by Taylor McDaniel

As I enter through the set of double doors to the Student Center building at Belhaven University, a burst of cool air hits me. I take a seat in a lounge chair that wouldn’t look out of place in the waiting room of a nineties doctor’s office with its light-colored, maple-wood armrests and geometric-patterned upholstery.

I arrive at the cafeteria, somewhat rumpled, 10 minutes before it closes. My roommate, who is waiting for me at a table against the wall, informs me that my over-sized white dress shirt and jeans make me look like a founding father. I guess wearing my hair in a bun didn’t really help that effect, but I don’t mind. Continue reading Red High-Tops →

At 9:00 AM on a refreshing Friday morning, the student center is alive with the chatter of passing students as they head to class and kitchen cutlery as the chefs are preparing the students their breakfast, the most important meal of the day. You can hear them all the way from the other side of the student center, the air open to all the sounds and chatter within the building.

Helen White Butterflies
by Katelyn Head

Birds chirping and bees buzzing, finally spring is among us. Campus is quiet, and the sun is hiding behind the clouds. Sitting in my favorite place, listening to my favorite sounds; these Helen white rocking chairs have been apart of my home for nearly 2 years now. These dorms have given life to me, but also made me brutally weak. It’s the end of an era.

Helen has been the chamber of many of my thoughts, heartbreaks, melt-downs, laughs, and cries. During my time living in Helen, I have learned many things. I have learned that every feeling is temporary, like the smell of the rain in the air. Saturday is supposed to be our biggest storm yet, it seems to have started last night. The actual smell of rain comes from the beautiful plants that currently surround me. When plants are in drought they produce oils in replacement for water, the smell of that oil is what we call the refreshing smell of rain that is so evident today.

I’ve also learned that it’s ok to hurt while living in Helen. It is ok to feel pain and heart ache. It’s ok to cry and not be ok all the time. That’s what makes us human. Like the vibrant fuchsia flowers that surround me, we also need time to bloom. I have learned that what ever is most heavy on you-
take it off, let it go. I have learned to be patient and not to stretch into the person that I am becoming.

I aspire to be like the lively butterflies dancing in front of me. Light spirited, worry free, beautiful, and loved. Lastly, I have learned that great things end, and who I am is entirely up to me. Thank you Helen White for being my cozy home, thinking space, and melt-down central. You are truly a gem.

College students would rather study than work-study.

Studies show that in 2015, 43 percent of full-time college students were employed, ten percent of them working 35 hours or more. 78 percent of part-time college students were employed, 45 percent working 35 hours or more.

With college tuition constantly on the rise, students are having to find jobs to take care of all of their financial needs, or even just extra cares they have.

Belhaven University senior, Jane Young, expressed her views about obtaining a job with college work study. “It proved to be a little difficult because most of the on-campus jobs either were already taken or didn’t really help build my resume in a way.”

Some students feel that finding a job with campus work study can be difficult due to the lack of positions, and the jobs that help build resumes for later careers are already taken by a select few students. “None of them would work with my schedule, um, to align with my social work classes and my social work internship. So working with work study was difficult.”

When asked about the benefits of getting involved with work study, Social Work senior, Joy Watts, said, “It’s not difficult to find one, but it doesn’t pay to have one.”

According to U.S. News and World Report, with an average award of $2,649, work-study jobs are not enough to cover the needs of students. Some find it more beneficial to get a part-time job.

So, what way can we make sure that college students’ needs are met without causing them to be overwhelmed with responsibilities?

https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/coe_ssa.pdfhttps://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2017-06-27/choose-between-a-federal-work-study-job-and-a-part-time-job-in-college

When you walk into this lively coffee shop, you feel instantly awakened. The open windows make you feel alive and the friendly faces, welcomed. You’re greeted by whoever is making popsicles, then the barista. The barista is a student at Belhaven, he’s been here since almost six in the morning. The barista had some friends come visit him so he could get through the day. He presents the menu to you and is ready to answer any questions you may have. My question was if a lot of people come here in the morning. Perhaps knowing I attended Belhaven, he answered, “Not a lot of Belhaven people, but many Belhaven (the neighborhood) residents and Millsaps students.”

