As Brandon Wong (20BA) stared into a 20-foot pit of foul, oily sludge, he couldn't help but recall the Dirty Jobs television show, which features workers performing difficult, strange, and messy duties.

The Clovis, California, native and former Iowa gymnast was facing his own malodorous task. He had to replace sludge-covered filters in the drainage tank that catches runoff from the CAMBUS maintenance garage, where he's one of eight student mechanics who assist with everything from changing oil to rotating tires.

Drawn by the decent wages, Wong joined CAMBUS—the university's public-transit system—as a driver when he was a junior psychology major and Hawkeye student-athlete. After spending several months behind the wheel of a 14-ton bus, he was ready for a change—and had put in enough driving and bus-cleaning time to earn it. Though he had no prior experience with engines, Wong landed the coveted position of student mechanic and completed a three-week training, shadowing other students to learn the trade.