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.

Honors PAAs hold office hours and advise both prospective and currently enrolled honors students about UCI, the Honors Program, and various campus resources. Honors PAAs work as a team to develop and implement various extracurricular programs and activities with a focus on academics, community building, and faculty and alumni interaction (including Faculty Coffee Hour, Course Planning Workshops, Beach Day, and the annual Camping Retreat). As vital members of the Honors leadership team, they also 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 PAAs have a substantial role in the orientation of new Honors freshmen, specifically through group meetings during Welcome Week. They facilitate communication with other groups of Honors students as well (including transfer students, commuters, upper-division students, etc.) through workshops, student interaction and advising, and various outreach initiatives.

Honors PAAs will serve for the entire academic year and are expected to participate in the training offered during Spring Quarter and prior to Welcome Week in September, to prepare them to be successful in the CHC PAA position and in preparation for Welcome Week activities.

Responsibilities:

• Advise honors students on major selection, class scheduling, preparing for postgraduate study or jobs, etc. Provide information to students regarding honors curriculum and Honors policies, the petition process, the research and thesis process, and other related Honors issues. Advise prospective applicants to Campuswide Honors regarding requirements and procedures for admission, benefits, and graduation requirements.
• Maintain awareness of current Honors course offerings and programs; Campuswide Honors, major, and UCI requirements; University resources and support services; Campuswide Honors and University deadlines and policies. Be a strong advocate for Campuswide Honors and UCI.
• Plan and implement student/faculty interactions and other academically-oriented events (i.e., workshops, Faculty Coffee Hour, and special advising programs for freshmen, sophomores, and transfer students).
• Attend all CHSC meetings (bi-weekly) and be a positive and involved member of the Honors community.
• Offer assistance and consultation to campus organizations that require information about honors students and/or Campuswide Honors.
• Serve as a liaison between administrative personnel, faculty, and honors students in resolving advising concerns or problems; refer students as needed. Convey honors student concerns/issues to honors staff, as appropriate.
• Plan and implement community events and other special projects.
• Evaluate and write up feedback after completion of each event. Work with honors staff and other honors student leaders (through CHSC and Honors Housing) to provide a range of social, cultural, and extracurricular events for all Honors students.
• Participate in all training seminars prior to employment (general and in unit, as outlined in this application), as well as ongoing training and team development throughout the year.
• As a member of the Academic Advisory Committee (AAC), meet regularly with other campus PAAs to make recommendations for advising improvements, discuss advising issues, and receive further training as necessary. Maintain an accurate record of students served through the online tally system and WebAdmin.

Required Qualifications (What the candidate should bring to the job):

• Current Campuswide Honors student in good standing, with a minimum GPA of 3.2
• As of next Fall quarter, be at least third-year status (as defined by year in school, not by units completed). Current freshmxn should seek out additional leadership experience and then plan to apply during their second year at UCI.
• 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
• Have clearly demonstrated leadership skills and experience in developing and coordinating academic or extracurricular programs
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Ability to develop supportive interactions with other students, both one-on-one and within groups
• Ability to work independently as well as within a team-oriented environment
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to prioritize the Honors PAA position
• Experience planning programs and events, or 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 and blogs to communicate with groups
• Experience using Honors services and resources and attending Honors-sponsored events
• Experience working in an office
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to work and relate well with faculty and staff

Competencies to be Acquired (What the candidate can expect to learn on the job):

• Experience in paraprofessional counseling on an individual and group basis
• Referral skills and cooperative working skills with University staff members
• Increased awareness of University services and academic program operations
• Enhancement of leadership, organization, and communication skills
• Experience working in a professional office

Training, Service, and Salary:

MANDATORY Training (MUST be available):

• Spring Quarter: Thursdays, 5-7 p.m. beginning week 1, plus additional hours (to be determined) which may be spent shadowing current Honors PAAs in the Honors Office, planning a Campuswide Honors end-of-the-year event and/or introduction video, participating in the Celebrate UCI Honors Information Panel, attending CHC community events, and helping current Honors PAAs implement Spring Faculty Coffee Hour
• Week BEFORE Welcome Week (M-Th): Additional training in the Honors Office (20 hours during the week before Welcome Week)
• Week BEFORE Welcome Week (Friday or TBD): General All-PAA Refresher Training

Service:

• Early-Mid August (REQUIRED): Honors PAAs MUST be available to work together to:
  • Schedule all Freshmxn Meetings
  • Prepare inserts for Campuswide Honors Summer Mailing
  • Develop flyer for Campuswide Honors Fall Beach Day
  • Other tasks as needed
  • NOTE: All Honors PAAs MUST be “contactable” in some way during this time

• Week BEFORE Welcome Week(REQUIRED): Besides additional training (20 hours) in person in the Honors Office, Honors PAAs will also help prepare and finalize plans for Welcome Week events and early fall activities
• During Welcome Week (REQUIRED): 20 hours, including Freshman Meetings and all Campuswide Honors New Student Orientation Programs
• During Academic Year (REQUIRED): 10 hours/week, including participation in all Academic Advisory Committee (AAC) meetings (Wednesdays  from 5-6 p.m.), and other campus PAA activities throughout the year. Also includes other required meetings, such as CHSC meetings (Wednesdays from 5-6 p.m. when not attending AAC) and meetings with the Honors Advisors (weekly)
• Help with campus-wide events during the year, such as Honors Experience Day, Celebrate UCI, and other Discover UCI events.

Salary:

• Minimum wage (with increase in salary subject to budget approval)

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

Note: The online application will include several short essay questions.  Before beginning the application, please consider your responses to the following items:

• Why are you interested in the Peer Academic Advisor position?
• What is your definition of a good Honors Peer Academic Advisor?
• What skills/experiences do you possess that will help you meet the responsibilities of a Peer Academic Advisor?

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.