The Catholic University of America
The Office of the Dean of Students - Orientation
Orientation Advisor
Position Description 2011
The Catholic University of America
The Office of the Dean of Students is inviting applications for Orientation Advisors (OA) for the incoming class of
2015.The purpose of the Orientation Program is to welcome and introduce new students and their families to academic,
communal, spiritual and social life at The Catholic University of America. The Associate Dean of Students has the
primary responsibility for the program, assisted by two Student Coordinators who aid in the implementation of these
programs.
The Orientation Advisors assist in the orientation process and provide personalized attention to the new students
throughout Orientation. An OA is also responsible for the dissemination of general information that will help in the
adjustment of the new student to the university.
Through the fall of 2011 applicants should:
 Be registered as a full-time, degree seeking undergraduate student
 Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.25
 Maintain good disciplinary standing
 Not be an active Resident Assistant or Campus Ministry staff for the Summer/Fall 2011
Orientation Advisors work to fulfill the following duties:
 Work with new students and various faculty advisors to help ensure students learn about their academic program
and understand academic policies and procedures
 Inform students about the co-curricular and non-academic aspects of the University, including familiarity with
campus, the Brookland community and Washington, D.C.
 Help the orientation staff in performing various auxiliary duties
 Take an active role in connecting with new students at orientation
 Work with new students who may experience problems adjusting to a new environment
 Work as a team
 Develop a strong understanding of the mission, goals and values of CUA
Time Commitments
All OAs must attend and participate in all training sessions, including the two training sessions that will be held during the
spring 2011 semester. In addition OAs will write letters to their assigned new students and maintain communication with
these students throughout the summer. OAs return to campus on August 19th, 2011 to participate full time in training that
will occur from August 20st – August 24th and the Orientation program from August 25th – August 28th. The Orientation
program should be the OAs primary task during the August training period. Please see the attached sheet for important
dates regarding the Orientation Program.
Benefits
The OA position is a volunteer position; the largest benefit is the ability to help fellow students make a smooth and
comfortable transition. Additional tangible benefits include:
 Free room in the residence halls during training for residential students. This room may not be one’s Fall 2011
room assignment
 All meals during August training and during the Orientation Program through when the board plan begins
(Saturday, August 27th at dinner)
 An opportunity to further develop as a leader and have the opportunity to gain critical life skills that are
transferable to future employment opportunities
Selection Process
The two Student Coordinators for 2011 and the Associate Dean of Students make all selections with input from 2010
Orientation Advisors.
The application should reflect your interests, talents, skills and experiences. We are not looking for any one type of person
but for sincerely concerned, responsible and interested people from a variety of backgrounds.
All applications are reviewed, all new applicants are then scheduled to be at one of two group interviews and then all
applicants participate in an interview with at least one 2010 Orientation Advisor. This interview is designed to select
students who are articulate, open-minded, honest and have a commitment to helping new students. See below dates of
groups interviews.
After these interviews are conducted, the pool of candidates is evaluated and those selected are offered the position on
March 3rd.
APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT HTTP://ORIENTATION.CUA.EDU AND ARE DUE BY NOON ON FRIDAY,
FEBRUARY 4, 2011. PLEASE RETURN IT TO THE OFFICE OF THE DEAN OF STUDENTS-PRYZ 353.
Important Orientation Dates for Orientation Advisors
Orientation Advisors should be available on all of the following dates. Contact Josh Monroe (monroej@cua.edu) or Bronwen
McAuliffe (mcauliffeb@cua.edu), Orientation Student Coordinators, if you have questions or concerns about any of these dates.
Spring 2011
 January 17: Orientation Advisor Applications Posted
 January 17-January 21: OA Week
 February 4: Orientation Advisor Applications due
 February 7- February 18: Interviews will take place
 February 7: 1st Group Processing (applicants must attend one group processing) 7:00-9:00pm Caldwell Auditorium
 February 10: 2nd Group Processing 8:00-10:00pm Caldwell Auditorium
 March 3: Letters available for Pick-up in Office of the Dean of Students
 March 19: Orientation Advisor Training 11:00am – 4:00pm Caldwell Auditorium
 April 10: Orientation Advisor Training 11:00am – 4:00pm Great Room
August 2011
 August 16: Move-in for Orientation Advisors assisting with training and “RealWorld: CUA” Orientation actors
 August 17- 19: Orientation Advisors assisting with training work on training and other orientation tasks and “Real
World: CUA” practice
 August 19: Move-in for remaining Orientation Advisors
 August 20 – 24: Orientation Advisor Training
 August 25– 28: Orientation
Fall 2011
 Help with Orientation Extended Events (2-3 events within the first 6 weeks)
 Attend Orientation Extended Picnic October 15, 2011
 November: Final Orientation Staff Meeting
The Catholic University of America
The Office of the Dean of Students - Orientation
Student Orientation Advisor Application
Thank you for your interest in the 2011 Orientation program! The Catholic University of America will
welcome approximately 800 new students and their families in August 2011, and the Orientation program
will introduce them to each other and to all that CUA has to offer. Orientation does not happen by itself it is
the product of over 80 Student Orientation Staff Members.
