University College Program Leader (Student)

About this role

Work Where You Learn: Build Experience, Grow Skills, and Contribute to Your University Community.   This position is available only to enrolled American University students.

Most student positions at American University are eligible to use Federal Work Study (FWS) awards, with a few exceptions. FWS funds cannot be applied to janitorial, construction, partisan or sectarian positions. For information or questions regarding FWS funds, please contact American University's Office of Financial Aid.   Important guidance for current American University employees: American University current employees, including those employed in student positions, must apply through their employee Workday account. If you are a current employee at American University, please log into your employee Workday account and select the Find Jobs report which will take you to our internal career listings. Applying outside of your employee Workday account may cause delays in a hire process. Department:

Living-Learning Communities Support

Time Type: Part time

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Job Description:

Summary:

The University College (UC) Program Leader (PL) is an undergraduate part-time student staff member of University College. The UC PL fulfills a vital role, mentoring new AU students by helping them to integrate learning experiences gained from both inside and outside of the Complex Problems (CP) seminar. The UC PL reports jointly to their UC Senior Program Leader (SPL) and UC Program Staff.

 The UC PL builds community within the CP seminar and larger UC Community, by providing academic and social guidance, and serving as a liaison between faculty and students. UC is comprised of 7 cohorts, a smaller UC family, that has 3 -5 Complex Problems seminars that share a similar theme. Each cohort has around 57 - 95 students. PLs work collaboratively with their UC SPL within their cohort to address student needs and provide co-curricular opportunities.

 UC PLs support the students in their seminar and larger UC cohort. This work will be accomplished through weekly UC PL meetings that the UC SPL will facilitate and monthly cohort meetings that UC staff will facilitate. Emphasis is placed on the UC PL as a responsible leader and colleague, representing University College as part of the whole campus community.

 The Living-Learning Community (LLC) Best Practices Model, an empirically based model for modern LLC programs, guides much of the work that is accomplished in the UC program. UC PLs are expected to adhere to the following core elements of the model to build and sustain the UC program: Infrastructure, Academic Environment, Co-Curricular Environment, and Assessment.

Learning Outcomes: Throughout the duration of this position, UC PLs will: • Build and employ knowledge of campus involvement and local opportunities, campus partnerships, and institutional resources.

• Learn the components of serving as an academic and social guide and role model for first-year students.

• Gain experience and transferable skills with administrative tasks, leadership, and personal and professional development.

• Develop interpersonal communication skills through facilitation and individual relationships.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: • Part-time

• 5 hours per week.

• Start Date: June 1, 2026 (UC SPLs) and August 19, 2026 (UC PLs), End Date: December 4, 2026.

Salary Range: • $18.40 per hour.

Required Education and Experience: • The UC PL is an undergraduate student, enrolled in a degree-granting program with full-time status (minimum: 12 credits, maximum: 17.5 credits).

• UC PLs must have achieved 30 credits at AU (and be in sophomore class standing) and have successfully completed CORE 105, CORE 106, or CORE 107.

• UC PLs are expected to prioritize their own academic work and progress; as such, UC PLs should aspire to maintain their typical academic performance or a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 while serving in this role.

• UC PLs are expected to maintain good judicial standing with AU.

• Academic credits, judicial standing with American University, and GPA will be verified prior to the start of the semester.

• UC PLs must notify their supervisor of any changes to their student status that occur throughout the semester.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications:

1.) Training Requirements • All UC PLs must attend and fully participate in required staff training prior to the beginning of the Fall semester. Requests to miss any portion of training must be submitted in writing in advance to the Assistant Director for University College and Sophomore LLCs (at least a month's notice is required for non-emergencies and will be approved on a case-by-case basis). PLs must also attend other trainings and developmental activities as scheduled throughout the semester (see “Position Requirements and Expectations”).

2.) Prior to Semester Commitments Prior to the start of the semester, UC PLs are expected to:  • Participate in spring orientation before summer break (Friday, April 24 from 4PM – 5PM)

• Meet with or communicate with your CP seminar’s faculty member prior to the end of the Spring 26 Semester.

• Write a welcome email to students enrolled in your CP seminar prior to the first week of classes in and send to universitycollege@american.edu by June 1st. 

• Participate in 1.) Summer cohort meetups and cohort meetings (as available – non-paid for PLs, paid for SPLs), 2.) UC PL training (August 19 - 21, 2025). UC PLs who live on campus will tentatively move into their fall placement earlier that week. 3.) UC Kickoff Experience in the week of August 23 - 25, 2026.

3.) Job Performance and Continued Employment • This is a one semester (Fall 2026) appointed position where reappointment is subject to a reapplication process, satisfactory job performance evaluations, and position availability. The UC PL may be asked to participate in formal or informal evaluations during the semester as directed by the supervisor. University Colleg

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