RHSA students who have completed by May 2023 at least their second year at UMass Lowell and at least one year as an RHSA Peer Leader are eligible to apply for these positions. RHSA Team Leaders serve a vital role in the RHSA: they help mentor and coach the Peer Leaders, work with RHSA staff in leading the program, and may represent the RHSA at higher-level meetings and events.
RHSA Team Leaders also experience most of the same opportunities as Peer Leaders (help mentor and support the next group of RHSA students, represent the RHSA at various events, provide regular input into the decision-making process for the RHSA as part of the RHSA team, and experience additional leadership development and training). These students will be asked to perform the following duties as their responsibilities for $2,500 engagement scholarships that will be applied to their tuition bill ($1,250 for the fall semester, $1,250 for the spring semester). Each Team Leader will be assigned a group of RHSA first-year students for the purposes of mentoring, personal contact, and breakout groups as outlined below.
The application for this position is due by Friday, April 2 at 11:59 p.m. We recommend that you compose your responses in a file format you can save and then copy and paste them into this application once you are ready to submit.
Purpose
- To mentor and coach RHSA Peer Leaders and model exemplary leadership behaviors
- To mentor new RHSA freshmen by offering advice, answering questions, serving as a receptive listener, and helping students acclimate to campus culture and access campus resources
- To model positive university citizenship, good student success habits, River Hawk pride, and commitment to the RHSA and each other
- To assist in the personal development of our students and in their understanding of how to achieve success as a college student
- To help plan and run events for RHSA students and Peer Leaders
- To facilitate communication among RHSA students, Peer Leaders, staff, and administrators working in the RHSA
- To offer feedback and ideas for the RHSA and help make key decisions about the program
- To continue to hone their own leadership identity along with key leadership skills and strategies
Responsibilities
Team Leader Responsibilities
- Attend a half-day workshop in summer 2023 focused on the role and responsibilities of being a Team Leader (scheduled at a time you are available)
- Run at least one workshop/training per semester for the Peer Leaders
- Meet at least once per month with the RHSA staff to provide input on the program and stay updated on new developments
- Meet at least once per semester for a one-on-one session with each member of your assigned Peer Leader group First Gen 5 (FG5) – this is your assigned Peer Leader group – and mentor each member of your FG5 through informal communication and support
- Create and execute at least one social/team-building event for your FG5 once per semester
- Hold two hours of office hours every week of the academic year to carry out duties specific to your specialized role, as outlined separately
Peer Leader Responsibilities (these represent most of the regular Peer Leader responsibilities and fall under what Team Leaders are also responsible for)
- Complete a profile questionnaire in the summer of 2023, which will be the basis for your TL profile on the RHSA website
- Attend all mandatory trainings, meetings, and events as outlined in the PTL Required Meetings document, including one-on-one meetings with RHSA staff, monthly TL meetings, small group peer leadership meetings, and important RHSA events.
- Participate in the RHSA Welcome Day and run breakout group sessions during that day
- Meet with each student in your assigned RHSA group at least 2 times per semester fora 30-minute one-on-one mentoring conversation
- Initiate personal contact with assigned RHSA freshman group at least once per week and respond to your students’ outreach and questions
- Administer pulse checks and report results back to RHSA staff
- Communicate with your matched Faculty Advocate to collaborate on supporting your shared RHSA Pod (your group of freshmen you are mentoring)
- Participate in a performance evaluation at the end of the academic year with RHSA staff
Additional Requirements
- Enroll in full-time classes during the fall and spring semesters
- Maintain a cumulative 2.5 GPA
- Act within the expectations of the UMass Lowell student conduct code
- Commit to the time and work necessary to be successful in this role without significant competing responsibilities
Learning Outcomes
- Hone leadership strengths and strategies while learning to effectively mentor peers through leadership development
- Identify and access leadership resources and opportunities at UMass Lowell
- Reflect on their leadership behaviors and potential areas of leadership growth while articulating and implementing strategies to further develop their overall leadership abilities and philosophy
- Investigate and practice strategies to best support a diverse population of first-generation college students
- Describe key campus resources and offices and how students can connect with them
- Communicate effectively with students and staff for a variety of purposes within various academic, professional, and social settings
Benefits
- $2,500 Engagement Scholarship applied to their tuition bill ($1,250 for the fall semester, $1,250 for the spring semester)
- Early move-in for on-campus housing
- Priority registration during the fall and spring semesters
- Leadership training and additional development supports throughout the academic year
- Rich experiences that can be highlighted on a work resumé
- Counts as a River Hawk Experience Distinction Leadership Experience
- Personal connections with RHSA students and the intangible but vital rewards of mentoring first-year students and RHSA Peer Leaders
- 10% bookstore discount
- Additional scholarship opportunities just for Peer and Team Leaders