Peer Advisors and Interns
Becoming an Education Abroad Peer Advisor is a great way to stay involved with the international community when you return from your program. Peer Advising is an opportunity to share your experiences with other students, as well as inspire and help them live their dreams of going abroad.
Peer Advisor Program Overview and Goals
Peer Advisors are an integral part of the Education Abroad Office and play a vital role in achieving the mission of the office. Since 2003, returned education abroad participants have contributed to the development of the peer advisor program and have demonstrated the value of the education abroad experience to the WSU community. While this program does not offer paid positions, it offers professional development opportunities and the choice for participants to earn internship credits when approved by their major or minor department. Students who participate in the Education Abroad Pre-Departure Orientation Skit will be paid for play practice and performance.
The goals of the program are:
1. To provide students the opportunity to gain practical experience in the field of international education by
- conducting Cougs Abroad Advising Sessions, developing and presenting at outreach events, assisting students in the Resource Room and assisting the advisors and other office staff in completing office projects.
- being listed as members of the staff and as Education Abroad Ambassadors on the Education Abroad website. Peer Advisor names and information will be available to site visitors.
- participating in special events including EA Fairs, Pre-Departure Orientation, Mom's Weekend Open House, Re-Entry Workshop and activities with the international student community, etc.
- attending scheduled training sessions and group meetings and holding weekly office hours.
- integrating work experience and education abroad reflections into resume and job search preparation including cover letters and job interviews.
2. Advance global citizenship through
- participating in Global Citizenship training and workshops.
- international lectures and film series.
- semester-long research project that culminates in a showcase open to the WSU community (required for students earning academic credit).
- semester-long philanthropy projects that culminates in a donation to an international project of importance to WSU and a presentation open to the WSU community (required for students earning academic credit).
3. To further reflect upon and articulate the value of the education abroad experience by
- sharing with students how they selected their program and how they optimized their experience abroad
- presenting their experiences to various audiences
- contributing to the development of the Education Abroad website by writing short reflective articles and interviewing their peers, parents and faculty to enhance the website as a resource for students, parents, faculty and potential donors.
- increasing awareness of the connection between the education abroad experience and the local international community.
Qualifications
- Successfully studied abroad while a WSU student and be interested in the field of International Education.
- Able to commit to a minimum of one semester (due to the busy nature of the EA Office, we strongly prefer that students commit to an academic year).
- Able to commit to a variety of duties including regular office hours, presentations, special events and training sessions which may occur during the evening and on weekends.
- Maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher.
- Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills.
- Able to advise students in an accurate and professional manner, and uphold the policies and procedures of WSU and the Education Abroad Office.
Commitment Expectation
- We understand that students have busy schedules and variety of commitments! Therefore, we are flexible with the number of hours you can dedicate during the week. For example, some peer advisors prefer to work 1-2 hours a week whereas other peer advisors work between 4 and 8 hours a week. We always take your schedule into consideration. Please let us know if you have specific commitments that need to be addressed.
- Note: Students who seek academic credit for the peer advisor position will have hour requirements based on the internship parameters set by the credit-granting department.
Supervisors
Kate Wray Chettri, Advisor, Outreach & Assessment Coordinator
Hannah Nevitt, Advisor & Exchange Coordinator
To Apply
Please review the information on the Peer Advisor Application page. To apply, click on the 'Apply Now' button. Once your application is complete, you will be contacted by an advisor to schedule an interview.
Advertising and Marketing Intern Positions
The Education Abroad Office also has yearly appointed internships in Advertising and Marketing. Please contact an Education Abroad advisor for more information on these internships.
Please review the information on the Peer Advisor Application page. To apply, click on the 'Apply Now' button. Once your application is complete, you will be contacted by an advisor to schedule an interview.
Advertising and Marketing Intern Positions
The Education Abroad Office also has yearly appointed internships in Advertising and Marketing. Please contact an Education Abroad advisor for more information on these internships.