Peer Advisor for School of Health & Human Sciences (SHHS)
Are you interested in supporting your fellow SHHS students? SHHS is hiring Peer Advisors to assist our Advising Team in supporting students, answering students’ questions, and planning student events. Additional requirements include a minimum GPA of 3.0, having been admitted to SHHS for one semester or longer, excellent interpersonal skills, and knowledgeable about IU Indianapolis/SHHS.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to let me know! The full job description is below:
Job Description/Summary:
The peer advisor is a student-held paraprofessional position. The peer advisors report to a professional academic advisor within the department. The main purpose of this position is to advise & support a diverse student body of School of Health & Human Sciences majors with directives in the following four impact areas:
- improving SHHS student engagement;
- career & internship support;
- academic advising support, and;
- retention efforts.
Peer advisors will help students adjust to college while developing professionalism, build academic & career planning confidence, knowledge about their degree program & career options, and to assist in the creation of an action plan to carry out their academic & career goals.
Commitment
Peer advisors will participate in paid training. During the semester, all peer advisors will meet weekly with their supervisor to continue training & professional development. Students will be expected to work 10-15 hours per week, in-person, on the Indianapolis campus. Schedule will be built around students’ class schedule, in the Monday-Friday, 8-4-time frame.
Qualifications
- Admitted to the School of Health & Human Sciences for at least one full semester
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- Knowledge of IU Indianapolis & SHHS
- Excellent interpersonal skills
JOB-SPECIFIC DUTIES PERFORMED:
Advise and teach students one-on-one
- Teach students to use academic advising tools;
- Advise students on course planning and balancing loads;
- Teach students why and how to “graduate with experience”;
- Assist students in finding resources & information for the graduate/professional school application process (GRE/entrance exam, developing personal statements, finding schools, letters of recommendation, qualifications needed);
- Teach networking (face-to-face and online) techniques.
Teach in groups
- Prepare and conduct educational informational session or workshop for peers as assigned;
- Facilitating workshops and events for undergraduate population on various topics, including scholarship preparation, graduation planning, professional communication, etc.;
- Assisting with Orientation presentations.
Networking and Marketing
- Develop and maintain relationships with student organizations and other career related campus services;
- Participate in and support SHHS student events;
- Engage with faculty on building community and alumni career connections;
- Work as a team with other peer advisors.
Administrative
- Receive and respond to e-mail messages in the SHHS Advising office;
- Track and document contact with students;
- Write log entries for each shift;
- Refer and scheduling appointments with staff/faculty advisors when appropriate;
- Special projects as assigned.
Through their work in this position, students will become acquainted with the following IU Indianapolis profiles of Undergraduate Success:
Communicator – Students will learn how to be better communicators through building relationships with students, faculty, & staff within the School of Health & Human Sciences.
Problem Solver – Students will collaborate with peers and professionals within the School of Health & Human Sciences to develop creative solutions to better engage students & support them through their academic journeys.
Innovator – Students will learn the ins & outs of degrees, minors, & certificates to assist students in thinking about their academic path.
Community Contributor – Students will build community with all students within the School of Health & Human Sciences.