Student Leadership Opportunities

The CA role supports the Community Leadership and Development Department (CLD) in multiple ways. Their main responsibilities will be staffing the Commuter Commons UC 119 front desk, assisting with Olé Weekend orientation, supporting first-year commuter students, monthly programming, and attending a weekly/bi-weekly seminar for the department. The seminar requires CAs to enroll in LEAD 387P, for which they will receive upper-division units. In the Commuter Commons, there will be tasks related to marketing for events, monthly programming, and general management/upkeep of the space. This can be expanded to supporting all students in the space, checking in with their assigned students for academic, emotional, and personal support. The CA role acts as a liaison for commuter students to connect across campus through their network and that of the CLD department.

Commuter Assistant (CA) Role Description

Student Leader Testimonial

Being a CA has been an absolute blessing., I wanted to give back to my community and the Commuter Commons that helped me when I was transitioning into college my Freshman year. Through the role I have been able to connect with faculty, teachers, and students on a deeper level and have made connections that will last a lifetime. I love the welcoming environment of the Commuter Commons and hope to give a sense of belonging to students who call this space their home away from home. Every day is a new challenge, and it is always worth it seeing the faces of freshmen, and returning students smiling and telling me about their days.

-Commuter Assistant: Brendan Truong ‘26

As a member of the Student Onboarding Team, OLÉ! Team members provide critical support in cultivating well-planned and positive orientation experiences for new Toreros and their families. Some responsibilities of OLÉ! Team members include event set-up and breakdown, campus partner deliveries, welcome packet creation, conflict resolution and support, parent and family relations customer service, answering questions, providing support for concerns and giving directions to new students and families. For more information on the requirements and responsibilities, please review the role description below.

OLÉ! Team Role Description

OLÉ! Team Role Agreement

Student Leader Testimonial

"Being on OLÉ! Team made me feel like I had an impact on the orientation experience for the incoming freshman and their families. Helping with the little details behind the scenes created a smooth running OLÉ! Weekend, and further proved just how much time and effort goes into making this time memorable year after year. I remember when I was a first-year student, the entire onboarding team made those few days remarkable, and I was able to meet and connect with amazing people that I maybe wouldn't have if it weren't for OLÉ! Weekend."

-Nicole Hunter, '22

The Orientation Logistics & Events (OLÉ!) Team is a group of student leaders responsible for event coordination and logistics support throughout OLÉ! Weekend. The OLÉ! Team Chair will serve as a liaison between OLÉ! Team members and the Orientation Staff, and represent OLÉ! Weekend to the campus community. The Chair will assist with OLÉ! Weekend/Team coordination, and be involved in scheduling training and tasks essential to the success of OLÉ! Weekend.

OLÉ! Team Chair Role Description

OLÉ! Team Chair Role Agreement

Student Leader Testimonial

"I became an OLÉ! Team Chair because my own Orientation experience had a positive impact on me, and I wanted to give new students that same sense of belonging. I also wanted to challenge myself, gain leadership, and take advantage of new opportunities for personal and professional growth."

-Yvonne Villalobos, '25

As a member of the Residential Life Team, a Resident Assistant (RA) helps to establish and maintain a positive and inclusive living environment that supports students of varied backgrounds, fosters student growth and development, and promotes academic and co-curricular success. RAs are tasked with building a strong sense of community by knowing each resident on a personal basis and facilitating engagement with each other through informal and formal interactions. This position is responsible for playing a major role in the implementation of programs, policies, and services within the Residence Halls. For more information on the requirements and responsibilities, please review the condensed role description and full role agreement below.

FYE RA Requirements - One or more of the following criteria must be met:

• You will be at least a second-year student by the start of Fall 2026, or
• You have completed at least 2 semesters at USD prior to Fall 2026, or
• You transferred into USD during the Spring 2026 semester and will have completed a full-time courseload that same semester, or
• Other (i.e., you will be a Fall 2026 transfer student): Consideration will be given to college, academic, professional, military service, etc. experiences prior to coming to USD that may have helped you develop skill sets and abilities that transfer well to the FYE RA role

SYE RA Requirements - One or more of the following criteria must be met:

• You will be at least a third-year student* by the start of Fall 2026, or
• You have completed at least 3 semesters at USD prior to Fall 2026
• *Please note that students transferring into USD for either Spring 2026 or Fall 2026 are NOT eligible for the SYE RA role (however, they may be eligible for the FYE RA role - see above)

Note: All new applicants to the undergraduate RA role must submit an application, attend an info session (schedule below - in timeline section), and participate in an interview. Additionally, UMRA candidates must also attend a UM specific info session (schedule below - in timeline section). Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.

