Quincy University provides many programs to help students with financial difficulties. Although this may be true, the Federal Work-Study Program does not give the students the bump they need entirely.

Work-study is a financial aid program funding that helps college and graduate students in financial need to get part-time jobs alongside their studies.

The pay to work as a front desk attendant is $12 at the Student Success Center. The problem is they only allow up to 10 hours a week for the program. This makes it difficult to earn much when you can not even work 10 hours a week in general.

Between a student’s class schedule, eating, and potentially playing a sport, working is a bit challenging. The Quincy University website says “The primary goal is to provide funds for school expenses and help keep student debt down.” That does help in the long run, but when it comes to helping with transportation it isn’t enough.

When students have to take the train to Chicago to make it back home to see their families or take breaks, they have to rely on the parents to help provide. Garrett Greene says its difficult traveling while working for the school.

“It is not easy having to pay for the train. I have to take out more money than I want to, but it is easier than paying for gas nowadays,” Greene said. “I use the money for expenses that I need for classes and food because even though I have all access at the cafeteria, I do not go every time because my schedule gets busy with basketball.”

There is not much the school can do because it is a part-time job and they just want to push over enough to help the students out. The overall goal is not met because like SSC front desk attendant Terrence Smith, the overall paycheck is not what he expected.

“I feel excited when I get a paycheck because it is money, you know. Then I see that I made under a hundred dollars for two weeks,” Smith said. “It is not a pretty sight because I want to save and not spend, but I need to provide for my life alone in the dorms and have to spend.”

While the work-study jobs are on campus, but some jobs with more hours go to non work-study eligible people.

Students like QU sophomore, Parker Lymenstull, do not qualify for a work-study but does feel for the situation.

“When I got the job, they told me I would not receive more than 10 hours a week which was okay with me, but I did not understand why,” Parker said. “Although I do not qualify for the program, I feel students should be making more than somewhat around one hundred dollars. It is rewarding but also difficult because some people just can not pass by with that paycheck status.”

The work-study program helps with tuition for these students as well, but the paycheck that they see could use some additional earnings.