Editor’s note: This article is part of the Arizona Summer Wildcat’s 2014 Campus Guide. The Campus Guide is a special issue that runs every year to help introduce incoming students to the UA and campus life.
Any incoming freshman hoping to get an on-campus job can look to the Career Services center for expert help.
The Career Services center is a valuable resource for students. Its website lists part-time on and off-campus positions and internships, as well as full-time positions targeted to UA students and alumni.
Emily Pineda, a family studies sophomore, said she likes her job working on campus at On Deck Deli because it is convenient and she gets discounts at all UA-owned restaurants. She said she is able to balance school and work because her on-campus job provides flexibility with her schedule.
Eileen McGarry, executive director of Career Services, said students hoping to find on-campus work should attend the Wildcat Student Employment Fair. On-campus and other Tucson employers looking for student hires will be in attendance. The fair will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 27 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Student Union Memorial Center.
McGarry said the career center, located in the student union, is a key resource not only for finding on-campus jobs, but also for career counseling, resume writing and help with graduate school applications. Students can meet with career counselors by appointment or briefly during walk-in hours to discuss career choices, interview preparation, major exploration, networking opportunities and resume help. Various self-assessment tools can be found on the website for students selecting majors and mapping out career paths. McGarry said she encourages students to use these resources as early as possible.
“Our major message is [to] check us out, get on our website, register so you have access to our resources and come in if you need extra help,” McGarry said. “We’re here to support that whole process of discovering where you want to head after graduation and what the process might be.”
Nura Dualeh, director of Strategic Student Initiatives, said students interested in attending graduate school should try to get research experience as undergraduates.
“We find that engaging and involving them in research is one of the best ways to prepare for graduate schools,” Dualeh said.
To find research opportunities, students can look at the career services website for jobs working in research labs, or speak with advisers in their departments to see which faculty are conducting research projects. Office hours are the best time to approach faculty about doing research with them, Dualeh said, adding that departments often list internship and research opportunities in the emails they send to students.
“Students should pay tremendous attention to the emails that are sent to them by their departments because those are full of opportunities,” Dualeh said.
Dualeh said that students may be discouraged when they have trouble finding a research opportunity, but connecting to a research project requires dedication.
“Students need to be persistent when looking for opportunities and do it with gusto and do it with a really positive attitude,” Dualeh said.
