Presented by the Office of Off-Campus Housing - Position Application

Program Purpose:
Off-Campus Housing works to educate students moving into the community about being good neighbors, good citizens, and living Iona's mission off-campus. It also works to build positive relationships with neighbors and city leaders to improve the quality of life off-campus for neighbors and students.

The Gael Community Ambassador program will contribute to mission of Off-Campus Housing by:

• Modeling appropriate off-campus student behavior
• Providing educational programs and resources to on and off-campus students (i.e. handouts, presentations, information tables, and residence hall outreach)
• Serving as a liaison for off-campus students to Iona's administration and the City of New Rochelle
• Maintaining a stronger connection between Iona College and its off-campus students as well as between off-campus students and the Greater New Rochelle community
• Helping to build community among off-campus students
• Helping to increase civic engagement, civic responsibility, and good citizenship among off-campus students
• Helping to increase and improve communication with Iona's neighbors
• Increasing collaboration with the greater New Rochelle community
• Improving the overall quality of life for members of the greater New Rochelle community
• Increasing Iona and New Rochelle education and resources/dissemination of resources to off-campus students
• Encouraging local business patronage

Job Requirements:
The Gael Community Ambassador position is a paid leadership position. Qualified persons must meet the following job requirements:

• Be enrolled as a full-time, undergraduate, returning student at Iona College
• Maintain a 2.5 minimum GPA
• Reside in an off-campus residence (not commuting from parent/family home) in the local New Rochelle community
• Abide by the Student Code of Conduct and the Good Neighbor Policy
• Have excellent written and oral communication skills
• Attend all training sessions and meetings
• Be available to work 5-10 hours each week during the academic year in the Off-Campus Housing office, including attending scheduled weekly office hours, meetings, and additional hours for programming. Some evening and weekend hours will be required.
• Be trustworthy and reliable

Salary:
$10/hour up to 160 hours during the academic year (about 80 hours in Fall 2012 & 80 hours in Spring 2013). Opportunities for more hours exist if the applicant has Federal Work Study. Federal Work Study is not required.

Job Description/Summary:
The Gael Community Ambassador (GCA) program will serve as a leadership opportunity for two off-campus students, a community building asset for off-campus students and Iona's neighbors, a means of improving communication, education, and resources to resident and off-campus students, and a resource to help off-campus students have a better understanding of off-campus"community," civic engagement, and civic responsibility.

Job Duties:
The GCA will live in one of the local student populated neighborhoods surrounding Iona College and/or the downtown. He or she will work 5 - 10 hours each week in the Office of Off-Campus Housing assisting with clerical tasks, communicating with landlords, neighbors and city officials. The GCA will occasionally be asked to work on weekends as well. During some of the weekly allotted hours the GCA will attend events, meetings, programs, or presentations. He or she must have flexible work hours to accommodate programming initiatives. He or she will actively work as an ethical leader with residents, off-campus students, college administration, neighborhood associations, municipal leaders, and business leaders to help build bridges and form strong relationships.

The GCA will work closely with the Director of Off-Campus Housing to develop and implement initiatives that will help off-campus students become more engaged members of the Iona and greater New Rochelle communities. The GCA will develop a strong understanding of College/City relationships and will work with the Director of Off-Campus Housing to help build Iona's relationship with its municipality. The GCA will also help other students understand their roles as representatives of Iona in the greater New Rochelle community. All of these tasks will require the GCA to participate in one-on-one meetings with students and neighbors as well as make presentations to groups of students and neighbors. The ideal candidate will be flexible and help shape/define the role of the GCA for future students. The GCA will perform other duties as assigned.

What will the GCA gain from the experience?

• Leadership skills
• Written and oral communication skills
• A stronger commitment to civic engagement and civic responsibility as well as an understanding of college/city relationships and local government
• A sense of responsibility and a strong work ethic
• The ability to build community
• Public relation and marketing skills
• Networking and time management skills
• Accountability for your work
• An understanding of how to advocate one's constituents
• An understanding of how communities interact and collaborate

Application Process:
Completed applications are due to the Office of Off-Campus Housing by Thursday, May 31 at 5:00 pm. A completed application includes:

1. A completed application form including questions answered thoughtfully and completely. Email Michele L. Sampson for the application.
2. A one-page resume.
3. A list of three professional references with contact information (phone and/or email) as well as the context for your relationship to the reference.

Based on the completed applications, select applicants will be asked to interview with the Director of Off-Campus Housing and other professional staff members in the Division of Student Life.

References will be checked and a decision should be made and candidates notified by the end of June.