Pittsburg State University - Kanza Yearbook (Pittsburg, KS)

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Ron Neville, Psychiatric aide Psychology major Ron Ne- ville says he learns more through his experiences as a psychiatric aide at Mount Carmel Medical Center than he does in most of his college classes. School helps me. I can apply some of what I learn to patients here, but there's a lot of on- the-job experience. Nobody can teach you in school what a person's thinking. Nevelle, a junior from Par- sons, worked at the Parsons State Training Center while attending Labette County Community Junior College. He attended aide training classes and became a licensed mental health technician. When I trans- ferred to PSU, I cornmuted for a while, but working, classes, studying, and driv- Jim Friskel, funeral home attendant ing got to be a hassle. My sister told me Mount Car- mel had an opening, so I ap- New plied and moved to Pitts- burg when I got the job. Inga llie Out here we listen and talk to the patients about their problems and any- thing else they want to talk about. Then we have to make reports on their be- havior. The experience it- self is worth more than the money I make out here. You can see what you're do- ing right and what you're doing wrong and use that information to help in oth- er cases. I like this field, I know it's what I want to do. It's the most interesting work I've ever done? Unclassifiable', is how Jim Friskel, Frontenac freshman, characterizes his job at the Friskel Funeral Home. Friskel has a wide assortment of re- sponsibilities. He drives a hearse or limousine in funerals, and says it is a job he endures rather than enjoys. He often drives to Joplin to pick up empty caskets, or travels to the Gi- rard branch of the funeral home on errands. Another of his chores is set- ting up chairs for funeral services or visitations. When business is slow, Friskel keeps the company cars washed and dusted. Due to the nature of the business, working hours are dictated by need. I may work all day one day, and none the nextg some weeks a lot, some very few hours. However, he claims he doesn't let it interfere with his college classwork. Even though Friskel worked at the funeral home all through high school, he doesnit plan on going into mortu- ary science. His major is general study, and he is undecid- ed on any specific area. How will this job influence his career? It might have an effect on my future, but I don't know if it will help or hinder it. I don't know what my future is.

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Sholeh Katouzian, nurse's ' lfl 5, ---x- H . . . :: A K .VL s I 3251 ' ss T' i , 1- ix is s H, aide Sholeh Katouzian, Iranian senior majoring in plastics technology, began her job as a nurse's aide at Medicalodge nursing home primarily to improve her English, which was non-existent when she came to this country two years ago. Applying at Medicalodge was a logical choice because Katouzian's sister worked there as a nurse. Katouzian works about 16 hours a week and nor- mally take 21 hours of classes at the university. Working while attending so many hours of classes cuts down on her free time, but she says she likes to keep busy and enjoys the rigorous pace. Katouzian enjoys her work. The old people get happy when I talk to them. Most Medicalodge residents are just old, not sick. But at times Katouzian finds the work an emo- tional strain. When somebody dies, it hurts, but she says that learning how to handle things such as death is important. They are a part of life and must be faced. Barbara Smith, ticket teller Barbara Smith, a Cosmeto- logy student from Pittsburg, spends five evenings a week as the box office cashier at the Cinema Theatre. It doesn't interfere with school at all. I have plenty of time to study. I donlt work past 10 p.m., and I get Wednesday and Thursday nights off, Smith said. She has worked at the Cine- ma for 2V2 years. I usually just work here, but when the drive-in is real busy I help out in the lobby when Pm finished here. Through working here I've learned what to expect from the public, and llve learned a lot about different kinds of people. I also think it will help me in money manage- ment. Smith said her job isn't as tedious as it might seem. It's kind of interesting sometimes. We get groups in here from the Boy's Court, L-Makers, 10th Street Man- or, and places like that. She said the most exciting thing that ever happened was when she helped catch a man who was wanted in five states for swindling money and forging checks at places like the Cinema. We be- came suspicious of him and called the police. I had to go down and identify him.

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Not many students find jobs that tie in di- rectly with their major. Wade Hannon is an exception. A graduate student from Coffey- ville working for his Ed.S. in counseling, Hannon works 20 hours a week at the foreign student advisor office. Most of his work is with international students needing aid in enrollment and other college procedures. Hannon considers himself more an advisor than counselor. Most problems he handles center around technical aspects of college. He does not handle any longterm emotional problems. Hannon eventually hopes to teach psycholo- gy at the college level and do therapeutic counseling. He taught psychology for a year zgkfieminole Junior College in Seminole, a. Hannon is more interested in the service he provides for society than in monetary re- ward. My motivation comes from the desire to share myself, my skills, and my knowledge with 100' Wade Hannon, counselor with his studies. other people who are struggling along also. He said counseling in school can reach more people. Then knowledge from classes can be applied to any situa- tion that arises, while on the job trainingi' helps with problems. Vickie Bledsoe, program trainer Vickie Bledsoe, a Cheney senior majoring in recrea- tional therapy, said work in her field benefits her while attending school. Besides fi- nancial help, working as a program trainer at New Ho- rizons, a facility for the de- velopmentally disabled in Pittsburg, provides great in- sight into the lives of the mentally retarded -- insight she could not gain in her classes. To be able to see the men- tally retarded grasp what was once thought impossible is indeed an enlightening ex- periencef' Bledsoe said. Hannon gets no college credit from his job, but said he is content knowing he is helping fellow students She said she has become aware of problems she would face in the field, such as state laws requiring excessive pa- perwork, which she believes siphons off time she could spend establishing client re- lationships. Bledsoe said she sometimes finds it difficult to find enough study time with a 40- hour work week and 23-hour school week. However, she sees the experience as neces- sary. I really enjoy being able to relate to the mentally retarded, and I use this in reference to my classes, she said.