Program connects students with jobs for career experience – and money for college
The University of Texas at El Paso is expanding a year-old partnership with Discover Financial Services and the national nonprofit Education at Work (EAW). In the coming academic year, UTEP students will gain valuable experience through part-time jobs with Discover, while earning money to offset the cost of college.
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“To deliver on our mission of access and economic mobility, we need to use every tool at our disposal to reduce college costs and create educational experiences that prepare students for the world of work,” said John Wiebe, Ph.D., UTEP provost and vice president for academic affairs. “This model allows us to do both at the same time.”
Education at Work enables college students to gain real-world experience at major employers and Fortune 500 companies. UTEP students participating in the program will have the opportunity to work on behalf of Discover Financial Services’ consumer-facing financial services team.
“At Discover, it is our mission to help people spend smarter, manage debt better, and save more to achieve a brighter financial future. This partnership builds on that mission by helping students advance their formal education while learning important job skills,” said Tracy Hedrick, Discover Financial Services vice president of card operations. “We are excited to invest in these students while they are pursuing careers in their field of study and building brighter financial futures.”
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In addition to developing resume-ready skills and earning wages through flexible hourly work, students receive up to $5,250 per year of employer-paid tuition assistance from Discover to help offset the cost of their education.
“Meaningful career experiences can put a significant dent in college costs and help students finish their college journey well-prepared for the world of work,” said Jaime Nunez, president of Education at Work, a member of the national nonprofit Strada Collaborative. “Employers like Discover Financial Services recognize that tapping into the potential and talents of college students can help to address short-term talent gaps and build a stronger workforce over time.”
The University of Texas at El Paso is America’s leading Hispanic-serving university. Located at the westernmost tip of Texas, where three states and two countries converge along the Rio Grande, 84% of our more than 24,000 students are Hispanic, and half are the first in their families to go to college. UTEP offers 171 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs at the only open-access, top-tier research university in America.
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