College is expensive. The prices of tuition, textbooks, housing and food quickly add up to the thousands, leaving full-time college students often struggling to make end’s meet. Furthermore, the necessity of other random supplies that cost money, such as Green Books and Scantron sheets, is certainly no help to students’ financial situations.
One particular staff member, Vicki Smith, has recognized the financial struggles of college students and is working to alleviate some of the extra costs of attending a university. Smith has worked as the manager of VolSnacks, formerly known as the Lobby Shop, in the Student Union for almost nine years. The snack shop is the only food vendor in the Student Union that is not operated by Aramark, meaning that unlike the P.O.D. Markets, VolSnacks does not accept Flex or Dining Dollars.
Throughout the entirety of her career at UT, Smith purchased Scantron sheets, which are answer sheets used during exams, and gave them away to students for free in the snack shop. Other members of the UT community learned about her efforts and started participating as well, Smith explained.
“Everybody started buying them and putting them in my little stack, and it got to the point where on finals, nobody had to buy a Scantron because I had so many,” Smith said.
Because of the attention her initiatives brought to Scantron sheets, the Student Union administration made the answer sheets free throughout the building. Therefore, Smith has shifted her attention to supplying free Green Books, which are test-taking booklets used for written responses. The free books are available in a stack sitting atop of the fridge adjacent to the checkout counter in VolSnacks.
Smith feels that required test materials should not come at any extra cost to students.
“I feel like you guys pay enough money for your tuition, and paying money to take a test just rubs me the wrong way,” Smith said. “It’s bad enough to have to take the test anyway, much less if you have to pay for it.”
Graduate student and Director of Marketing and Communications for the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences Julie Morris heard via word of mouth that there were free Green Books available in the Student Union. Morris stopped by VolSnacks to pick up a free book prior to her exam, and although she was in a rush and originally intended to make the trip a quick venture, she was so intrigued by the situation that she paused to inquire more about the free materials, Morris said.
Smith explained to Morris that she gave away the Green Books as a way of giving back to the community, and Morris was so moved that she decided to contribute to the efforts as well.
“I was touched. I turned around and picked up a small stack and bought them—removed the one that I needed and set the rest of them on her fridge stack,” Morris said.
Morris found Smith’s free book initiative to be a perfect example of the Volunteer spirit.
“It just struck me as such a sweet gesture. A small way to give back. Wouldn’t we all be better off if people thought to do those little things that make life easier for those around us? Vicki is a Volunteer—she is living it,” Morris said.
Morris added that she will definitely be contributing to Vicki’s Green Book pile in the future. She also shared her experience in an Instagram post.
Smith explained that the best part of her job, which she so dearly loves, is the relationships that she forms with students.
“I just make a lot of friends, really,” Smith said. “I make a lot of friends from trying to be nice to people, and I get attached to these kids, really a lot.”
Smith’s friendship with UT’s students is evident in her daily interactions. Although the “Daily Beacon” sat down with Vicki for just 10 minutes outside of VolSnacks, several students acquainted with Smith passed by and greeted her in just that short period of time; one student, in a passerby comment, even referred to her as “my philanthropist.”
Students with upcoming exams can stop by VolSnacks, located on the G2 floor of the Student Union, next to the VolShop, to meet Smith and grab a free Green Book.
