Rams At Work

Work+ At VCU

On-campus employment is a high-impact practice that increases student retention (Bluml, 2019; McClellan, 2018). As a top employer in the Richmond region and of VCU graduates, VCU is uniquely positioned to provide equitable access to real-world learning through work-based experiences in a safe and supportive environment. Thousands of students are employed through VCU annually, but without consistent pedagogical frameworks in place to amplify student learning. There is untapped potential at VCU to utilize student employment to close equity gaps in students’ participation in work-based learning, increasing student retention and employability. By applying the practices of guided reflection and mentoring to existing on-campus employment and more effectively tracking students who participate in these work-based learning experiences, we believe our work has the potential to enhance student learning, employability and retention.

VCU joined the national Work+ Collective as an inaugural cohort member in 2023. Through Work+, our goal at VCU has been to collaborate intentionally and sustainably as a large, diverse, and decentralized university community to streamline and enhance the student employee (working learner) and supervisor experience, increase equitable access to resources and opportunities, and elevate student employment as a recognized high-impact practice and work-based learning experience that improves career readiness.

So far, Work+ efforts at VCU have resulted in:

  • creation of a broad and sustainable Student Employment Action Team & Advisory Group with 35 representatives
  • data collection and sharing in partnership with VCU HR and Financial Aid
  • lowering of student-to-supervisor ratios in specific units
  • inviting over 300 professional staff members who supervise working learners to join the VCU Leadership Career Community (LCC) for learning, mentoring, and networking purposes
  • supporting a successful SCHEV grant proposal and project efforts to transform select Federal Work-Study positions into true on-campus internships
  • this collaborative website resource hub for working learners, their supervisors, and other stakeholders related to on-campus student employment

Mission

The Work+Collective’s goal is to foster a movement of collaborative engagement, where peers unite to revolutionize the working learner experience. Tap into expert guidance and readily available tools to support and inspire others on a journey of transformative change.

Working Learners

Throughout this site and other materials for student employees, you may see us refer to "working learners". Working learners are students who balance learning in college with earning a paycheck.

VCU Student Employment Action Team and Advisory Group 

Mission Statement: The mission of the Student Employment Action Team and Advisory Group is to collaborate intentionally and sustainably to enhance the VCU student employee and supervisor experience, increasing equitable access to resources and opportunities.

Vision Statement: Our vision is for student employment to be elevated and recognized as a transformative, high-impact experience for VCU students and supervisors.