Interested in an essential summer paid position at Stanford that not only will shine on your resume but also contribute to a welcoming experience for new and transfer students in the fall of 2019?

New Student Orientation coordinators welcome new students to campus on move-in day, 2018. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero)

The New and Continuing Student Programs team in Undergraduate Advising and Research (UAR), a unit within the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (VPUE), is recruiting five new Orientation Coordinators for New Student Orientation 2019 in the areas of Communications & Outreach, Community Programs, Design, Events & Logistics, and Volunteer Management.

Orientation Coordinators (OCs) remain on campus from spring quarter through New Student Orientation (NSO). Roughly four to six hours per week will be required for OCs in the spring quarter, leading into full-time summer work from June 24 to Sept. 22. For a full description of the position and to learn about the application process, visit octeam.stanford.edu.

Applications are due on Valentine’s Day – Thursday, Feb. 14.

Sophomore Chloe Sorensen, a 2018 OC who grew up in Palo Alto, says that beyond the design and event support work she did over the summer, she really valued meeting new students and families on move-in day.

“It was really heartwarming to watch parents and families move their children into their rooms and to see how excited they were to find out what Stanford had in store for them,” Sorensen said.

She felt positive about her responsibilities as well, which she called a good blend of creativity and logistics. “As the designer, it was cool to see all the NSO volunteers decked out in shirts I had designed, or to watch families fanning themselves with my Convocation program.”

Sorensen said the intensive work over the summer enabled her to develop close new friendships with other OCs. She also just reconnected this winter quarter in her Econ 1 course with an international student who had emailed her extensively as he was approaching Stanford with lots of questions about moving to campus.

“It was really cool because even though it was one of the first times we had talked in person, it felt like we knew each other really well,” Sorensen said. “We talked about his first quarter at Stanford and it seemed like he was adjusting well. For me, it was a really powerful feeling to know that I had an impact on someone’s experience, even if it was small.”

Sorensen praised UAR’s New and Continuing Student Programs staff as well. “The professional staff are incredibly fun to work with and they do a great job of making you feel supported and helping you balance your work. The work never felt unmanageable, and I enjoyed pretty much every moment.”

In addition to gaining valuable work experience, Sorensen said the role made her feel more integrated into the Stanford community. “It can be hard to find a sense of belonging during your first year of college, and it wasn’t until I joined the OC team that I really felt like I was a part of something. Seeing the work that goes into NSO and working with the UAR staff really opened my eyes to how much this university cares about each and every student, and it really changed the way I view Stanford.”

Contact approaching@stanford.edu with any questions about the position or the application process, or even to nominate another student.