Many students are swamped with coursework, but that doesn’t stop them from needing a source of income. It can be challenging to juggle a full or part-time job while trying to balance the seemingly never-ending courseload.
Thankfully, there is a solution for those of us in these positions; working at Los Medanos College offers an array of jobs on campus at both the Pittsburg and Brentwood locations. These jobs include working with student life, library assistance, campus aid/security, tutoring, and working for student information centers like the Transfer Center and College and Career Center.
Julianna Anastas is a 20-year-old student who worked on campus at the library for the two years she attended.
“It was a whole entire research process, looking through FAFSA and seeing what would be available,” Anastas said. She worked two days a week as a library assistant. “I would say, in general, with coworkers it’s a very lovely environment. I’ve been working in the LMC library since Fall of 2022.”
Julianna Anastas stated that her job — like others on campus — varied in terms of hours, but followed students’ course schedules.
Another student, Jordan Walters, is a 21-year-old who used to work as a tutor at Los Medanos’ Brentwood campus.
“I was a math tutor;” Walters said. “I actually got recruited. While I was studying for Calc 2, I would go to the Brentwood Math Lab a lot, and I would help my fellow classmates and students out.” The professor who ran the Math Lab approached Jordan and asked if she’d like to start tutoring.
“If you’re going to be a tutor, you have to go through tutor training, which they do technically pay you for, but it’s like another class on top of the ones you already have,” Walters said. “I’d say if you have the time for it, it’s something that’s kind of nice. If you’re already on campus you can just stop by and do your job while you’re there.”
Walters also explained that it is a nice job to have on the side for a little extra cash.
“For me, we were working around my normal job as well; it’s definitely more of a side job.” Walters said. “I think it was about 25, or 50 cents above minimum wage at the time.”
Nisha Sahota, 20, has been at Los Medanos College for two years. “I would be considered a Transfer and Career Services student ambassador,” said Sahota. “Since I’m in Transfer Academy, I actually got an email about it, that the position was open last year during [Summer of 2023].”
Sahota mentioned she works about 11-12 hours a week alongside going to classes. “I would definitely recommend an on-campus job, just because my supervisor totally understands if you have schoolwork you need to complete, they’ll let you take as much time as you need; you’ll even be able to work on assignments while you’re working too.”
Jordan Ramey, 19, has been working as a student ambassador with Student Life for about a year now, mainly working in the student marketplace.
“We all have to plan events, and participate in the lives of students,” Ramey said. “It’s also very flexible. If I have a final, I’ll let them know ahead of time, because they understand as Student Life that we are students first and foremost.”
Ramey added that the school heavily accommodates its employees, and lets students pick their own hours. “They would never give you a time you’re not off [from classes].”
Chelley Hernandez, 22, recently started working with LMC as a cook with the food program, starting about three weeks ago.
“I really like [the job], it’s really helpful to go to school and go to work on the same campus,” said Hernandez. “Every day, I either work, or I go to school; I don’t do both, which I like personally. I’m off by 12, so I have the rest of the day to study on campus anyways, which is dope.”
Hernandez recommends a job on campus for other students, citing its convenience and accommodation. “I went up to Career Services, and I was asking to get into the work study program, and they said to do it on the Handshake app.”
Students at Los Medanos College are urged by fellow students working on campus to consider these opportunities. All on-campus positions are available to any students with a GPA of 2.5 who are enrolled in at least six units.
