Become a CHC Peer Academic Advisor

Campuswide Honors invites interested and qualified honors students with a genuine desire to help others to apply for the position of Honors Peer Academic Advisor (PAA)! One of UCI and CHC’s top paid leadership positions, Honors PAAs work together with the Honors staff, faculty, and leadership team to help create and develop the close-knit community that is an essential part of Campuswide Honors at UC Irvine.

PAAs in the upcoming application cycle will serve for the entire 2023-2024 academic year and are expected to participate in the training offered during Spring Quarter 2023 and prior to Welcome Week in September 2023, in preparation for Welcome Week activities.

Honors PAAs hold office hours and advise students about UCI, the CHC, and various campus resources. Honors PAAs work as a team to develop and implement various forms of advising outreach and special projects with a focus on success and retention in the CHC.

Honors-Specific Roles and Responsibilities:

General PAA roles and responsibilities can be viewed on the campus PAA Job Description web page. The following are additional roles and responsibilities specific to Honors PAAs:

• Assist in the orientation of new Honors students, specifically through group meetings during Welcome Week.
• Provide information to students regarding Honors curriculum and policies, such as Honors petitions for exceptions and the Honors research and thesis process.
• Facilitate connection to and communication with other groups of honors students (including commuters, second-years, upper-division students, transfer students, etc.) through student interaction, advising, and various outreach initiatives.
• Attend all CHSC meetings (bi-weekly) and be a positive and involved member of the Honors community.
• Provide assistance for CHC special projects and plan and implement your own.
• Co-coordinate and assist with events planned in the honors housing facilities or by the Campuswide Honors Student Council (CHSC), Honors Experience Day, Celebrate UCI, and other programs as required.

Honors PAA-Specific Eligibility:

Basic Eligibility requirements for the PAA position can be viewed on the campus Become a Peer Academic Advisor web page. The following are additional eligibility requirements specific to the Honors PAA position:

• Be a current Campuswide Honors student in good standing, with a minimum GPA of 3.2
• Must intend to hold the Honors Peer Academic Advisor position for the full academic year and enroll at UCI as a full-time student each quarter

Honors-Specific Preferred Qualifications:

Selection criteria for the PAA position can be viewed on the campus Become a Peer Academic Advisor web page. The following are additional preferred qualifications specific to the Honors PAA position:

• Have clearly demonstrated leadership skills 
• Ability to work independently as well as within a team-oriented environment
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously
• Ability to prioritize the Honors PAA position
• Experience organizing groups of people to complete a project
• Students who have completed/will complete all honors course sequences and research, as required by Campuswide Honors
• Experience using: Microsoft Word, Excel, Microsoft Access or some other database program, desktop publishing software or experience creating flyers/newsletters
• Experience using social media to communicate with groups
• Experience using Honors services and resources and attending Honors-sponsored events
• Experience working in an office

Mandatory Training and Time Commitments:

General PAA training and time commitments can be viewed on the campus PAA Job Description web page. The following are additional training and time commitments specific to Honors PAAs:

Spring 2023

• For your in-office training, create an Honors PAA team introduction video, participate in Honors recruitment events, and attend CHC community events.

Summer 2023

• Early-Mid August: Honors PAAs MUST be available to work together to:
  • Schedule all Welcome Week new student group meetings
  • Prepare content for Campuswide Honors Summer Mailing
  • Other tasks as needed
  • NOTE: All Honors PAAs MUST be “contactable” in some way during this time
• Week BEFORE Welcome Week (M-Th): Additional training in the Honors Office and help prepare and finalize plans for Welcome Week events and early fall activities (20 hours).

Welcome Week 2023

• 20 hours, including Welcome Week new student group meetings and all Campuswide Honors Dean’s Welcomes.

Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024

• During their 10 hours/week Honors PAAs also attend CHSC meetings (Wednesdays from 5-6 p.m. when not attending All PAA Meetings) and meetings with the Honors Advisors (weekly)
• Help with campus-wide events during the year, such as Celebrate UCI.

Application Timeline

APPLICATIONS, references, and résumés are due by 11:59 p.m. of Friday of week 2 of Winter quarter. Please apply online as soon as possible.

 

INTERVIEWS will be conducted late January and early February. You will be contacted to schedule an interview no later than the end of week 3 if you are offered an interview.

We strongly encourage you to contact a current Honors PAA honors.paa@uci.edu if you have questions or would like to talk more about what this position entails. For additional information, you may also contact Mary Gillis at honors@uci.edu.