Graduate RA Requirements

• Must be enrolled as a full-time graduate student. Undergraduate students are not eligible for this role.
• Must be able to commit an average of 15 hours per week to the Graduate RA role. Time commitment expectations will be higher during move-in and move-out periods, as well as during training.
• Must be available for weekly 2-hour RA team meetings during the academic year, to be scheduled based on the collective availability of the staff.
• Please see the Graduate Resident Assistant Agreement document below for more details.

Pacific Ridge RA Requirements

• You have completed one full year of the RA role at USD.
• You are a 3rd or 4th+ year undergraduate student.

Resident Assistant (RA) Role Agreement

University Ministry Resident Assistant (UMRA) Role Agreement

Graduate Resident Assistant (Grad RA) Role Agreement

Pacific Ridge Resident Assistant (PR RA) Role Agreement

Student Leader Testimonial

"Being an RA has made my experience at USD so much more enjoyable and fulfilling than ever because I became part of an amazing community of people who care for each other. As a student leader, I get the opportunity to support or meet so many people and faculty that I would have probably never met. One of the favorite things for me has to be the fun memories I have acquired from working with my RA team and community director."

- Resident Assistant: Jaziel Mayoral ‘25

Scholastic Assistant: As a member of the Learning Communities team, a Scholastic Assistant (SA) is an academically successful and well-transitioned student that serves as a mentor for new first-year and transfer students. Each SA is assigned a particular Learning Communities (LCs) course in one of the six themes, and collaborates with the course’s LC Faculty Member to foster a positive educational and developmental experience for all new students.

Scholastic Assistants for first-year students mentor the students in their course for both the Fall and Spring of their first year at USD, helping with both academic and social transitions. Scholastic Assistants for transfer students mentor their students in the Fall semester, with an option to continue for a second semester to support transfer students who start at USD in the Spring. Collectively, they assist mentees in achieving first-year integration (core requirement) and help new students navigate and find their place here at USD. For more information on the requirements and responsibilities, please review the condensed role description and full role agreement below.

Scholastic Assistant (SA) Role Description

Scholastic Assistant (SA) Role Agreement

Facilitating Scholastic Assistant (Only for applicants that have currently or previously served a a SA): As a member of the Learning Communities team, the Facilitating Scholastic Assistant (FSA) is an academically successful and well-transitioned undergraduate student who serves as a mentor and ongoing point of contact for Scholastic Assistants (SAs) and new students. As a liaison between the SA Team and the Learning Communities Office, the FSA provides timely and relevant information about academic and personal resources available on campus, providing support during orientation days and checking in with SAs on monthly progress. They help create, implement, and attend engagement opportunities for new students, welcoming and recognizing new first-year and transfer students as valued community members. The FSA communicates regularly with the Scholastic Chairs (SCs) and the Learning Communities Program Coordinator regarding SA progress. They also work closely with the Learning Communities Office to support the SA program by planning, implementing, and attending team-building activities, trainings, and SA recruitment and selection efforts.

There are 6 FSA roles, one for each LC theme. Each FSA will serve for 2 semesters and a summer term. The role will begin at the very end of the Spring, carry on through the Summer, and again through next Fall and Spring (at which point they will begin to transition out and mentor the incoming FSAs).

Facilitating Scholastic Assistant (FSA) Role Description

Facilitating Scholastic Assistant (FSA) Role Agreement

Student Leader Testimonial

“Since gaining a leadership role at USD, I have not only learned how to be a better leader, but have also made lifelong friends with similar values. Being a leader is easy, but being a great leader takes work. The student leader program at USD worked with me so I could become a more engaging and active leader in the USD community. I went into it not knowing anyone doing the program, but through our training and cooperative leadership, I can say I have made some strong personal connections with people I would have otherwise not met at USD. I encourage everyone who had a student leader that impacted their time at USD to consider applying for a student leader position!"

