Veronica Sanchez reviewing lab prep instructions. Photo by Hallie West
Tucked away in a corner on the top floor of the Stillwell Science building on Western Carolina University’s campus is a door bearing a sign that reads “Authorized Personnel Only” in bold black letters.
Behind this door is a small rectangular room filled with laboratory equipment, including dangerous and corrosive chemicals such as hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid among others.
A room filled with chemicals for instructional use on a college campus likely does not come as a surprise. What may be surprising is the person who prepares these chemicals for multiple sections of chemistry students each week: a student, with practically no scientific background.
Veronica Sanchez works as a laboratory prep in the Chemistry department preparing solutions for 28 lab sections for General Chemistry I and II.
As a freshman starting at WCU, Sanchez was given work study, a program provided by FAFSA that allows students with the opportunity to work a part time job on campus.
Sanchez says work study is one of the main reasons she came to WCU.
“I already loved it here,” said Sanchez. “But Western gave me a little bit of a push with work study. That’s why I ultimately chose Western.”
Sanchez attended the employment fair within her first few weeks on campus in search of a job. She says working as a lab prep was not the first thing on her list of prospects.
“I was looking to talk to the Bardo Arts Center, because I wanted to be a ticket collector, but they actually weren’t there when I was there,” she explained.
Eventually, she was called to a table by another student worker from the chemistry department. There she met Wesley Bintz, her first supervisor. After the job was explained to her, she decided to apply.
“Surprisingly, Wes filled out my paperwork and we went from there,” she said. From there, Sanchez worked in the chemistry department as a stockroom assistant for two years. It wasn’t until her junior year that she was asked to fill a spot as a lab prep.
This new position came with a few incentives including a higher paycheck starting at $8 an hour with a 50 cent raise each year.
“It is a position that pays a lot more than most other work studies… We recognize the sort of hazard that goes with it and the skill that’s really needed to do it,” said Kyle Hess, Sanchez’ supervisor as a lab prep.
However, Sanchez wasn’t the first choice for the job.
“I try to employ students as often as possible who have degrees in sciences or are pursuing degrees in science. Veronica is an exception to that rule,” said Hess.
Sanchez originally started at Western as a pre-nursing major, but later switched to pursue a Communication Science Disorders degree in hopes of becoming an audiologist. Aside from two introductory level chemistry classes she took for nursing, she did not have much experience working directly with chemicals.
“Wes recommended me because I had worked a little bit as a lab prep before,” she said.
Still, the job did come with more challenges than she had had previously.
“This is a lot more hands on with the chemicals and I’m by myself,” she said. As a stockroom assistant, Sanchez interacted with more people and handed them the chemicals they requested. As a lab prep, she has much more responsibility as she prepares solutions for two lab courses.
“When I’m doing the math, I want to make sure my calculations are right because it could bring the wrong results for somebody or the entire class,” she said.
Sanchez’ calculations are very important for chemistry students because what she prepares is what they are given for experiments.
“We have to trust them. Our labs are set up for us when we come in, and we have to trust that they are these concentrations because… it affects my results and my grades and how I work in labs,” said Sarah Edwards, a junior majoring in chemistry.
“I think it can also affect the confidence of a student who is getting the wrong results and they don’t realize that it’s out of their hands,” said Edwards.
It’s no doubt that Sanchez’ job comes with a great deal of responsibility, not only for other students but also for her own safety when working with chemicals.
“I have to be careful about my personal safety, so I can’t just go around touching bottles. Whether they’re in the sink or not, they could be clean or dirty. I don’t know,” she said.
Safety is the main goal not only for Sanchez, but also for her supervisor.
“I like to be at least on the same floor when she works with [chemicals], if not in the same room,” said Hess.
Hess says Sanchez not having a scientific background actually helps her with the job.
“I think it makes her a little bit more cautious and a little bit more likely to ask me questions, which is a really good thing. That is exactly what you want from somebody in this kind of position,” he said.
Still, Sanchez has wondered if pursuing a different degree would help her with some of her work.
“Sometimes, I wish I was a chemistry major, so I understand the math better… When I used to work in the stock room, sometimes people would ask me for something and I wouldn’t know what it was… and then I’d have to look it up,” said Sanchez.
Hess says he understands why someone who doesn’t have much prior knowledge about chemistry would feel this way.
“Little things that I can take for granted because I’ve been doing this for a decade now, that I do without thinking, need to be very verbose and explicit for someone who it’s their first time doing things… Veronica in particular takes those challenges in stride but always with a measured hand which is really what we want here,” said Hess.
Though Sanchez’ job often presents her with challenges, she says mixing the solutions is one of her favorite parts of the job.
“It’s something fun to do. It’s not necessarily the easiest or quickest but it’s fun. It’s just fun watching the reactions,” said Sanchez.
Now a senior, Sanchez will graduate in May, but she plans to continue working as a lab prep through the Spring.
