BY EMILY SKILLING
Everyone is looking for a good work-life balance. What better way to make money, gain knowledge and impact your college experience than by working at the college you’re attending? Sheridan offers students employment with 200 opportunities at all three campuses. Whether it’s a position in the Student Services Union (SSU) under the events, clubs, awareness or marketing and promo team, Sheridan has jobs that touch on all areas of student life.
Claudia Santos, marketing and communications coordinator for the SSU, says Sheridan highly values hired students. “It’s my first time working in an environment that students are such a prevalent part of everything that we do on a daily basis. They have such an impact on the direction of the organization. We really look to them, to all of the student leaders and even all of our student staff to really indicate what students want, what’s important to students,” Santos explains. SSU student input is considered for different events, services, information and how these things are presented to the student body.
Employment at Sheridan often has a major impact on students’ Sheridan life. Murtaza Saleem, club coordinator for SSU is currently in the Mobile Commuting program at Sheridan and is often use to sitting at his computer working on apps. The computer science program allows for a minimal amount of communication and socialization within class. But, employment with SSU has changed his experience at Sheridan. “Not only do I get to see the students outside of my program more, I get to interact with them more,” Saleem said. It’s a rewarding feeling for Saleem who helps create clubs based upon student input, “I get to connect with so many students and help build relationships with them and build their communities,” he added.
Gaining new skills and finding inner confidence is another benefit of campus employment. “Leadership skills are one of the things I really gained from just being apart of the SSU and this work,” Saleem said. Students aren’t the only ones that benefit from Sheridan’s opportunities for student jobs.
Even full-time staff has learned. “As much as we teach the students different things and sort of foster their growth, I think that they also teach us a lot as well. It’s a two-way street. There’s that give and take,” Santos said. Working with one another as a team creates the best outcome.
Finding that work life balance can be difficult for everyone, especially since the SSU staff is primarily students. “During certain times of the year, it can be a little bit hard for students to balance school and work. So, in terms of their availability, that can be a little bit of a challenge. But, obviously school is important to us and how well they do is important to us as well,” Santos said. Time managing and scheduling can be a struggle during those heavy academic times, but Sheridan makes its students education a priority.
The SSU and Sheridan create opportunities that speak to all students. It allows students to explore interests, or follow passion. “Whether it’s applying to your creative side or your business minded side, or you want to expand your leadership side or you just want to interact with more students on a daily basis. I think that there’s so much opportunity for growth for students working within an organization like this. It’s such a unique environment where they’re creating something by students for students,” Santos said.
For job inquiries and opportunities stop by the SSU office and speak to a representative in person or visit the SSU website .
