Skip to main content

Residential Colleges

Orientation Leaders

Orientation Leaders (OLs) are upper-division student leaders who help new students transition to Vanderbilt, build inclusive communities, and connect with resources across campus. As they facilitate community building in small groups, orientation leaders provide guidance and mentorship so that new students feel welcomed, supported, and prepared for their Vanderbilt journey.

Orientation Leader Recruitment Process Key Dates:

Application Open: Monday, January 8, 2024 at https://vanderbilt.erezlife.com

Application Close: Varies by position.

  • VUcept: January 30 at 11:59 PM CST.
  • iLEAD: February 4 at 11:59 PM CST.
  • Transfer Connect: February 9 at 11:59 PM CST.

Qualifications:

  • Must be a full-time, undergraduate, degree-seeking student with at least second-year student status at Vanderbilt University by the start of the Fall 2024
  • Must have a cumulative 3.0 grade point average (GPA) by the time of application and throughout the duration of the role.
  • Must be in good standing according to the Vanderbilt University Student Handbook by the time of application and throughout the duration of the role.
  • Compliance with all aspects of the position description.

Additional Details:

Conflicting Roles: Candidates can apply for more than one role; however, an orientation leader can only hold one role. Orientation leaders are not permitted to serve simultaneously in any of the following roles: a second Orientation Leader role, Resident Adviser, Ingram Scholar, Writing Studio Consultant, or VSG Executive Board Member.  If you are considering multiple positions, you are encouraged to apply for as many as you would like but note that you will ultimately have to make a choice.

Time Commitment & Award:

The time commitment for each role varies, but you can expect introductory training in the spring semester with the bulk of service taking place during the orientation programs in late August and the fall semester. As part of the position, all orientation leaders will have summer responsibilities and must participate in the OL Summer Leadership Training Institute. To support learning and participation in this institute, all orientation leaders will receive a summer financial award. For more position specific information, please read below and consult the position descriptions within the application portal (linked above).

Orientation Leader Interview Workshop:

Residential Colleges partnered with the Career Center to host an interview workshop. To view the recording of the workshop, click the link below:

Orientation Leader Interview Workshop Recording

International Orientation Leaders (IOLs) are upper-division international and domestic students responsible for welcoming new international students to Vanderbilt before and during International Student Orientation (ISO). IOLs help new international students acclimate to the Vanderbilt community by respecting different cultures, creating community, and empowering international students. Each IOL will lead a group of approximately eight to ten new international students, providing encouragement and support as they undergo social, cultural, and academic transition. IOLs also assist with the implementation of International Student Orientation as a whole.

International Orientation Leaders can expect the following time commitments (note that dates are tentative):

  • March – April: 4-5 hours for spring training, community building, and organization events
  • June – August: 5-10 hours for reading the Campus Reading, completing online modules, and communicating with assigned new students
  • August 12 – 13: 14-18 hours in OL Summer Leadership Training Institute
  • August 14 – 16: 20 hours for International Student Orientation events and sessions
  • August 17: 5 hours for participation in Move Crew
  • Late August – End of September: 10-12 hours for meeting one-on-one with new students, attending a small group meeting with adviser, and attending the End of Year IOL Celebration

With questions, please contact iLEAD Adviser Emily Waddell at emily.g.waddell@vanderbilt.edu.

Follow iLEAD on Instagram: @vu_ilead.

Transfer Connect is the student organization that oversees the 20+ Transfer Student Leaders (TSLs). The mission of Transfer Connect is to offer support, guidance, and community to incoming transfer students throughout their transition to academic and student life at Vanderbilt. This mission is accomplished through the facilitation of transfer group meetings during Transfer Student Orientation and through ongoing social programming open to all transfer students. During Transfer Student Orientation, students who transfer to Vanderbilt will meet with their transfer group, which will be comprised of approximately 10-15 incoming transfer students, and spend significant time building community and discussing important campus issues and student support resources.

Transfer Student Leaders can expect the following time commitments (note that dates are tentative):

  • March – April: 7-9 hours for spring training, community building, and organization events
  • June – August: 5-10 hours for virtual transfer student meet and greets, communicating with assigned new students, and completing online training modules
  • August 12 – 15: 20-25 hours in OL Summer Leadership Training Institute
  • August 16 – 20: 35 hours for Transfer Student Orientation events and sessions
  • Late August-October: 10-15 hours for one-on-one meetings with new students, attending Connecting to VU, and attending the End of Year TSL Banquet

With questions, please contact Transfer Connect Adviser Grace Hollis at grace.hollis@vanderbilt.edu.

Follow Transfer Connect on Instagram: @transfersofvu.

VUcept is a peer mentor organization that facilitates the cultural, social, and intellectual growth of Vanderbilt students through CommonVU Orientation, Vanderbilt Visions, and beyond. Student VUceptors are dedicated to supporting first-year students in their transition to Vanderbilt. Each student VUceptor serves alongside a faculty VUceptor, and each pair is assigned a Vanderbilt Visions group of approximately 20 new students that meets on a weekly basis for the first six weeks of the fall semester. During Vanderbilt Visions, VUceptors facilitate discussions about the first-year transition, building inclusive communities, and campus resources, among other topics. Together, faculty and student VUceptors model a dynamic and meaningful professor-student interaction and help to create a mutually beneficial learning environment for everyone.

Student VUceptors can expect the following time commitments (note that dates are tentative):

  • March – April: 9-12 hours for spring training, community building, and organization events
  • June – August: 10-15 hours for reading the Campus Reading, completing online modules, and communicating with assigned new students
  • August 12 – 15: 30-35 hours in OL Summer Leadership Training Institute
  • August 17 – 20: 16-18 hours for CommonVU Orientation events and sessions
  • Late August – Early October: 20-25 hours for Visions session planning and facilitation, one-on-one meetings with group members, and participation in organization events

With questions, please contact VUcept Adviser Michael Wallace at michael.wallace@vanderbilt.edu.

Follow VUcept on Instagram: @Vucept.