Description ​​​

The Academic Learning Assistant is a live-in, peer mentorship, student staff position. ALAs work an average of 15 hours a week within the Residence Halls on the Oregon State University Corvallis Campus. There are 14 ALAs, one assigned to each of the residential communities.

ALAs provide an array of services to support residential students in the adjustment to the academic rigors of Oregon State University. ALAs work to cultivate strong academic habits and college knowledge, promote engagement with university resources, and assist students in navigating the university landscape. These services range from one-on-one meetings with students to hall-wide programming initiatives. Academic Learning Assistants are primarily supervised by the Area Director for Academic Initiatives within UHDS and will receive ongoing training and programmatic support from the Academic Success Center staff and the supervisor of their assigned Residence Hall.

 

Minimum/Required Qualifications
  • Full time OSU student or degree partnership student with an OSU or Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher by start date (Fall Start Date: September 5, 2023)
  • Be in good academic and conduct standing with UHDS and/or OSU
  • Demonstrate strong administrative skills, including effective time management and balancing multiple priorities and commitments
  • Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in written form
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently with a high level of self-direction and initiative.
  • Understanding of difference and inclusion
  • Ability to adapt to a dynamic environment

 

Preferred Qualifications
  • Prior experience in a leadership or peer mentoring role on or off campus
  • Demonstrated ability to proactively cultivate and maintain relationships with diverse groups of people
  • Demonstrated commitment to diversity and social justice education, initiatives, and programs
  • Experience with presenting information to others, leading discussions, or facilitating large group workshops
  • Ability to remain in the position for the duration of the 2023-2024 academic year

 

ALA Compensation
  • A furnished Residence Hall room on the OSU Corvallis campus for Fall, Winter, and Spring terms
  • A Student Staff Meal Plan for Fall (14 weeks including Training and Welcome Week), Winter and Spring Terms (11 weeks)
  • A $1080 stipend per year

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Before you begin filling out the ALA application, be sure to read over the full Academic Learning Assistant Position Description.

Please take some time to make sure you have all of the materials needed to complete your application. Materials include:

References

There are no letters of recommendation or references required for the ALA position.

Resume

You will need to have an up to date resume for your application. Please submit your resume in a PDF file. If you would like to know more about creating a resume, please contact the Career Development Center.

3 Ways the Career Development Center Can Help!
  1. Improve your resume. Use Oregon State’s online resume reviewer, Vmock, to get instant, personalized feedback before you submit your application to UHDS. Based on tips from Vmock, improve your resume to boost your odds of getting hired.
  2. Practice interviewing. Use an interactive video platform, Standout, to practice your interviewing skills in your own space. Hear how you sound out loud and see how you present yourself to an interviewer.
  3. Get help with your cover letter and other career topics one-on-one. The Career Development Center offers consultations with career assistants who can answer your questions about resumes, cover letters, Handshake, and finding a job on campus. If you have additional questions, such as about career exploration for your major, make an appointment with a college-specific career advisor through Handshake.
Essay Questions

You will be required to answer several essay questions when applying for this position. Please read over and draft your responses to the essay questions prior to beginning your application.

  • A core component of the ALA role is providing academic support to students. From your perspective, what challenges will students face this upcoming year that may impact their academic success at OSU? In addition, please share why you would like the opportunity to be an ALA, how the position aligns with your future goals, and any skills and/or experiences you would like to share that would benefit the students and staff teams you would be supporting.

 

  • As an ALA you will be working closely with students in your hall as a peer mentor, providing support, resources, and follow-up in a one-on-one setting. Please share a time when you proactively focused on creating new relationships with someone else in order to provide them support. How might you apply what you learned from this interaction to your role as an ALA when you first meet your new students?

 

  • Please think about a time in the recent past when you interacted or worked with someone who held an identity different than yours. What did you learn about yourself from this interaction? How will this time you worked across difference inform the way you approach your role as an ALA when working with people different than yourself?

 

Once you have all of this information ready, you can begin filling out the ALA application.

Apply

Log in to the OSU Jobs website to apply for an ALA position.

Apply now!

 

Application Timeline
  • 2023-2024 ALA Application opens January 9, 2023
  • Application Closes on February 12, 2023 at 5 p.m. PST
  • First round of interviews offered February 24, 2023, with interviews taking place March 1-March 8, 2023
  • ALA Positions offered March 17, 2023

QUESTIONS

For questions about the ALA position at the Corvallis campus, contact us here.