Remember when you first came to UBC? You were probably excited but also lost and overwhelmed.
Now you can help the next class of first years find their place at UBC as their Jump Start Orientation Leader. If you’ve also thought about getting involved on campus, applying to be an Orientation Leader (OL) could be the opportunity you’ve been looking for!
As a member of the Jump Start team, you’ll welcome first-year students to UBC, sharing your campus tips and tricks while helping to ease pre-semester nerves. You'll also gain tons of transferable skills to add to your resume like leadership, time management, and communication.
Take it from OLs like Shinina, Elizabeth, Victoria, and Paolo, who found Jump Start to be a very rewarding experience. Here's what they had to say:
“Jump Start gives you a chance to build a community from scratch—there are people who have never seen or met each other before, and you have to help them make friends, start a new community.
This also taught me the ability to put myself out there and meet new people. In this role, I learned foremost how to communicate in order to get things done in a certain timeframe but at the same time, have lots of fun while doing it.”
- Shinina, 3rd year, Applied Science
“My favourite part about being a Jump Start Orientation Leader was seeing how students are so timid in the first few days...and then 3 days later, you see them having lunch with friends in the dining halls. It feels like...I had a role to play in their journey.
I let the friendships grow organically. Whenever someone was sitting alone and I was getting worried for them, I’d give it 10 minutes and there would be someone who joined them.”
- Elizabeth, 2nd year, Arts
“Learning how to work with people's energy in a group was a unique experience. Sometimes they don’t want to do anything but I have to make sure they’re ready for the day.
Also listening well and actively supporting them if they need help is something I learned from being a Jump Start Orientation Leader. There were times when I felt I gotta be there for them and step up."
- Victoria, 5th year, Forestry
“Being an Orientation Leader for the first-ever Commuter version of Jumpstart was an incredibly fun and rewarding experience. Guiding first-year students and working with fellow Orientation Leaders and other colleagues created countless lasting memories in addition to several new friendships and connections.
Being able to communicate with faculty, Jumpstart staff, and older students helped give me confidence in my capabilities as an Orientation Leader and helped me feel more connected to UBC. “
- Paolo, 2nd year, Arts
When I applied to be a Jump Start OL, I was a little hesitant—I didn't believe I was qualified enough. But I really cared about the experience of new students and wanted to contribute, so I applied anyway.
I'm so happy I did because not only was it an amazing opportunity, but I became an empathetic leader and communicator, which are skills I will bring with me into my career.
What are you waiting for? Apply now!
