KY3 Story on Summer Work Program

'Hard Work U' sees interest spike in summer work program
by Kristin Nelson, kY3 News
Story Published: Jun 18, 2009 at 6:49 AM CDT

Story Updated: Jun 18, 2009 at 10:02 AM CDT

Visit ky3.com to view story.


POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. -- Keeping the College of the Ozarks campus beautiful requires a lot of hard work but, when Anastasia Wagner graduates, she won't have to sweat her finances.
"I will walk out with my diploma and zero debt, not a dollar owed by that point in time," said Wagner.

Wagner, a junior at College of the Ozarks, has been pulling landscaping duty for three years now. It's part of the school's summer work program, which is growing in popularity.

"Times are really tough for a lot of families out there and they're having trouble meeting that cost of room and board, and the summer work program here is just a great deal," said Chris Larsen, dean of Work Education.

For three months, 40 hours a week, students work off the cost of their room and board for the entire school year. With 200 more applicants than the school needs, however, many students were turned away.

"We want to see students actually earn what they're getting," said Larsen.

Altogether, there are more than 80 jobs that students can do for the summer work program, including milking cows, giving bus tours and making fruit cakes.

"They're going to leave here with a work ethic they wouldn't get in a lot of other places," said Larsen.

That helps students like Wagner weed out possible debt.

"It's really good because I can do whatever I want as soon as I graduate," said Wagner.