activity Fee Board

SAF-B is a student board that helps approve funding for student organizations’ expenses relating to their activities and events.

Groups would give presentations about their proposed events and we would vote on the amount allocated. After we finished the scheduled presentations, the board ate a free lunch together.

Rather than being paid hourly, I got a scholarship for being on SAF-B. We met a few times a month in the Office of Student Involvement in Lincoln Park. Residence Hall Council

For anyone interested in working for Housing, feel free to consider becoming an RA or FA, but I think one of the best student roles in the department is being president of Residence Hall Council (RHC).RHC is a student government and event planning organization for DePaul students living in dorms and on-campus apartments. In exchange for compensated housing, I managed a budget, plan events and engage the student community to the best of my ability.

It was a great way to meet a lot of people and create fun events.

Chicago Quarter Mentor

Chicago Quarter Mentor (CQM) jobs last from the beginning to the end of the fall quarter. You mentor a freshman Explore or Discover Chicago class and teach lesson plans about healthy habits and life at DePaul.

The best part was essentially sitting in on an additional class at DePaul, free of charge. You attend classes and learn about the assigned subject, but have no homework, essays or tests.

The only downside of this job is, unlike every other student position I’ve had, this isn’t an hourly-paid or scholarship-based position. Instead, you have a set stipend distributed to you across the quarter on random dates.You didn’t know ahead of time when and how much was being deposited into your account.

Other jobs

Being a student worker is an ideal gig because of the proximity to campus, flexible work hours and the opportunity to meet new people at DePaul. If you are interested, I would recommend checking out the student job board to see what is available!