College of the Ozarks, MO "Hard Work U."
Type: Policy
Status: Ongoing
Source File: http://www.cofo.edu/workprog.asp?page=4
Description:
Work Education
At College of the Ozarks, we call ourselves "Hard Work U." That's because our work program sets us apart from nearly every other college in the country and lets us provide a distinctive education that will help you achieve your life goals and objectives.
At College of the Ozarks, you help to pay for your education in a way that actually enriches your learning! As a full-time student, either in residence or as a commuter taking 12 or more hours, you work 15 hours each week at your assigned campus work station. The student work program will involve you in one of over 80 diverse and fulfilling work areas. Combined with scholarships and grants, your work scholarship will cover the cost of your education, making your College of the Ozarks education very affordable. Best of all, you'll find that your on-the-job experience gives you a significant competitive edge when you begin your career after college.
Your participation in the work program might mean spending 15 hours a week working in the Computer Center, Child Development Center, Ralph Foster Museum, McDonald Hospital, or in any of the 80 other work areas on campus. Although your studies and college work program job take priority, many students at Hard Work U find they are also able to earn supplemental income through part time employment with the many employers in nearby Hollister and Branson, Missouri.
Your campus job helps pay for the cost of your education at College of the Ozarks. Our distinctive work program, one of only a very few such programs in the entire country, makes college affordable for many students who might not otherwise be able to meet the cost of their education. For others, the work program means freedom from having to pay back large school loans after graduation. Best of all, the on-the-job experience you gain as a College of the Ozarks student will add extra dimension to your learning. Unlike many of your friends attending other colleges, you’ll be starting your career debt free; well educated; and work experienced!
Unlike the federal "work-study" programs that most colleges offer, our student work program lets you contribute in a very significant way, both to your education and to the betterment of the C of O community. In addition to your normal weekly 15 hours during each semester, you'll work two 40 hour weeks each year chosen from the weeks when classes are not in session. Although the scholarship program is need-based, your room and board may also be covered by working six weeks per term during your summer break. Combined with other scholarships and grants, your work scholarship can cover the entire cost of your education.
Enriching Your Education
Once you've established yourself at Hard Work U, work assignments may be closely related to the career field you've chosen. From the beginning, you'll see how your work commitment helps you develop personal characteristics like Reliability, Teamwork and Collaboration, Initiative and Motivation, Responsibility/Accountability, Quality Work and Communication skills. These qualities will serve you well, no matter what path you take in life. That's one reason we were included in the John Templeton Foundation Honor Roll for Character Building Colleges, an annual listing of schools that "encourage the development of strong moral character among students."
Because the work experiences you'll gain here are so valuable, we include your work performance grades along with your academic grades on your student records. You will have developed an impressive set of credentials to show future employers after you graduate.