At UTA Libraries, student employees do more than keep the place running. They shape the spaces where students study, explore and feel at home.  

Andy Lodato, a student lead on The Basement’s Events and Social Team, is one of those students. Spend a few minutes with Lodato, and it’s easy to see why this work matters. 

Lodato came to UT Arlington with one goal: to become a teacher who notices when students need support and creates a place where everyone feels they belong. 

“I want to be a high-quality and compassionate teacher. That is something I am really passionate about because I had a lot of great teachers growing up who cared about me as a person. They were great at what they did,” Lodato said. “I know that a lot of my friends didn’t have that. So, when I talk to their experiences with school, it makes me sad because school was somewhere I felt safe a lot of the time. I want to be that kind of teacher for people.” 

That mindset Lodato carries into the Libraries when she arrives for her shift.

After transferring from Tarrant County College, Lodato was looking for more than a paycheck. Connection mattered, a way to meet people and be part of something bigger. She was looking for a job but found a community in the process.  

In The Basement, Lodato checks out equipment, answers questions, and shows students a space many hadn’t known existed. Sometimes that means walking someone through setting up a gaming console for the first time or helping a group figure out a project they are working on.  

Lodato also helps plan events, bringing students together through gaming and shared interests. That can mean arranging a tournament, setting up tables for a workshop, or handing out flyers for a late-night coding session. Along the way, she has learned new skills, but the focus has always been on serving the community and giving back. 

“The part I enjoy the most is being a resource,” Lodato said. “Helping someone figure out what they need, helping them feel comfortable, even for a moment that’s what matters.” 

That focus is what makes student employees so essential. They handle the work that keeps the Libraries moving, but they also shape how students experience the campus. 

In The Basement that impact is visible every day. Students come to take a break, meet friends or recharge. Classes meet in the gaming labs. Workshops explore game design, programming and storytelling. Ideas come to life in ways that feel hands-on and real. 

“We connect gaming to education, but we’re also a place where people can meet, relax and build connections that last,” Lodato said. “We have workshops that teach real skills, but it’s also a place where people figure out how to connect and with opportunities.” 

That balance matters. College isn’t just about what happens in a classroom; it’s about having spaces to breathe, explore and grow. Student employees make that possible. 

Students like Lodato often arrive at the Libraries looking for a job and leave with experience, confidence and a sense of belonging. In return, they help create that same feeling for others. 

At UTA Libraries, student employees don’t just support the work; they do the work. They shape what the Libraries means to everyone who walks through its doors.