College Services Magazine:
Student Author Contest

Contest Details

NACAS is committed to enriching the campus experience so students can learn and grow. Through the Student Author Contest, NACAS encourages students to reflect on the college/university issues that they consider to be the most important. This is a great opportunity for students to get involved in the Association and reflect on the impact of auxiliary services on their campuses. The NACAS Communication Services Committee will read each article and then select three contest winners. The winning articles will receive a CASH PRIZE and will be published in College Services magazine and the monthly newsletter.

Students are asked to address the one or both of the following questions in their essays:

 

  1. How does your job in a campus-services department (bookstore, housing, dining, etc.) prepare you for life after college?
  2. What are some creative ways your college or university generates money to help keep the cost of tuition down?

 

Examples (On-Campus Jobs):

+ Opportunities and Benefits of Working on Your College Campus
+ The Benefits of Student Employment
+ Benefits of a Campus Job

 

Examples (Tuition):

  • Food – Campus dining makes a profit. Schools like Notre Dame and Southeast Missouri State University have recognized the potential for their auxiliary services to bring in significantly more money than it costs to run the services. Food is especially one of those areas where students are willing to pay extra for good quality or healthy options. Another way to make money with food is to set up a campus farmers market where vendors can pay for space to sell their wares and the campus agriculture programs can sell what they produce.
  • Surplus Sales – Many colleges make money by having yearly, monthly or even weekly surplus sales. Rather than storing unused or left behind objects or adding them to landfills, put the forgotten items up for sale. The money made might not bring high dollars, but it is completely profit. The University of Washington runs a surplus shop open once a week. Some schools do not have a physical location and instead sell the merchandise in an online auction, which typically casts a wider net into the community surrounding the school.
  • Campus Stores and E-Commerce – In addition to physical stores that sell spirit wear and books, many universities also have an online option. Companies like Promoversity will create a website for schools to sell school-branded spirit wear and merchandise. With Promoversity there is no inventory risk, no minimum order requirement, and the school can make a profit.
  • Partnerships – Many universities partner with corporations and non-profit organizations to help build alternate revenue streams. Some partnerships, like an on-campus hotel for example, provide education, job training, and increased sales for a university. Conference facilities and gourmet dining can also add increased profits, all coming from the hotel.
  • Other examples of alternate revenue streams include airports, hospitals, laundry services, childcare, and recreation centers.  Learn More

+ Submit an Article

+ Meet the 2019 Contest Winners

+ View Past Winners

Article Submission Details

Length: 1,000 to 1,500 words

Topic/Questions:

  1. How does your job in a campus-services department (bookstore, housing, dining, etc.) prepare you for life after college?
  2. What are some creative ways your college or university generates money to help keep the cost of tuition down?

Requirements: Entry has to include at least one photo of the subject matter and one photo of the author.

Deadline: April 12, 2019

Prize: A grand prize winner who will be awarded $1,000 and have their article published in the College Services magazine, a second place winner who will be awarded $600 and have their article published in the College Services Monthly, and a third place winner who will be awarded $400 and have their article published in the College Services Monthly. All prizes are courtesy of the NACAS Foundation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is NACAS?

NACAS is the largest auxiliary services support organization serving higher education. Our membership includes colleges and universities throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia.

NACAS is committed to enriching the campus experience by offering extensive opportunities for members to share ideas, develop business solutions, enhance programs and revenues, and develop meaningful professional relationships.

Founded in 1969 as the National Association of College Auxiliary Services, NACAS is the one stop connection for information, insight and opportunity. Learn more

What is College Services?

College Services is the quarterly magazine serving the NACAS membership. It is published Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter and serves to enhance and add synergy to the connections between our members. Learn more

What are auxiliary services?

Also known as “ancillary” or “non-academic campus support services,” auxiliary services can be defined as a  business service or program that supports the mission of a higher education institution (examples listed below).

If you have any questions about what constitutes auxiliary services on your campus, check your institution’s directory, contact your provost office or e-mail info@nacas.org, and we will put you in touch with one of the NACAS representatives on your campus.

Examples of auxiliary services:

Bookstore, Card Systems, Child Care, Communications, Concessions, Conferences, e-Commerce, Facility Management, Food Service, Housing, Laundry, Mail Services Parking, Physical Plant, Printing Services, Purchasing, Retail, Recreation Services, Security, Student Union, Technology, Transportation, Vending, and many others!