With the rising costs of higher education, many college students are struggling to pay for school. Federal student loans, scholarships and work study opportunities are typical ways students pay for their college education. Unfortunately, student loans rates are increasing as well which makes paying them back after graduation a challenging task.
For many college students, working outside part-time or full-time jobs while attending school is another option.
Cody Holt, a senior education and English literature major at Park University, decided to take that route.
Holt, who is in his fifth semester and third year at Park, has been working a variety of jobs since he was a young man living in Deepwater, Mo.
“I grew up in a pretty rough neighborhood where school and learning weren’t pushed,” he says. “But rather than following that path, I decided to focus on school. Reading, writing and expressing myself always came naturally to me.”
After graduating from Lakeland High School as salutatorian, Holt attended Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Mo., where he earned his associate of arts in business administration and played baseball. Holt was offered a full-ride academic scholarship to play baseball for Park, but found that he did not have the time to put behind it like he wanted.
“I looked down the road 10 years from now and saw that baseball wasn’t going to be as important as having the work experience,” he says.
Instead, Holt now spends his time working three part-time jobs to pay for his schooling.
“I work a seasonal job for the Park and Recreation department for Parkville where I get about 30 hours a week,” he says. “I’ve worked two years at Price Chopper and get between 16 to 24 hours a week there, and I’m also a tutor in the Academic Support Center at Park and work about two and a half to three hours a week, and five to six hours during the WCT.”
Holt also noted that he works independently, coaching little league baseball teams, mowing lawns and even house sitting.
“I’ll do anything for a buck,” he says.
Working so much and earning extra cash has been helpful to Holt, who is currently taking seven classes, five of which are three credit hours each and two practicum classes, for his two degrees and maintains a 4.0 GPA.
“Work has given me lots of self-motivation,” he says.
“Because of all the work I do, I’ve never taken out a loan.”
Holt says without having work, he wouldn’t be able to sit still. He also says sometimes he wishes he didn’t have to work so much.
“I wish I had just school to worry about,” he says, “then I would have more time for extracurricular activities. Sometimes I fantasize about only having to go to school, but it’s unrealistic.”
Holt’s girlfriend Shaya Kinsey, who is a senior and fitness and wellness major at Park, says she feels the same way.
“Many times I wish he would work less, but with all his work he helps pay bills so we can have a good life in the future,” she says.
Kinsey is no stranger to working to help pay for school, as she has worked at both Stone Canyon Pizza and Dave and Buster’s.
“I’m glad he works so hard because he’s preparing himself for the future, he’s great at multitasking and he knows how to handle stress,” she says.
Holt will continue his work and school through May when he graduates from
Park. He will also begin student teaching in the spring.
“I hope to put applications out in the next few months, so we’ll see what comes up,” he says.
After graduation, Holt wants to take online and hybrid courses for graduate programs.
“I love working,” he says. “I always have to be doing something. Sometimes I feel like I overwork myself, but I enjoy it every day. It gives me a sense of accomplishment.”
