First Year Programs

Orientation Leader

Are you passionate about UW, and looking for a way to make a positive impact? We have the opportunity you’ve been looking for!

Applications for the  Orientation Leader Role are closed for 2022. 

***All 2022 Recruitment Activities will be held remotely!  (Updated as of 1/4/22)

The OL serves as a leader, supporter, facilitator, and coach to first year students and their families and guests in an effort to provide a seamless transition to UW. As a team, we provide high-quality education, support, and transition resources to nearly 9,000 first year students, including transfer students and international students. 

In order to get a full look at the Orientation Leader qualifications, responsibilities, dates & commitments, and compensation read the 2022 Orientation Leader Policies & Expectations document.

Applications for the Orientation Leader Role are closed for 2022. 
Essay questions are listed below and be sure to answer all parts of the questions. 
We encourage you to compose your responses outside of the application first and then copy & paste them into the application text boxes. Your responses are limited to 1500 characters or approximately 250 words per question, so please double-check that your responses fit after you paste them into the application. 

  • Question 1: Motivation 
    • a. Why do you want to be an Orientation Leader?
    • b. What do you hope to learn from your experience as an Orientation Leader?
  • Question 2: Transition 
    • a. What support, strategies, or resources were the most impactful for your own transition to the UW? 
    • b. What do you believe new students and their families should learn from participating in Advising & Orientation?
    • c. As an Orientation Leader, how will you help new students and their families learn this?
  • Question 3: Learning Environment
    • a. What are the benefits of using virtual programming to support new students' transition to the university? 
    • b. How would you help students feel connected to the UW in a virtual setting? 
  • Question 4a: Community 
    • a. Please include a list of activities that describes relevant job experience, volunteer work, clubs and organizations, hobbies, and any other activities you enjoy doing on and off-campus. This list does not have to be limited to only organized or academic activities. The activities list is another way for us to get to know you. Please limit your response to a few paragraphs and/or bullet points. 
  • Question 4b. Community Reflection
    • a. From your activities list, select one activity and elaborate on what it means to you. 
    • b. How has this activity shaped your Husky experience?

Acknowledgment

Please note that by submitting your application, you are giving FYP staff permission to 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.

Applications for the Orientation Leader Role are closed for 2022. 

Previous Orientation Leaders

Join in the long standing history of Advising and Orientation at the UW!

Frequently Asked Questions

Check out some commonly asked questions about the Orientation Leader job and selection process.

Student Testimonials

"There are two things that I enjoyed the most about my OL experience. The first one is definitely bonding and creating connections with my fellow OL's. I felt like I made genuine connections and friends for the rest of my life. The second one was meeting new students and feeling confident when facilitating groups. I really enjoyed the thrill of leading a connection group seeing and feeling (virtually) that I am impacting students positively. Honestly, the best part of working with new students is seeing their faces light up when you answer their questions."

"I loved the chance to grow my leadership skills and my confidence in my leadership skills. I really saw this translate over into my overall confidence as well. I also really enjoyed helping students with their transition to UW and helping them to navigate their first steps - it was something that helped me to feel comfortable going into my first year and I loved being able to pass that on to new students."