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The Dartmouth
July 14, 2025 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Off-campus work-study widens student outlook

For decades, Dartmouth's work-study program has collaborated with Upper Valley organizations including Hanover's Howe Library and White River Junction's Vital Communities, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting sustainability and environmental business practices to provide students with off-campus employment as part of their financial aid packages. Work-study opportunities like paid internships have allowed students to learn more about the local community while contributing to the cost of their education, according to students who have participated in these programs.

A federal grant subsidizes work-study employees' paychecks, Student Employment Office consultant Kari Jo Grant said. The grant, established by Congress through the Higher Education Act of 1965, enables organizations to hire students for less than what they would normally pay an employee. The students receive their paychecks directly and can use the money for non-tuition expenses such as books and transportation.

Without federal aid, nonprofit organizations could not employ students, according to Megan Shannon, Vital Communities energy program manager.

The Howe Library has hired Dartmouth students for 20 years, according to library director Mary White, who said that students bring energy and enthusiasm to their work.

Vital Communities currently employs two Dartmouth students and has been involved with Dartmouth's work-study program for six years, according to Shannon.

Emily Blackmer '13, who worked at Vital Communities for three months during her junior fall, said that the internship covered a wide range of projects, including public policy research, campaigning for local businesses and designing project models.

"It was the kind of internship that one doesn't typically get paid for, which was a huge plus," Blackmer said. "I learned about the Upper Valley and the issues that the Upper Valley is dealing with."

Blackmer said that students who apply for positions at off-campus organizations are often disappointed that they cannot be hired due to budget constraints.

Because employment eligibility depends on students' financial aid statuses, a change in status could jeopardize employment. The Howe Library, which currently employs one student through the work-study program, recently could no longer afford to employ three other students whose financial aid eligibility had changed, White said. The library itself covers only one quarter of work-study employees' salaries, while the rest is covered by the Federal Work-Study Program grant.

Local organizations also face the difficulty of retaining students throughout the year given the flexibility of the Dartmouth Plan and individual schedules.

Students must also consider the time commitment of off-campus internships, Grant said. Some students cannot apply for off-campus work-study opportunities due to a lack of transportation access or limited time, she said. The paid internships, however, enable students to leave the campus environment and interact with those outside their age group and background, Grant said.

"It's a great opportunity for students to get an outside perspective," she said. "Agencies love having students there, and they can take advantage of skill sets and experiences that students bring to them."

Student integration with the surrounding community is an uncommon yet valuable experience, as students working with Upper Valley residents are exposed to new people, ideas and perspectives, White said.

"It's good to have a mix of people working here," White said. "It's good for the public to see the students off campus, and it's good for those students to be off campus and to be in a work environment where we really are a family."

Students can find job listings on JobNet, an online database maintained by the SEO that includes listings from Upper Valley organizations such as Vital Communities, Hanover Parks and Recreation, the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce, the Montshire Museum of Science, the Upper Valley Haven and various local child care centers.