A student employee is any Lamar University student working an average of 20 hours per week. Departments pay 100% of the student’s wages. Employees are processed through the Lamar University payroll system.
Any Lamar University student who is awarded Work Study funding through Financial Aid. Work Study funds pay 75% of the student wages. The employer pays 25% of the student wages benefits as applicable. Students must have work study awards prior to employment under work study.
Student Assistant
International Students
Click here to access our Student Manual for Student Employment
Interviewing is a time to gather information about the candidate and your future employer. For the student interviewing, it is an invaluable lesson. A student’s professional development begins with the application and interview process. Here are a few tips to help you begin your interview process.
Interviewing for any job can be a nerve-wracking experience. The better prepared you are, the better your chances will be of converting an interview into a job.
You may schedule a meeting with the Student Employment Center to address any questions on interview etiquette and additional information. Please see information regarding interview tips on the Student Employment Center website.
Our office offers resume and interviewing consultations for students and alumni. You may utilize these services by contacing our career consultants or making an appointment with our office. Please visit our Career Consultants page for more information. In addition, please visit our page on Resume Writing and Job Search.
Work culture represents a set of beliefs, expectations, ideas, values, attitudes, and behaviors shared by the members of a given work environment. Practicing within a positive work culture will provide you, the student employee, with a strong foundation of both positive work ethics and workplace interactions.
There are, of course, many characteristics or factors that may come together to create a positive work culture. Several of the most prominent characteristics that should be recognized and employed by you, the student employee, are mentioned below.
Motivated employees contribute to a positive work environment; they affect the morale of those around them, are more likely to be self-starters and innovators, have strong personal goals, and have a healthy work ethic.
It is the mindset or perspective of the individual that sets the foundation for interactions to be defined and for future actions to be declared.
Your behavior in the workplace should exude professionalism. Several factors of good professionalism would include wearing the proper attire, use of proper language, maintain a positive attitude, be honest, and employ ethical behavior. If you want to be a professional, you should act like a professional.
Praise is a two way street, you are encouraged to praise your supervisor. If you value and pay attention to the feedback that you receive from others and equally share your own feedback, you will find your experience as a student employee far more rewarding.
PLEASE NOTE: It is highly recommend that all students attend an orientation on or before employment and continue to attend monthly workshops. All orientations and workshops provide one hour of certification for professional development. Departments can request a private orientation and workshop for employed students. Sign-up online through the Student Employment Center’s website
This program provides jobs for undergraduate and graduate (excluding international) students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay educational expenses and reduce loan debt while subsidizing a portion of their wages. Work study DOES NOT imply that students can study at the workplace.
Students that complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) and demonstrate “need” for financial aid are eligible. Financial need is defined as the difference between the cost of attendance (COA), other aid (AID) and the expected family contribution (EFC). If the EFC and the AID added together is not enough to cover the COA, the student is considered to have financial need. Student can obtain the work study form and further information from the Lamar University Financial Aid Office. Each student that is awarded will have to turn in the award letter to the employer.
This program allows the employer to hire more people with the same amount of money. The department is required to pay a 25 % of the hourly rate offered to the student.
A new work study student must not begin work before the following has been processed:
PLEASE NOTE: A student’s award may change at any time. Changes to their financial aid package may require adjustments to the amount of work study funding they were originally awarded. It is the student’s responsibility to notify their employment of changes made. Students are sent notifications any time changes are made to their financial aid package.
Students are not allowed to submit hours for time worked during scheduled classes, even if the class receives a walk. Students may not estimate hours per federal regulations. Hours may only be submitted AFTER the work is performed.
Work-study Program is awarded for specific academic period either Fall/Spring. Fall/Spring award is an academic year award. This means that is the student has money left over for the Fall award the Office of Student Financial Aid will increase the Spring at their discretion. This balance MUST be utilized by the end of the Spring semester. However, a remaining award that is not earned at the time will not be carried forth into summer or the next academic year.
No. A student must choose either Work Study employment or Non College Work Study employment. Any employment that is not Work- Study is considered Non College Work Study. If a student rejects Work study for Non College Work Study, the earnings from such employment may affect future financial aid.
NOTE: All Work Study students MUST apply each fall and submit a work study form before Spring and Summer terms. All dates regarding submission are located with the Financial Aid Office.
The Work Study Program terminates a student who has earned enough to meet his or her financial need for the academic year. A student may also be terminated if no longer enrolled; if satisfactory academic progress is not maintained in the course of study; or if the minimum course load is not maintained.
LU Student Employment Center resources are provided free of charge to employers and to student job seekers. All hiring and compensation for work performed by student employees is handled directly between the student and the employer. The Student Employment Center does not perform background checks on students applying for jobs, nor on employers posting job opportunities. Employers and students are encouraged to request reference information from each other as needed to establish qualifications, credentials and overall fit between the employer and the student applicant.
All job listings are posted at the discretion of the Student Employment Center. We will not post jobs that appear to discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, disability, or gender. The Student Employment Center also reserves the right to refuse to post jobs that do not support the interests of the University.
The Student Employment Center makes no particular recommendations regarding employers. We make no representations or guarantees about positions posted by this office. We are not responsible for safety, wages, working conditions, or any other aspect of off-campus employment. Students are urged to perform due diligence in researching employers when applying for or accepting private, off-campus employment. Student Employment staff members are available for consultation on how to research prospective employers.
For additional information regarding this disclaimer, contact the Student Employment Center at 409-880-8884
