Blackburn students literally help plan, manage and run the facilities of an institution fully invested in them. Working with Blackburn employees and other students, the “four-year head start” means real-world work experience that pays off, with resumes that are attractive to employers across all fields.
Students fill essential roles on campus, often aligning work responsibilities with academic interests. With 12 student-managed work departments, there is a job for everyone, including you!
Academic Services
The Academics Department consists of many smaller departments, such as the Theatre, the Vivarium, the Bee Program, and all the Faculty Assistants and Tutors. The student tutors serve across all academic disciplines. The Theatre aids and puts on all the school’s productions. The Faculty Assistants help the faculty members prepare for their classes and grade any coursework the faculty member needs help with. The tutors help faculty members teach study sessions and assist students one-on-one.
Administration Services
Students provide support for all administrative offices including Admissions, Business Office, Career Services, Development/Alumni Affairs, Diversity and Inclusion, Financial Aid, Institutional Research, Office of the President, Office of Student Life, Orientation, Student Activities, Public Relations, Records, and the Work Office. Students serve as office assistants, research assistants, graduation analysts, public relations writers/photographers, bookkeeping assistants, and campus tour guides. They also work as support technicians maintaining and supporting the computer equipment around campus, and staff the data center providing support for the campus network/servers. Students working in this department should have customer service experience, organizational skills, and basic computer skills.
Athletic Services
Students’ jobs include a wide variety of duties within the Athletic Department. Workers need a basic knowledge of sports and a positive attitude. Work includes student athletic trainers, assistants to coaches, athletic event staff, sports writing, statistics, social media experts, and Athletic Director assistants. Workers may additionally set up physical education classes and clean Dawes Gymnasium.
Bookstore
The Bookstore Department is responsible for excelling in customer service while providing textbooks, supplies, merchandise, stamps, and clothing to the campus and community. The department is also responsible for sorting and distributing U.S. and Campus mail in the mail room. The online store, auxiliary services, and event scheduling are also responsibilities of the workers.
Campus Community & Safety
Students perform duties including radio dispatch, campus patrol and escort, building security including daily lock and unlock, issuing parking tickets, crisis management, and security for campus events. Students must be in good standing with the college and pass a background investigation to be eligible for some jobs within this department.
Campus Maintenance
Student crews include Building Maintenance/Carpentry, Utilities (Plumbing/Electrical), HVAC, Grounds/Event setup and teardowns, Motor Pool, and New Construction. Students are required to wear “hard sole” work boots. Students must also provide their own work clothes. Each crew member is subject to help other crews if needed. Students must be able to be involved in physical work, including using various tools and developing different skills within the workplace. Students must be ready to be a part of the team to continuously improve the department and campus.
Campus Services
Workers are responsible for cleaning the residence halls, including hallways, stairwells, parlors, and bathrooms, as well as cleaning academic/administrative buildings, including classrooms, hallways, and bathrooms. Workers are also responsible for cleaning athletic buildings and the dining hall. There are plenty of opportunities for advancement into leadership roles within the department. Must wear closed-toed shoes.
Community Services
Students work in local schools throughout the Carlinville area, including Carlinville Primary, Intermediate, Middle, and High School (Transition to Life Program), as well as the Head Start Center, Alternative Education Center, and the Macoupin County Center for the Developmentally Disabled, serving as teacher aides and classroom assistants. Additional placements are available with community organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Catholic Charities, Good Samaritans Food Pantry, Locust Street Mental Health Resource Center, and the Macoupin County Public Health Department, as well as an on-campus position in the Campus Infirmary. To be eligible for employment through the Community Services Department, students must pass a background check, have access to a vehicle while on campus, and remain in good academic and disciplinary standing with the college.
Dining & Hospitality Services
Student workers in this department have many opportunities to learn all sides of Dining and Hospitality through service in DING or as a part of the catering team. Students work closely with full-time Fresh Ideas staff to learn safe and proper handling of food and equipment. Students can enhance customer service and communication skills every shift. Dining and Hospitality serves members of both the Blackburn and surrounding community, allowing workers the chance to meet new people and establish connections. Workers are involved in meal preparation and service, and sanitation for the entire dining facility.
Lumpkin Library
Lumpkin Library workers provide assistance to patrons as they use the library for their academic and personal benefit. The Academic Resource Assistants are there for students when they need to check out a book, check out a laptop, or help with online resources such as EBSCOhost, etc. Career Resource Assistants are in charge of being the first stop for students needing assistance with Career readiness- the formatting of resumes and also getting students’ profiles set up in our new job posting platform- Handshake. Writing tutors provide assistance with essay formatting, wording, brainstorming, and also weekly meetings that allow students to get extra help with their assignments.
Snack Bar
Student workers prepare and serve made-to-order food and drinks while maintaining a courteous and friendly attitude toward customers, maintaining sanitary conditions in the food preparation, serving, and dining areas, keeping merchandise stocked, recording sales on the cash register, and performing other duties as needed.
Student Life
Upper class students serve as residence hall directors and residence hall assistants responsible for safety and community programming activities in the six residence halls on campus. They provide assistance to the Student Life Office Suite, Community Activities Board, and our Leave it to Beaver program, which organizes and advertises the campus/community wide donation center.