For 3,893 students, Wayne State University is not only their destination for learning but also their workplace.

In fact, recently released data for fiscal year 2015 revealed that students serving as student assistants or in federal work-study positions at WSU collectively earned $11,278,685 — an average of $2,897 per student.

Ron Kent, director of Wayne State University Career Services, believes the dual role of being both a member of the student body and the university’s workforce is rewarding.

“Our office just completed a pilot assessment of student employees and the results were very encouraging,” said Kent. “A significant percentage of students found their experience in the university’s workforce to be beneficial in the classroom in areas such as time management, problem solving and preparation for full-time employment, to name a few.”

Balancing classes and work is a formidable challenge, according to student assistant and sophomore Michael Seaton, 20, who splits up to 15 hours weekly between the Office of Marketing and Communications and Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

“Definitely time management has been the key for me. When I graduated from high school, I quickly had to transition to the roles of college student and student assistant,” said Seaton. “It was a challenge balancing everything, but I committed myself to getting it done.”

Although filling dual roles as a student and employee can be a challenge, Seaton said his supervisors told him from the beginning, “Always remember you are a student first.”

Students seeking non-work study student employment can visit Career Services, located at 1001 Faculty/Administration Building, to find the listing of student employment jobs. Placement assistance is available in matching students to their interests.

Job postings may be viewed in-office or online. To view student jobs online, register with Career Services via CSO by visiting careerservices.wayne.edu/csoforstudents.

Students who receive a work-study award from WSU’s Office of Student Financial Aid can visit Career Services to review federal work-study job listings. Assistance is available in matching student interests to jobs. Kent also suggests that students can do more to launch a successful job search, beyond the initial registration.

“We always encourage students to go the extra mile in conducting their on-campus job search — to explore all available resources and means to ensure success,” he said. “Networking, developing faculty contacts, frequently checking the job postings, taking advantage of our available stop-in counseling and becoming involved in student organizations are some of the key points that we stress.”