68%
Scattered job search
said it was hard to tell which jobs they were eligible for.
Drexel Works
Designing a Better Way to Find Campus Jobs
Helping Drexel students find relevant part-time jobs without guessing eligibility.
RoleUI/UX designer
FocusProduct design
Timeline6 months
DeliverableMobile app
Things you need to know before reading
Who are F-1 students?
International students studying in the U.S. on an F-1 visa. They can generally work on campus for up to 20 hours a week during classes. Off-campus work needs separate authorization. Drexel guidance
Who are work-study students?
Students who receive a work-study award through financial aid. It lets them earn money through eligible part-time jobs. Drexel work-study
Why are some listings work-study only?
Those jobs use funding reserved for students with a work-study award. Domestic students without an award and students with only F-1 status cannot use that funding. Federal aid eligibility
Can students without work-study still apply?
If the listing says “work-study preferred,” they may still be considered. If it says “work-study only,” they need an award. Check with the employer if unsure.
Problem
Students struggled to find part-time campus jobs because openings were scattered across different platforms.
Listings often lacked clear eligibility information for F-1 students, domestic students, and students with work-study awards. Outdated openings made the search even more frustrating.
Approach
I wanted to know if other students felt the same.
To find out, I surveyed and interviewed students about their campus job search. They shared the same uncertainty: which jobs they could apply for, where to find openings, and whether listing details were still current.
- Students surveyed
- 84 students
- Students interviewed
- 10 students
- Interview sample
- 5 graduate, 5 undergrad
72%
Visa eligibility
said it was hard to tell which jobs they were eligible for.
81%
One place to manage
said it was hard to tell which jobs they were eligible for.
59%
Outdated listings
found listings with missing details or outdated information.
The survey results showed the pattern. These perspectives made the uncertainty behind the numbers easier to understand.
Representative student perspectives
“The job sounded interesting, but I could not tell if my visa status allowed me to apply.”
Mary
“I checked several places because I did not know where campus jobs were posted.”
Leo Das
“I found a listing, but wasn’t sure its details and deadline were still current.”
Joseph
Solution
One place to find campus jobs and follow applications.
Drexel Works brings campus jobs, eligibility details, and application updates together.
Home
Students can track their applications and browse jobs across campus departments from the home screen.
Search
Students can filter jobs and quickly check who can apply, the pay, and weekly hours.
Job details
Students can check the pay, hours, and requirements before deciding to apply.
Application form
Profile details are filled in, so students only need to review them, update their résumé, and apply.
Impact after student testing
Here’s what happened after testing with students.
After testing the prototype with 30 students, I asked them about the experience. Their responses showed that Drexel Works made eligibility clearer, reduced unnecessary searching, and helped them move toward applying with greater confidence.
42%
Find an eligible role
less time spent finding a job that matched the student’s eligibility.
31%
Fewer dead ends
fewer irrelevant or unavailable listings opened during the task.
86%
Eligibility clarity
understood the eligibility badges on their first pass.
Participant takeaways
“I could tell which roles matched my eligibility. The badges helped me understand why each role was a fit.”
Christine
“I spent less time opening jobs that did not match. I could focus on the opportunities that were relevant to me.”
Christopher
“I felt confident applying without asking for help. The next step was clear, so I could apply on my own.”
Haris
The biggest improvement was
By centralizing campus part-time jobs in one place, we made it easier for students to find relevant roles, identify which jobs matched their visa eligibility, apply faster, and track live application updates without switching platforms.
What I learned
Working on Drexel Works helped me see that finding a campus job is about more than discovering openings. Students also need clear information about who can apply, what the job requires, and what happens after applying. Bringing these steps together became the focus of my design.