Orientation Leader

Orientation Leader (OL)

OLs assist incoming freshmen, transfer students, and their families in their transition to the University of Washington. OLs play a vital role in the Advising & Orientation (A&O) program. OLs work closely with first-year students and their families communicating a wide variety of topics including academics, student involvement, housing options, and more.

Senior Orientation Leader (SOL)

SOLs are responsible for the duties outlined above as well as working collaboratively to support the learning and development of the orientation staff, facilitate small groups of incoming students, and serve as a peer coach and role model to new OLs around effective facilitation, articulating FYP values, and standards of programmatic operation.

Orientation Leader 

• Facilitate transitional programs for all first-year students including freshman, international, and transfer students and their parents.
• Assist academic advisers in the presentation of academic planning information sessions.
• Develop expertise in multiple areas of academics in order to assist students with advising and registration.
• Lead workshops, presentations, and discussions to provide students and their families with information and perspectives on campus life.
• Portray the University of Washington, its policies, agencies, services, and campus life in a professional manner to first-year students and parents.

Senior Orientation Leader

In addition to the duties outlined above, SOLs:

• Work collaboratively to support the learning and development of the orientation staff.
• Facilitate small groups of first-year students.
• Serve as a peer coach and role model to new OLs around effective facilitation, articulating FYP values, and A&O program standards.

Winter Quarter: Senior OLs Only

In addition to the commitments listed below, SOLs also commit to working 3-5 hours/week during the winter quarter to facilitate recruitment workshops, OL interviews, and OL training plan development.

Spring Quarter: GEN ST 347

• 1 hour, 50 minutes of class per week.
• Lecture Sections: Tuesdays (2:30 - 3:20 p.m.) or Wednesdays (2:30 - 3:20 p.m.)
• Quiz Sections: Thursdays (3:30 - 5:20 p.m.)
• Student Leadership Summit (overnight retreat): April 6-8, 2018.
• Request vacation time for the summer during the spring quarter - see summer quarter commitments below for details

Summer Quarter: OL Training, A&O Sessions, Dawg Daze

• Beginning Monday, June 11 through Tuesday, September 11, 2018 OLs are expected to work full-time (35-40 hours per week). Actual hours worked will vary based on A&O program schedules and will fall between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.
• OL Training: June 11-15, 2018 
• A&O Sessions: June 18 - September 11, 2018
  • We encourage you to plan ahead and schedule travel or other time off during the weeks of Independence Day (July 2-6, 2018) and Labor Day (Sept. 1-9, 2018), as no hours will be available to work during these time periods.
  • OLs are required to take two consecutive unpaid vacation days (equivalent of one A&O session), and a max of six consecutive unpaid vacation days (equivalent of three A&O sessions)
• Please refrain from taking summer classes, assuming other job responsibilities, or engaging in outside commitments that would conflict with OL Training and A&O Sessions (June 11 to August 27 and September 12, 17-20, 2018.).
• OLs may not hold other on-campus jobs during the summer quarter.
• Dawg Daze: Sunday, September 23 for Husky Kick-Off, additional optional hours are available during Dawg Daze (September 20-29).

Autumn Quarter & Beyond

Be available to work during autumn, winter, and spring quarters for Transfer A&O sessions. Specific times will be set around your class schedule.

General Competencies:

• Communication: Demonstrates an ability to communicate ideas clearly.
• Learning & Reasoning: Demonstrates an ability to use critical thinking skills to make decisions.
• Interpersonal Interaction: Demonstrates an ability to develop relationships effectively.
• Self-awareness & Development: Demonstrates an ability to utilize personal experiences to grow.

Position-specific Qualifications: Orientation Leader

• Strong interpersonal communication skills: be ready to listen and respond to individuals' questions and concerns; the ability to help others problem-solve and make decisions.
• Public speaking abilities: be comfortable interacting with audiences from 1- 350 people.
• Commitment: be attentive to the responsibilities of the Orientation Leader position, the Orientation Leader team, First Year Programs staff, and the UW.
• Multitasking: be able to balance a variety of activities, including academics and extra-curricular activities.

Senior OL

• Personal Development: Interest in enhancing OL Group Time 
• Peer Mentorship: Facilitating development of Orientation Leader Team
• Facilitation: Support Orientation Staff training

• One to three (1-3) variable credits for your enrollment in GEN ST 347 Community Fieldwork: Education in the spring quarter.
• $15.45 per hour between June 11 to August 27 and September 12, 17-20, 2018.
• A&O staff uniform, which includes 2 t-shirts and 2 polo shirts.
• All meals provided to A&O program participants.
• Up to 6 consecutive unpaid vacation days between June 18 and September 20, 2018 (days off will be distributed equally throughout the orientation staff.)

Essay questions are listed below. We encourage you to compose your responses outside of the application first and then copy & paste into the application text boxes. Your responses are limited to 1250 characters or approximately 250 words per question, so please double check that your responses fit after you paste them into the application. 

1. Why do you want to be an Orientation Leader? What skills do you hope to develop or improve upon as an Orientation Leader and why?
2. Write about a time in the recent past that you had to make a difficult decision. Explain what information informed your decision, and how you reached your conclusion.
3. Tell us about a peer you view as a mentor/leader. List and explain some of their characteristics. How has this person impacted you?
4. Tell us about an experience/involvement/employment outside of the classroom that had an impact on your learning and personal growth. Please provide specific details to both learning and personal growth in your response.

Acknowledgement

Please note that in order to access the application, you will be asked to sign in with your UW Net ID and password. This gives FYP staff access to your academic records to verify that you are in good academic standing. FYP will also verify that you are in good disciplinary standing with the office of Community Standards and Student Conduct. Please note that a low GPA or disciplinary record does not automatically disqualify applicants from the position.