The college’s Community Work-Study program allows Bates students to earn their work-study pay by working for local nonprofit organizations. Most students who have work-study as part of their financial aid package get jobs on campus, but 25-30 students each year earn their work-study pay in the off-campus community, where they serve as part-time staff at a range of nonprofit organizations. Harward Center Associate Director Mohamed Awil oversees the program – recruiting and hiring students who are eager to get real-world work experience while helping to pay for their education, and matching them with community organizations eager to host a part-time student worker. 

Among this year’s work-study fellows is Jamir Primer, a senior from Hempstead, New York. Jamir has been making a meaningful impact at the brand new Auburn PAL Community Center, a newly built facility dedicated to providing a safe, supportive space for local youth. The $9.5 million center, featuring a full-sized basketball gym, multipurpose rooms, and community gathering areas, serves as a vibrant hub where youth can learn, play, and grow.

Each week, Jamir supports the PAL team by helping to plan and lead after-school activities, mentor students, and assist with youth programming. His work reflects the Harward Center’s mission to connect academic learning to community work in ways that foster purpose, leadership, and the common good.

“Working at the PAL Center here in Auburn has truly been one of the best experiences I’ve had at Bates so far. Seeing the kids happy, realizing their potential, and gaining confidence reminds me why I began working with the youth. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity to work with Auburn students!”

Jamir’s Community Work-Study fellowship during the academic year builds on his summer experience as a program aide at the Harlem Children’s Zone, an opportunity he pursued with support from the Bates Center for Purposeful Work. At Harlem Children’s Zone, he worked with elementary students in a variety of enrichment activities, gaining hands-on experience in youth development and community education. Reflecting on the through-line between his summer and school year experiences, Jamir notes, “My summer internship very much informed my current work at the Auburn PAL Center. Last summer, I was blessed with the opportunity to have a positive impact on students at Harlem Children’s Zone – an experience that will stick with me for a very long time. For me, working with youth is where I see myself being most effective in the workforce. My work-study job at the PAL Center is part of that trajectory.”

At the PAL Center, Jamir brings his enthusiasm, knowledge, and commitment to Auburn youth each week. The center’s welcoming atmosphere and new facilities, including its state-of-the-art basketball gym, offer countless opportunities for connection, mentorship, and growth.

Recreation specialist and PAL Center director Shawn Boyd agrees: “Jamir does a great job in the gym with the kids, doing everything from playing basketball against them in a game to teaching them skills and drills. The kids really enjoy having him here.”

For Jamir and other Community Work-Study Fellows, the program is the perfect way to build their workforce experience and skills while also growing as citizens, leaders, and contributors to the public good.