If you need some extra cash for fun activities like a weekend shopping trip or getting takeout, Elizabethtown College offers a wide range of student jobs, many of which are actively taking applications. One position offered by the school is the Catering Team Lead, a role currently filled by sophomore graphic design major Hannah Urich.
The Catering Team Lead is involved in catering food and beverages at campus events, including the Holiday Dessert Reception, Accepted Students Days and the Lecture Series in Leffler Chapel.
The catering team is also in charge of decorations and setup at the events, such as laying tablecloths, arranging centerpieces and making sure the event looks nice and organized to a high standard.
“This also means ensuring everyone at our events is happy, comfortable and supplied with everything they need, always,” Urich said.
The team also occasionally caters for external organizations, like Longenecker’s Hatchery or the KRAPF Bus Company, according to Urich.
Urich explained that she believes her prior experience helps her to succeed at her job. She worked in food service for two years before taking on the Catering Team Lead position, and her graphic design major is useful, too.
“A part of having a creative mindset meant understanding composition and aesthetics, which is crucial for the visual aspects of catering,” she said. “We love the ‘rule of thirds’ at this job.”
In addition to her experience, Urich cites her boss, Catering Manager Samantha Brant, as a big reason for wanting to join the Catering team.
“She explained the catering job to me along with all that the job entails, and I absolutely loved her energy,” Urich said. “Not only was she clearly passionate about her work, but her communication was on point, and she absolutely made me want this job. She’s a powerhouse of a human, which is insanely inspiring to me.”
Urich applied after learning about the position during her New Student Orientation. She sent her application over the summer, then was asked to meet with Brant for an interview during her first week of classes.
“I remember also being so nervous about this, but she had me meet her in a comfortable spot, which I now know as the Blue Bean,” Urich said.
A few days later, Urich received her uniform and all the information she needed about her new job. According to her, it went incredibly smoothly.
Since then, Urich has found that she loves working for Etown’s catering service.
“Catering is the best campus job I could have gotten,” she said. “The best perk about catering is the opportunity to make your own schedule.”
Being employed with Etown’s catering allows students to choose which shifts best suit their schedules, allowing them to work around classes, coursework, and spending time with friends.
According to Urich, there aren’t many downsides to working for the team.
“A lot of the challenges we face are external factors that are typically out of our control,” she said. “Things like weather can make it harder for participants to come, which can snowball and affect the entire event itself.”
Any other issues can be solved with “teamwork, synergy and healthy communication,” along with a passion for the job, Urich said.
