Although midterms are approaching and spring break plans are still incomplete, students looking for a 1989-90 work-study position should work on their applications now, the director of student aid suggested.

"We recommend students turn in their applications by mid-February and we will start making awards in April," said Robert Evans.

From animal behavioral research to piano accompaniment, the University's work-study program provides a wide range of opportunities for eligible students.

Every college at the University offers work-study positions, which are developed according to each department's needs, Evans said.

Michelle Rouviere (junior-animal production) earns her work-study dollars at the University-owned deer pens. Her duties include feeding the deer, weighing them once a week and keeping the pens clean, she says.

Rouviere, who chose the job due to her love of animals, claims, "It's probably one of the favorite jobs I've ever had."

The work-study program provides part-time employment for students based on financial need, Evans said. Interested undergraduate residents of Pennsylvania must file a Pennsylvania State Grant and Federal Student Aid Application, while out-of-state and graduate students must file a Financial Aid Form.

After students qualify for work-study, they must apply for their desired position through a supervisor listed in a job listings book at the Office of Student Aid and arrange for an interview, he said.

Among job titles included in the office's four-inch job listing book are entries for animal caretaker, sound technician, video editing lab assistant and garden coordinator.

The office, currently located in 335 Boucke, will be closed Monday, Tuesday, and possibly Wednesday while the office moves to new quarters, Evans said.

It will be relocated at 314 Shields to allow for more work space and possible expansion by Thursday at latest, he said.

Graduate students can work a maximum of 30-hours per week, while undergraduates' hours are limited to 20, said Robert M. Snyder, financial aid coordinator in charge of federal-based aid programs.

But many of these positions go unfilled, Snyder said. "Last year we had 3,118 undergraduate jobs available and we filled a little over 65 percent of them," he said. Of 1,964 positions available at Commonwealth campuses in 1988, 73 percent were filled, he added.

The hourly wage for a work-study student is $4 per hour, he said, adding that a 1987-88 audit revealed roughly 3,000 Penn State work-study students had earned a little over $2.5 million.

While the majority of work-study positions are located in campus facilities, others are available outside of the University, Evans said. Also, students who do not qualify for work-study may be able to secure one of these positions with a wage-pay arrangement made through a specific department, he said.

Work-study offers more than just a pay check for the student who finds a position that corresponds with an area of interest.

Lourdes Robles (sophomore-foreign service and international politics) is a work-study assistant to the University's coordinator for international student special services. Her job involves conducting interviews of foreign students, and making sure they have both identification cards and social security numbers, as well as helping them obtain health insurance and housing both on- and off-campus, she said.

Robles commented enthusiastically about her work-study experience: "Right now my job is helping me to be more open-minded about people from other cultures.

"I think it's a nice opportunity for me to have an idea of what I'll be dealing with in the future."