Student work program Spare Hand Students has launched in Norman, providing freelance jobs for OU students.
Spare Hand Students founder and CEO Zachary Miller told the OU Daily that the initiative allows students to make extra money through different odd jobs for community members that might need some extra help around the house while accommodating academic schedules.
The program connects college students to homeowners looking to hire out jobs around the home, with wages set prior to the job.
“You can think moving, furniture assembly, cleaning, babysitting, organizing, we even put up Christmas lights. You pretty much name it. We have students that are ready to tackle these types of services,” Miller said.
Miller started the program in College Station, Texas, where Texas A&M is located, but has had Norman in his mind for some time.
“I have always had Norman on our radar,” Miller said. “There’s a bunch of homeowners that are very involved around the school and the university and, on the flip side, there’s a bunch of hardworking students that are ready to tackle the task that we offer here.”
Miller founded Spare Hand Students when he was a junior at Texas A&M. He found it very difficult to get a job as a student while helping his grandmother with chores around her house.
Currently, Spare Hand Students currently has 50 local students available for freelance work since its Norman launch Feb. 23.
OU student Xayvion Curtis cleans gutters of Diane Hardersen's house on March 2, 2026.
Xayvion Curtis, biology sophomore on a pre-med track, heard about Spare Hand Students while the company was advertising on the South Oval.
“The opportunity to help our community was one of the big factors that contributed to me being attracted to joining the organization,” Curtis said. “The choice for having a flexible schedule, I could choose my own hours, so it just really helped with the strenuous nature of my major.”
Curtis said he appreciated how easy it was to get started with the company and how helpful the opportunity has been. So far, he has worked gardening and yard work jobs and has some additional housework tasks scheduled.
Becca Frease, psychology and biology senior, and Abby Moss, industrial systems engineering senior, signed up for the app together after Frease was handed a Spare Hand Students flier on the South Oval. The two helped a Noble resident with lawn work within a few days of signing up.
“We went to Noble, both of us together, and we did yard work at this sweet little lady’s house,” Frease said. “… I think it’s really nice to have a way to make money and not have to schedule it and have to go every week at certain times when you have tests or projects.”
Moss appreciated the freedom that Spare Hands allowed while she navigates the remainder of her senior year.
“We can book our times to work around what we have, which makes it a little easier,” Moss said. “I actually really had a good time.”
Norman homeowner Diane Hardersen told the Daily Monday that after hurting her hip several years ago, doctors said she should take things easy.
“I would love to be working out in the garden but I don’t think I should,” Hardersen said. “It’s great to have this service where somebody can help do the things that need to be done.”
Students can sign up to work through the student app and homeowners can sign up through the services app.
This story was edited by Macey Thaxton and Natalie Armour. Hannah Lambert and Gretchen Schultz copy edited this story.
