Freshman Peer Advisor Job Description

The Freshman Peer Advisor (PA) is a part-time student paraprofessional position within the Office of Residence Life and Housing. PAs are responsible for performing the four paraprofessional roles of counseling, advising, administrating, and programming. Freshman PAs are primarily responsible for Benson Hall, the freshman residence hall.

The application materials for this position are online, as is the application timeline.

For more information on the Peer Advisor program, contact us.

Administrative Duties

• Lives in the designated residence hall and becomes acquainted with students within it and other dorms, to the extent PAs are able to provide basic counseling to students on personal and academic concerns.
• Provides appropriate information about Gallaudet University facilities, services, and resources.
• Reports areas of student concern to the Coordinator of Residence Education (CRE) of the resident’s assigned dorm and the Peer Advisor Program Administrator.
• Supports and educate students in the student development philosophy and approaches.
• Responds to student referrals from CRE and Program Administrator.
• Consults with the CRE and Program Administrator on individual student problems.
• Meets weekly with the CRE of your assigned dorm for consultation and training. Offers a variety of constructive suggestions and ideas to develop programs that are responsive to students’ developmental needs and are both interesting and educationally valuable.
• Serves as planner, sponsor, coordinator, and supervisor for floor educational and social activities.
• Coordinates with Residence Life and Housing staff in areas of mutual responsibility.
• Reports directly to the CRE and Program Administrator and trainer on all PA matters.
• Creates, plans, and implements residence hall programming activities within the assigned residence hall.
• Supports residence hall-wide programming with residence hall staff.
• Performs other related duties as may be assigned by your Program Administrator or trainer including recruiting and interviewing PAs, evaluating programs and projects, continuing contacts with faculty, and representing the PA program at off-campus and on-campus events.

Participating as a Team Member

• Participates in Fall and Winter training sessions before each semester begins.
  • Fall Training Session in August
  • Winter Training Session in January
  • Training dates will be communicated after hire
• Assists with New Student Orientation as needed.
• Communicates on a regular basis with visitors, Office of Residence Life and Housing staff, and University officials.
• Attends and participates in the following:
  • Residence hall staff meetings
  • In-service programs
  • Group supervision meetings
• Aligns priorities so that PA job responsibilities take precedence over personal commitments.
  • May not have any commitments outside the position (i.e. internship, extracurricular activities, athletics, and second jobs) without the express consent of the PA Program Administrator.
• Maintains standards of personal and professional conduct and serves as a role model for students and other residence hall staff.

Compensation

Compensation will be in either the form of hourly pay or a room waiver option.

Qualifications

• Able to handle and cope with stress and ambiguity.
• Good interpersonal competence.
• Able to accommodate communication needs of students.
• An undergraduate or graduate student registered full-time and at least a year living on campus.
• Experience in planning, participating as a team member, and knowledge of campus resources.
• In good standing with the University.
• At time of hire and throughout employment, candidate must maintain a Cumulative and Semester Grade Point Average (GPAs) of at least 2.7 (for undergraduate students) and 3.0 (for graduate students) each semester including summer sessions (if you are enrolled in summer courses).
• Understands and works within the philosophy of student development held by the Office of Student Affairs at Gallaudet University.