Will tuition just keep increasing nationally? How will college students and their families continue to pay for it? Many students such as Grace Whitworth and Abby Mondy work after practice and softball games in order to pay for their tuition but that is the case for many students at Belhaven.

Mariah Sosa, a waitress, says “Many nights I get home so late after closing the restaurant and I just don’t feel like doing any homework because it’ll be 12:30 or 1:00 am by time I get home. We have already had softball practice by then and sometimes even games that day. It’s really rough some days but you gotta do it.”

As of 2018, Belhaven University’s tuition was $25,300 but of course but of course this did not account for the text books and everything which financial aid does not cover for these students who either work, play sports or maybe both.

Majority of people on Belhaven’s campus today receive some sort of financial aid as Belhaven is a private college and can at least alter their financial aid packages which help out their students a little bit.

Softball Coach Bry Castro is working to receive her masters while still being on the same softball schedule that the players are and working at a softball facility giving lessons.
“I have to get it done whether I am tired or not” she says, “just trying to push through it and be mentally tough and do it to the best of my ability.”

While being a grad assistant here at Belhaven she is getting her master’s, degree paid for.
Overall, it was not quite a surprise to hear that some people were having to work while going to school as tuition is insane. Thoughts?
For more:

http://www.belhaven.edu/admission/tuition.htm
https://www.cnbc.com/2015/10/29/more-college-students-are-working-while-studying.html

https://youtu.be/yhlK3AOu-bs

https://youtu.be/dN-kUZAWyc8

https://youtu.be/nvCc_QgVS5U

Working for Game Day Operations can be very fulfilling, but it also requires hard work and a positive attitude. In universities, the majority of the team is made up of student workers, and above them are the Game Day Operations Director and the Assistant.

The Director has responsibilities in planning, setting up for, and managing all game day events and budgets, as well as being responsible for coordinating staffing needs and timing special events.

The Game Day Operations Assistant works closely with the student workers, aiding them in providing good services to the sports fans, setting up and taking down equipment, and managing the game floor.

College students who do work study can get experience in working for Game Day Operations and have a small taste of what it means to provide for the fans and help make these events possible. In order to serve the fans at their best, the student workers can look to the Game Day Operations Assistant for example.

Sara Navarro, a first-year graduate student of Belhaven University, is new in the position of Game Day Operations Assistant. She knows firsthand the responsibilities that come with this position and the skills they must utilize to guarantee an enjoyable game experience for the fans.

“Primarily, my job is to make sure that the fans that are coming have a good time. So that includes concession stands, having a work study that is smiling and energetic, and making sure all the behind-the-scenes are done, like paying the umpires and making sure everyone’s names is correct, all those kinds of things, which I love doing.”

While playing college softball at NC Dallas, Sara’s athletic director sent in her resume to an open position in Belhaven University’s Game Day Operations. She received a call from the new Game Day Operations Director and was invited to work at Belhaven University as the Game Day Operations Assistant.

“I think it’s really important to have people, be kind to everyone because when you have someone in your corner that’s fighting for you, stuff like this happens and it’s a really good opportunity.”

Tyler Freeman has enjoyed working with Sara in Game Day Operations. “Sara is a wonderful asset to our Game Day team. She works hard and doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty to get the job done. Sara has excellent social skills, which is crucial in her position.”

The work study team for Game Day Operations look up to Sara and hope to perform their responsibilities with the same amount of happy energy she exerts.

Lewis Hines, a senior undergraduate, personally enjoys working with her. “She’s an extremely hard worker. She loves what she’s doing. She enjoys game day and the atmosphere. She does whatever she can to make game day better than it already is. I personally have fun working with her. She’s a true joy and a true life to game day staff.”

If you were looking for a Game Day Operations Assistant, who goes above and beyond to perform her responsibilities and builds relationships with those she serves, look to Sara Navarro.

Other Websites

https://www.sports-management-degrees.com/job-profiles/game-operations/

https://operations.nfl.com/the-game/gameday-behind-the-scenes/