If there is one thing that every college student has in common, it's a preoccupation with money. For those students who must earn paychecks of their own, Wake Works offers a fun and lucrative option.

The organization, founded by senior David Willhoit and Junior Matt Hinson, is designed to train students in the art of banquet foodservice and to provide them with opportunities to work in hotels or private catering events in the Winston-Salem area. It currently consists of 119 student associates.

The idea for Wake Works was conceived in September 2001, when Hinson was working as a waiter at the Adam's Mark Hotel.

"I was surprised at the poor quality of the hotel's temporary labor," Hinson said. "So I went to the head of Adam's Mark and asked if he would be interested in hiring a group of qualified, intelligent and enthusiastic college students."

Hinson and Willhoit received 200 applications in October 2001 after advertising the idea extensively on campus. They selected 60 from the pool to attend a four-hour training session that focused on the fundamentals of serving, as well as conduct standards of Wake Works.

That November, a group of Wake Works students were employed by Adam's Mark Hotel Plaza. After producing a labor supply for several banquet events, Wake Works became the exclusive labor supplier for Adam's Mark in late December 2001.

In January of this year, Wake Works hired 30 new employees. That same month, it also secured another large job with Graylyn International Conference Center.

An extension of the program, Wake Works Elite, was created in February to prepare a select group of students for the four-star environment of Graylyn; this group was required to attend an additional training session. Wake Works also became the primary labor provider for Graylyn.

Students involved in Wake Works said it provides an exciting, challenging, and profitable job opportunity. Sophomore Kristin Hibner said, "If you can afford to give up a whole day of your weekend every once in a while, you make a ton of cash in that one day by working a shift from 3 p.m. until 1 a.m."

Some said the most important benefit of Wake Works was its flexibility. "It's a nice job to have because you don't have to make a long-term commitment," sophomore Emily Hinchey said. "If you have a busy week and no time to work, that's fine, you just don't sign up to do any jobs that week. And on the weekends, you could usually work and still get home in enough time to go out."

Hinson said that technology makes Wake Works distinctive. "The Wake Works software is Internet-based so that the entire company can be administered via the Internet or PDA," Hinson said. "Additionally, Wake Works has created an online billing system which electronically bills clients and accepts payments online, which streamlines the accounting process."

Mangers of Wake Works are looking toward the future. Recently it began preparations to open franchises on other college campuses in the southeast with the help of Rief & Straske law firm of Tampa, Fla.

Rief & Straske plans to provide legal assistance pro-bono, as they feel that Wake Works has the potential to make "significant social impact on college campuses."

In the next few months Wake Works will be converted to a Type-S Corporation, allowing it to more effectively administer franchises.

"We feel the Wake Works business model is the future of student employment," Hinson said. "Wake Works allows individuals to work when their academic schedule permits, earning more than any on-campus job and with minimal training and time commitment."

Sophomore Wake Works participant Caroline Satterfield said.

"I would definitely recommend the program to anyone interested. It is a great way to meet other Wake students and to learn about catering and employment in formal settings," she said.