Student Orientation Counselor

Position Title: Student Orientation Counselor

Department: New Student Orientation

Advertised Pay: $12.00/hour

Campus Location: Washburn University

Special Instructions to Applicants: Resume required.

Position Summary

Student Orientation Counselors (SOCs) are a group of undergraduate students who share their enthusiasm for the college experience at Washburn. SOCs welcome new students and families to the Washburn community. SOCs interact with new students and families and contribute to the overall recruiting and retention efforts of Washburn University and Washburn Tech.

About Washburn University

Washburn University is a teaching-focused, student-centered, public institution located in the metropolitan setting of Topeka that has earned national recognition for its high-impact programs for first-generation students.

Washburn has a student body of over 5,500 undergraduate, graduate, and law students, a significant and growing number of whom are first-generation and Pell-Grant eligible. The University has created educational pathways for all students to be successful and achieve their educational goals.

Washburn is dedicated to recruiting and retaining a dynamic faculty, staff, and student body and cultivating a robust learning and working environment and curriculum.

We employ more than one thousand faculty and staff on our campuses throughout Topeka and strive to offer competitive wages, an excellent benefits program, and a supportive culture and a healthy work/life balance.

Washburn seeks to create an environment that reflects our core values for creating positive IMPACT: inclusion, modernization, partnership, achievement, community and transformation. In 2024, Washburn was recognized as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to Great Colleges to Work For® program.

Essential Functions

Serve as a representative of Washburn, helping students and families transition into the culture of college and academic learning.

• Work collaboratively with Washburn students, staff, and faculty on all campuses.
• Share your student experience at Washburn through Q&A panels and group discussions.
• Give campus and residence hall tours.
• Assist new students with online tools such as Outlook, Navigate, D2L, Duo, and MyWashburn.
• Provide an encouraging and authentic experience at Orientation and Welcome Week events.
• Maintain confidentiality of personal information for students, families, staff, and faculty.
• Participate and attend all training sessions in preparation for New Student Orientation events.

Non-Essential Functions

• Prepare and organize materials for related events.
• May be asked to carry boxes, transport materials up and down stairs, and across campus buildings.

May be asked to use computer software for orientation-related duties (i. e.

• Outlook, MyWashburn, Slate).
• May be asked to operate audiovisual technology during orientation events.
• May be asked to travel to one of the Washburn Tech campuses for their orientation events.

Assist with recruitment and retention events for departments within Enrollment Management and the Center for Student Success and Retention.

Required Qualifications

• Must be enrolled full-time and intend to be enrolled through the Fall 2026 semester at Washburn University.
• Preferred 2.5 GPA.

• Ability to adapt and be flexible with changing situations.
• Ability to do public speaking and communicate effectively with incoming students and families, including group interactions.
• Ability to be responsible, motivated and interested in helping fellow students succeed.
• Ability to articulate Washburn knowledge and connect students and families to necessary resources to address questions and concerns.
• Ability to work in a team setting and engage with all populations.

Ability to work 5-10 hours per week in March - April 2026; 30-40 hours per week in May - June 2026; as well as the week before classes (including Saturday & Sunday) and the couple weeks of Fall 2026 semester.

Preferred Qualifications

Maintain 2.5 GPA

Hourly, Part time, Varies, Varies/Shift

Background Check Required