This packet includes application materials for the Orientation Advisor (OA) position. Please contact Josh
Monroe (monroej@cua.edu) or Bronwen McAuliffe (mcauliffeb@cua.edu), the Student Coordinators, with
any questions that you may have about the application process. Please submit your complete application,
responses to the questions below and an expression of intent to the Orientation Student Coordinators, in 353
Pryzbyla Center, by noon on February 4, 2011.
Please type:
Name:
LAST
CUA E-mail:
FIRST
_______________
MI
Local Address:
Student ID#: _______________________
Cell Phone:
Campus Phone Number: ______________
Current Class Standing
 Freshman
 Sophomore
 Junior
Gender:
Major field of study:
Anticipated date of graduation:
Grade point average fall 2010:
Male
______
Cumulative:
Female
I am applying to Orientation as a:
New Orientation Advisor
Return Orientation Advisor
Short Answer Essays for those applying to be a New Orientation Advisor:
Please type the answers to the following questions on an attached sheet:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Briefly list three important experiences (paid or volunteer, on or off campus, club membership,
special interests, etc.) that you have had and explain their importance to you.
Please pick three, and only three, words that would best describe you.
If you could switch lives with a person famous or not, alive or dead, real or fictional, who would you
switch with and why?
What was the most difficult transition you faced as a new student and explain how this might help
you as an OA?
How do you work with others? What kind of person do you have difficulty with and which type of
person do you find easier to work with?
Expression of Intent for those applying to be New Orientation Advisors:
In addition to the application form, please submit a piece of work (letter, essay, artistic expression) that
outlines: 1) Your reason for applying for the Orientation Advisor position; 2) Qualities and skills you possess
that will enable you to be a successful Orientation Advisor; 3) How this position will foster your personal
growth. This should fit on one 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper.
Short Answer Essays for those applying to be a Return Orientation Advisor:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why do you think the Orientation Program is important?
Describe one specific experience you had as an OA that makes you want to apply again and how do
you think you will grow/ improve as an OA?
What is one program/event that you think should be included in Orientation that is not part of
Orientation currently and why?
Please pick three, and only three, words that would best describe you.
If you were to end up on an alien planet and they gave you the choice to do / be anything, what would
you want to do/be?
Opportunity to Assist in Training for Return Orientation Advisors
Ten return staff members will be selected to return to campus on August 16 to assist in the creation of three
training sessions for the new Orientation Advisors and to help the Student Coordinators in preparation for
both training and orientation. If you are interested in assisting with training you cannot also be an actor in
“Real World CUA”.
 I am a return orientation advisor who would be interested in returning to campus on August 16th
If you checked the box above, please answer these additional questions:
1.
What specific skills and characteristics do you have that you believe will be beneficial to the team
who will be assisting in training the new staff?
2.
Having gone through training in the past what do you think could be improved upon or added to
training?
3.
What is your definition of teamwork and what role do you play on a team.
Additional Orientation Opportunities open to both New and Returning Orientation Advisors:
Thirteen Orientation Advisors are selected to be part of one of the Orientation session, “Real World: CUA”.
“Real World: CUA” is a dramatic production put on by the Orientation staff for the new students during
Orientation. It consists of several short skits depicting life in college. Real World CUA actors receive their
roles in June and are expected to come to campus with their lines memorized. No prior acting experience is
necessary. The actors arrive on campus earlier then the rest of the staff to prepare for their roles and learn
stage techniques; this year actors will arrive on August 16th.
 I am interested in being an actor in “Real World: CUA”
In addition to actors we are looking for one student to act as the “director” of the “Real World: CUA”
production. This student ideally would be a return Orientation Advisor who has had a role in “Real World”
in a previous year, although we will consider students who have not acted in “Real World: CUA” but whom
have a theatre background.
 I am interested in being the “director” of “Real World: CUA”
Other Student Leadership Activities
Will you be applying for a leadership position with any of the following organizations?
 SFAB
 Residence Life
 SAGA
 Program Board
 Campus Ministry
I hereby certify that the statements made on this application and all supporting documents are true and accurate. I understand that
by falsifying this document or its supporting documents, I disqualify myself from further consideration for any Orientation
position. If the information I provide is found to be false after my employment, I will be dismissed from my employment.
By signing, I authorize the Office of the Dean of Students to verify application information with the appropriate CUA offices. I am
at least eighteen years old.
My candidacy will not be reviewed until the Office of the Dean of Students receives all materials, including letters of reference. In
accordance with the Family Privacy Act 1975, unless previously waived, all application materials will be made available to the
applicant upon request.
My signature below also indicates that I have read and understand the time commitments and job responsibilities of the position as
outlined in the job description, employment agreement, and/or information session.
Signature
Date
For questions, contact:
Josh Monroe or Bronwen McAuliffe, Orientation Student Coordinators at
monroej@cua.edu or mcauliffeb@cua.edu
Kathryn Jennings, Associate Dean of Students at
jenningk@cua.edu
Phone: (202) 319-5627
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