In his proposed 2013 budget released on Feb. 13, President Barack Obama called for doubling the capacity of students taken in by the work study programs at eligible colleges.
For a college to qualify, it has to be able to prove that the institution has overall student success rates.
The work study program is a federally mandated program implemented to provide qualiï¬ed students a means to earn money by working, which can help them with their school expenses.
Currently, De Anza College’s work study program employs 100 to 110 students.
For students to qualify, they must apply through the FAFSA application and be enrolled in at least six units.
“It is a popular program,” said Financial Aid and Scholarship ofï¬ce assistant Dawna O’Malley. “So those students who apply early and enroll early are the most likely to receive a job.”
Students typically work 10 to 15 hours a week, and depending on position could make as much as $14.75 in wages.
The program has helped students like Carmen Quinones.
“I knew that if I wanted to go to school and succeed, I would have to pay for myself,” Quinones said. “It was initially so hard to get a job, especially one that was considerate of school, so being part of a work study has made it so much easier for me to get an education.”
As of now, De Anza is at capacity for the number of students that can be enrolled in this program. Whether or not major changes to the program will be made is uncertain.
“There is nothing on the table at this time, only talk,” OʼMalley said.
