Student Employment

About half of the students at Knox work on campus during the academic year. They work in almost every department and office of the College, including the academic departments, laboratories, administrative offices, libraries, dining services, custodial services, and the mailroom. A student with specialized skills or training may find a job that uses that skill, for example, as a writer or photographer in the communications office, or as a bike mechanic in the campus bike shop.

Student employment is a great way to gain hands-on, real life experience while also getting to know the college, meet staff and faculty, and help fellow students. These opportunities can help students gain and build upon relevant and transferable skills, develop time-management strategies, improve their ability to work in a team and build basic professional readiness, while also providing financial assistance.

How to Apply for a Job

The Office of Human Resources oversees campus employment. The process of obtaining a campus job begins with students using the online Knox Handshake system. Here, the student may view available campus jobs and submit an application for the jobs they may be interested in.

The Career Center supports students with their application materials for all on-campus positions and offers guidance on preparing for interviews and navigating the job application process.

Employment Requirements

Once a student has been offered a position, their supervisor will complete a pay authorization form, which will prompt the Office of Human Resources to begin the onboarding process with a student. 

Students are required to complete the following onboarding steps before they are eligible to begin working on campus.

Complete your ADP onboarding, which will include:

• Setting up Tax Withholdings 
  
• Direct Deposit Set Up
  
• Acknowledgement of Company Polices
  
• Submitting Profile Information: Address, SSN, etc. 

Bring original, physical I-9 documents to the Office of Human Resources. Typically, students will bring:

• A passport
  OR
  
• A driver’s license or Knox ID AND a social security card or a certified copy of birth certificate

A full list of acceptable documents can be found here. Please note: You must bring one item from List A OR one item from List B AND one item from List C.

International students are required to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN). Once the Office of Human Resources has been notified that a student was selected for a position they will issue an employment verification letter for the student to take with them to the Social Security Administration Office. Additional information can be found in the International Student section. 

Students cannot begin working until both the ADP onboarding process is complete and their form I9 documents have been verified. The Office of Human Resources will notify a student when they are officially authorized to start working. 

For questions, please contact Rachel Russell, HR Generalist, at rrussell@knox.edu.

Campus Jobs, Federal Work Study and Campus Employment Awards

Students who demonstrate financial need may have Federal Work Study or Campus Employment awards included in their financial aid package. These financial aid awards give students an opportunity to work on campus and earn a portion of the money needed to meet their college costs. A student with a work award is not guaranteed their earnings. 

The acceptance or refusal of a work award does not affect the grant assistance offered in a student's financial aid package. If a student accepts a work award, they are under no obligation to the College to work. A student may find that their course load and extracurricular activities limit the number of hours they are available to work. They may work fewer hours than the work award would permit.

For questions related to your financial aid, please contact the Office of Student Financial Services at financialservices@knox.edu.

Wages and Workload

Student employees are paid minimum wage in the State of Illinois. The number of hours of work per week varies from job to job; however, the maximum number of hours a student may work is 15 hours per week. If a student holds more than one position, the combined hours may not exceed the 15 hour maximum.

A student's work schedule and the number of hours worked may vary from term to term because of  one's course load, class schedule, and extracurricular activities. The student must make work schedule arrangements with their supervisor each term.

International Students

As a student at Knox, you are permitted to work on campus from the start of your program until its end date. After securing a campus job through Handshake, you must complete all required onboarding steps. The Office of Human Resources will provide you with an employment verification letter, which you’ll need to take to the Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Galesburg to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN).

After applying, you must present the receipt from the SSA to the Office of Human Resources as proof of application. Once you receive your physical SSN card, you are required to bring it to the Office of Human Resources to complete your employment file.

If you have any questions, please contact Clarissa Kampe, Director of International Student Services, at ckampe@knox.edu

Notice of Non-Discrimination

In keeping with its commitment to equal rights since it was founded in 1837, Knox College particularly welcomes applications from members of underrepresented groups. Knox College does not discriminate on the basis of sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, religion or religious affiliation, sexual orientation or preference, age, marital or family status, disability, veteran status, or other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law in admission, financial aid, employment, athletics, or any other aspect of its educational programs or activities. In addition, Knox College is prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and its accompanying regulations from so discriminating on the basis of sex. 

The College official responsible for coordinating compliance with this Notice of Non-Discrimination is the Director of Title IX and Civil Rights Compliance. Any inquiries regarding Title IX or the College's policies that prohibit discrimination and harassment should be directed to the Director of Title IX and Civil Rights Compliance identified below. The coordinator will be available to meet with or talk to students, staff, and faculty regarding issues relating to this Notice of Non-Discrimination and the College’s policies and procedures.

Director of Title IX and Civil Rights Compliance
Old Jail 12 | Campus Box K-209
337 South Cherry Street
Galesburg, IL 61401
Phone: 309-341-7751
Email: cultureofrespect@knox.edu

Inquiries about the application of Title IX to Knox may be referred to the Director of Title IX and Civil Rights Compliance, the United States Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, or both. Individuals may also contact the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights for additional information.

Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education-Chicago Office
500 W Madison St., Suite 1475
Chicago, IL 60661-4544
Phone: 312-730-1560
Email: ocr@ed.gov

Inquiries regarding the College’s policies regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”), or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”) should be directed to either the Human Resources Manager or Director of Disability Support Services identified below.

For Employees:

Human Resources
Administrative Services Bldg - 112 | Campus Box K-200
368 South Prairie
Galesburg, IL 61401
Phone: 309-341-7543 or 309-341-7162
Email: hr@knox.edu

For Students:

Director of Disability Support Services
Stephanie Grimes
Umbeck Science and Math Center E111 | Campus Box K183
340 South West Street
Phone: 309-341-7478
Email: sgrimes@knox.edu

Learn more about our policies and procedures.