Students provide a valuable contribution to the Office of Information Technology & Resources as employees of the Work Study program. Opportunities exist for students to work on the Web team, customer support, resident hall support, and more, providing services to the Adelphi community, and gaining on-the-job technical and creative skills while earning pay.

Here are Q&As with two of current student workers, and updates on some of our recent graduates.


BRAD COHEN '09, Environmental Studies

Cohen is a Resident Computer Associate (RCA), which means he lives on campus and is employed to help those in the residence halls with technical needs. He began working for Customer Services as a student tech and was recruited for the RCA program.

What are the typical requests that an RCA gets?
Things like "Can you fix my Internet?" or "Can you show me how to use this program?" But the question I hear most is plainly "Can you fix my computer?" I would definitely say that RCAs get asked to do just about anything having to do with a computer.

How many hours a week are you on the job?
This fall semester I've been working 30 hours a week. I get "emergency" calls once in awhile, some weeks more than others. I don't often get woken up in the middle of the night to fix a technical problem, but every so often, I get somebody with a real emergency.

What do you do if there's a problem you can't fix?
I first troubleshoot it as much as I can to try and figure it out myself, and if I can't, then I'll call someone who I know may know the answer. But if they don't know, then I research it myself and try and figure it out as best I can.

What are the best things about being an RCA?
I think there are a lot of good things about being an RCA. One thing is how much you learn. Being around computers all day, every day and trying to fix different problems is a great way to learn, and that's especially valuable if the field you want to go into has to do with computers. You also meet so many people while working since you spend a lot of your time with students who need your help fixing a problem. The atmosphere at work is great because you're surrounded by lots of really nice people who can teach you many new things.

You are also able to interact with all the different areas in the department, not just working in the library, or down with the net techs, but being able to deal with both. I really enjoy being an RCA, it has definitely taught me a lot and let me experience many things I would otherwise never have gotten the chance to see or do. It's a great opportunity for anyone who is willing and able to learn new things.


CHRISTINE MIHOPULOS '10, Graphic Design

Our Senior Web Coordinator for the "Websters" student worker program, Mihopulos has been working for the OITR for two years. While still in high school, she presented her portfolio to the Web Team and was hired as a summer Webster.

What experience did you have that prepared you for this job?
I had no formal training (I was busing tables before). I taught myself Photoshop, and basic HTML and CSS coding from an online journal Web site.

What are the typical projects/assignments that a Webster gets?
Most of the requests we get are for updating information such as press releases, new workshops, new programs, or upcoming events. We also get a lot of page redesigns, where we convert the older portions of the site into the new format. Also, photo galleries are a big part of our workload. We resize, display, and create logos for all the photos we receive from Promotion & Outreach.

Are there any projects you've done as a Webster that you're particularly proud of?
Yes, I'm proud of all the creative things I have added to the site. All the images, buttons, and logos I have created or updated. I'm particularly proud of a logo I created for the Athletics Department, because when I arrived as a freshman, I received a publication with it.

How many hours a week are you on the job?
During the fall and spring semesters I work around 8 hours a week, due to art studios taking up most of my day. However, in the summer I spend 32 hours a week at work.

What do you like about the job?
I get to know things before they go live on the site. Any workshop, big event, or new course usually comes through the Websters. My bosses are extremely nice, and understand that school work comes first. They are approachable to talk with if I have any questions or issues. Last, but not least, there is usually some chocolate in supply near my work station courtesy of the Web Team.




PAM MALCHUK '07, Anthropology and Criminal Justice, Honors College

At the time I started working, the Web team was working on a complete redesign of the whole AU website, so I worked on transferring sites into the new template. I also worked with the other Websters in creating new sites for the new programs being offered at AU as well as graphic design for Alumni Relations and other departments.

Working with the Web team was an amazing experience. Not only did I get a chance to learn so much about web and graphic design, but I also got the chance to work with an amazing group of people. The group dynamics were great, which made coming to work fun every day.

I am currently attending New York Law School. I'm not sure which kind of law I want to practice, but my top choices are either Criminal Law or Cyber Crime.


WEN-JIE ZHENG '07, Computer Science and Management Information Systems

Dr. Chays [Assistant Professor, Mathematics and Computer Science] informed me of this position and I wanted to learn something outside of classroom. I had learned Linux in one of my classes and self-taught PHP/JavaScript/CSS/JQuery.

While on the Web team I created event managers, application forms, photo gallery managers with slideshows. Working there gave me a chance to learn a lot of new stuff, and I had a sense of accomplishment when things I had worked on went live!

I am now a Systems Specialist for Fidessa Corporation [a global software product and services company].