Samantha Pelham, a freshman eager for some extra cash, applied for six PACE positions at Ohio University this spring. She got interviews for all six.
PACE, or the Program to Aid Career Exploration, is a better opportunity for finding employment than peppering different Athens businesses with applications, said Pelham, a journalism and theatre major.
“It’s almost like they match you with the skills you have and what you want to do with your career,” she said. “It’s great that you get not only hands-on experience but that you also get paid through this program.”
Interviews for PACE positions will conclude this week, with priority hiring occurring Wednesday. The program — which costs OU about $700,000 a year if all positions are filled — is supposed to hire students into campus positions that coincide with their career goals, said Melissa Van Meter, associate director of operations for Student Financial Aid.
PACE is funded through OU endowments that are matched by university central funds, Van Meter said.
The jobs, created by OU faculty and administrators, range from tutoring other students to conducting research with faculty. About 300 positions are made available each year.
“The positions vary pretty greatly,” Van Meter said. “All positions have to show that they provide significant mentoring and career development for the student.”
Students employed through PACE are allowed to work up to 10 hours a week per 15 week semester, for a total of 300 hours a year, and they make minimum wage — $7.95 an hour in Ohio.
Pelham said because she is a theatre and journalism major, she looked for any job that had a position open for something involving entertainment, fine arts or writing. Pelham said she found several positions that incorporated not just one of those aspects, but multiple.
Maureen Mierke, a freshman studying journalism, is also taking advantage of PACE positions next year.
“I liked the idea of being able to make some money on campus while also working in a field for my specific major,” she said.
Mierke said PACE will allow her to learn new skills through real work — not just classes — while honing the skills she already has.
“I think it’s definitely more beneficial than just another job on campus,” Mierke said. “To get work experience that you can add to your resume and show future bosses that you take initiative and have a passion for what you do is really impressive.”
@taymaple
tm255312@ohiou.edu
This article appeared in print under the headline "PACE jobs offer real experience"
