Students and sports teams are taking time out of their busy schedules to volunteer and work at New England College athletic events on campus. NEC students are stepping up and giving back to their school and community to fill the gaps of work-study applicants, proving that “not all heroes wear capes.”
When students and parents apply for federal grants, work-study, and loans, this helps schools determine the amount of money given for each student’s education and offer students the ability to make a small income while at school.
At NEC, students utilize these work study benefits while working throughout campus either in the cafeteria, library, classrooms, and more. One section where a lot of students enjoyed working is athletics, but this year for the first few weeks of school, the athletic department was unable to provide paid jobs for students on the field and on the court.
Dave Decew, NEC Director of Athletics said, “part of it is, we have to make sure we go through the paperwork aspect, [we are] needing official government documentation showing students cleared for work-study.”
DeCew also said this fall was different because students started earlier than normal.
“Generally, it’s always going to be a multiweek process,” DeCew said.
Asking for volunteers has happened in the past and this year has been no different.
“We actually have done this many years in the past, particularly over break, where if we don’t have the student support, we might have the men’s ice hockey team help work the women’s ice hockey [games], and vice versa even during the preseason with field hockey and men’s soccer,” said DeCew.
“I was gonna go to the game anyway, so I don’t mind helping out the other sports teams,” said Richard McMahon, a men’s lacrosse player. “I’m just happy they’re letting people back at the games,” he said.
Some of the jobs in athletics entail ball person, scorekeeper, flag person, camera, and stats keeper.
“It’s been nice to see teams support one another. We try to hand out gear, being tee’s or a pair of glasses as a thank you,” said DeCew.
“Supporting other teams on campus is essential to continue a winning environment here at NEC. Nothing feels better than being supported by anyone and everyone,” said David Benjamin, men’s lacrosse player and volunteer at many NEC athletic events.
Students are not the only volunteers, many advisors and professors are also seen working the game to help fill in the missing spots.
While the school is awaiting more students to become compliant with work-study, volunteers are keeping programs going.
“We’d love to snap our fingers and just get going but one of the things I think our department is very keen on is that we have a culture of compliance,” DeCew said.
“We are going to make sure we go through all the due process and not skip steps,” Decew concluded.