-Matthew Querner, '22

Active Listening

Builds understanding through listening to what others have to say and responding appropriately. When challenges arise, reads situations through focused observation and listening.

Holistic Perspective

Willingness to explore one’s self in relation to others. Recognizes the existence of multiple perspectives and ways of experiencing life. Acknowledges that people hold different identities than one’s own. Understands they are a collective resource with other student leaders.

Accountability

Accepts ownership for one's actions and considers the potential impact of one's decisions. Follows through on commitments and acknowledges and learns from mistakes without blaming others. In addition, is able to hold others accountable in a respectful but assertive way.

Adaptability

Applies knowledge to new and unforeseen circumstances in order to adjust and modify mindset, tasks, and role. Demonstrates flexibility when faced with change or uncertainty.

Collaboration

Works with and through others to achieve common goals and desired results.

Creative and Critical Thinking

Thinks beyond conventional approaches to generate innovative ideas and develop new strategies. Considers diverse perspectives to broaden understanding and enrich problem-solving. Evaluates options thoughtfully by identifying the strengths, weaknesses, and implications of various solutions. Applies both imagination and logical analysis to make informed, well-rounded decisions.

Growth Mindset

Actively seeks new and better ways to improve and grow, remaining open to learning new skills, perspectives, and information. Embraces mistakes as natural and valuable parts of the learning process. Demonstrates the ability not only to learn but also to unlearn outdated habits or assumptions and to understand new viewpoints in order to adapt and continuously develop.

Problem Solving

Seeks action to solve problems, and does what is required to prevent them from happening.

Technical Skills

Understanding the role responsibilities and what needs to be completed in my role.

Boundary Setting

Evaluates and determines one's physical, emotional, and mental limits and communicates them to others. Priortizes one's boundaries with oneself and others to support overall well-being.

Coaching and Mentorship

Provides personalized support to help others realize their potential and achieve their goals. Shares experience and insight to guide development, models desired behaviors and values, and fosters a trusting relationship that encourages continuous improvement and confidence.

Communication

Ability to effectively convey info, ideas, and feelings in a timely/intentional way and through various communication styles/tools to ensure understanding.

Conflict and Incident Management

Recognizes, assesses, and effectively responds to conflicts or urgent situations in a calm, timely, and ethical manner. Finds common ground and steps up to effectively resolve conflicts. Utilizes de-escalation strategies and follows established protocols in urgent situations to support involved parties in a safe and effective way. Able to make informed decisions about when and how to refer out to professional staff for elevated support.

Decision Making

Engages all available information to make ethical, compassionate choices in emergent situations, conflicts, and interpersonal relationships. Considers multiple perspectives and evaluates the broader impact of each decision, actively seeking additional information when needed. Makes choices that empower oneself and others.

Time Management

Organizes and manages time effectively, including prioritization, delegation, goal setting, multi-tasking, scheduling, etc.

Advocacy / Voice

Advocates for oneself and others through deep engagement and action within the USD community (i.e. residential setting, classroom, student organization, student leader group, etc.)

Empathy

Aware of, and emotionally attuned to, the feelings, thoughts and experiences of another person to understand their perspective.

Group Facilitation and Mediation

Guides groups through conversations and conflicts, creating a welcoming and safe environment to ensure all parties are able to participate. Uses structured processes to help groups navigate disagreements and stay focused on shared goals.

Inclusive

Fosters an inclusive and respectful environment where students are valued for who they are, celebrating and embracing their complex and multiple identities.

Self-Awareness and Regulation

Knowledge of one's own character, feelings, identities, and beliefs. Ability to recognize one's own emotions, strengths and growth opportunities, and then to use that understanding to manage decision-making and behaviors. Ability to reflect on one's current state and think critically and strategically about responses.

Service-Driven Leadership

Desire to serve in a student leader role and is motivated to exercise leadership skills in order to serve the USD community.