GCM FCU actually has only two full-time employees, Hart and vice president Angela Mattson.

In 1997, Hart was searching for staff after an employee retired for medical reasons. A member happened to have a niece in her sophomore year at St. Thomas. Would the credit union be interested in interviewing her? That first hire worked out so well that today the credit union has as many as five students at a time.

Students are on the staff year-around. Typically they work 20 hours a week, but that varies according to the class load. Some interns are student athletes, so in addition to organizing around classes there are team practices and competitions to consider.

So far 14 interns have worked at the credit union, then moved on after graduation. But the ties continue. Hart and others have been invited to weddings of interns who have graduated.

"In fact, I just had a call last week from our first intern," Hart says. "We had attended her wedding and she and her husband are now expecting their first child. We try to have reunions. A former intern recently sent me an e-mail asking when we were going to get together.

"It works out very well. It does have its frustrating moments. This semester, which started in February, we checked everyone's class schedules and everything was good. Then at the last minute one of the students, the only one who could work Tuesday and Thursday, had a change in class schedule. We had to hire another person to cover those days."

Many of the interns are majoring in business, so jobs at the credit union reinforce their class work. They generally start out as tellers, then can learn as much as they want. One is currently a loan officer. Others have gone on to process mortgages. While none have pursued credit union careers, some have accepted jobs in financial services such as auditing. One former student is a member of the GCM FCU supervisory committee, and another served on the board until being transferred out of state.

In addition to filling staff positions, the students bring in a constant flow of enthusiasm plus new ideas and skills.

"They make me look as though I'm standing still as far as computers go," Hart says. "The joke is I'll walk out, ask for something, and they'll say, `Oh, can you grab that from the printer on your way back.'

"The benefits of working with these young people far outweigh any headaches." [email protected]