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By Michael
Junod and Niki Retherford
When my career path returned me
to a university setting after a 15-year absence, I was surprised to hear the
statement that “students can do it” from an undergraduate college student.
Early in my career, I had worked as an intern and later as a building
coordinator at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center at the University of Florida
— but since then, I had forgotten the capabilities of a student workforce.
Getting the Message
In the spring of 2003, I relocated from the Macon Centreplex to open, staff
and operate Mercer University’s University Center. The facility was a highly
anticipated, soonto- be signature facility on Mercer’s campus. It included
an arena, fitness center, coffee shop, three intramural courts, pool and
several state-of-the-art meeting rooms. Being the only staff member to open
and operate the facility was a bit unnerving, and as construction delays
began to affect the opening date, pressure to deliver the facility and
services created anxiety among the students and administrators.
During this period, I began networking among the students, faculty and staff
at Mercer. I gave speeches and virtual tours of the facility to classes,
student organizations, and university administrators. While talking to a
human resource management class, I presented the challenges I faced as the
sole staff member for the facility. I was asked numerous questions about the
process by a student who kept informing me that “students can do it.” After
about the 15th time she told me this, I challenged her to prove to me that
students actually can do it.
 Together,
we set up the framework for the University Center’s student workforce. This
included the recruitment, interviewing and hiring processes, and training
and scheduling. We developed a team of motivated and responsible students to
assist us in the recruitment process. At first I was apprehensive, but once
the recruitment team began working, I was amazed at their commitment and
ability to follow through with our plan.
Overcoming Challenges
One of the first challenges presented to the
recruitment team was the task of naming the student workforce. It was
cleverly deemed the “Bear Force,” after our school’s mascot, the bear — a
name that has stuck with them to this day. The next challenge was to market
the positions to the student body, with the goal of hiring 150 students to
fill 738 work hours per week, as well as staffing for the arena events.
Although this was a difficult task for such a small campus, the recruitment
team’s marketing efforts captured the interest of about 300 undergraduate
students. After a long week of interviewing, we hired 120 of the candidates,
who are now considered some of Mercer’s best and brightest students.
We continued to face construction challenges but opened the arena in time
for the scheduled basketball games in January of 2004, just in time for
homecoming. The students continued to prove their capabilities when we used
them as ushers, ticket takers, and security personnel for the events. As the
facility operation evolved, the management team decided that there was
additional need for student leaders for the event team, event set-up crew
and fitness center operation.
Student Success
Although we’ve refined the process over the past three years, we still use
this model for our operations. Today our facility operation includes several
graduate assistants, three student leaders and more than 130 workers, who
comprise the Bear Force. We proudly boast the largest student payroll on
Mercer’s campus, with positions that are highly desired by undergraduate
students.
Our student leadership roles have proven an effective way to engage students
in managing and motivating the Bear Force. Our graduate assistants are Bear
Force veterans who have held leadership positions and work as the facility’s
firstline supervisors. They’re entrusted to open, close and assist in the
day-to-day operations of the facility.
Reminding me of my experience at the University of Florida, the students of
the Bear Force helped me realize that with guidance and leadership, college
students are highly capable and motivated. The University Center’s initial
and current success is based upon the hard work and dedication of the
student workforce. Their enthusiasm and professionalism was not only
eye-opening but extremely beneficial to the facility’s opening and
operation. Their hard work and dedication to the facility tells me every day
that yes, “students can do it!”
Michael Junod is director of the
University Center at Mercer University in Macon, Ga. Niki Retherford is a
graduate assistant of the same facility. |
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