This week, applications for positions to work at the Student Life Centre for the 2017-2018 academic year are due this Sunday, March 12th. The Student Life Centre is looking for dedicated students who want to make a difference in the Brescia community, and who are looking for a volunteer opportunity that will give them skills to help them in the future. Does this interest you, but you aren’t quite sure where you fit? Below are some brief descriptions of the roles we are looking to fill, so take a look and see where your interests are so you can be part of an amazing team!
Wellness Education Peers: This position is new to the Student Life Centre, and it involves participating in developing campus wide initiatives to improve supportive attitudes, and awareness of mental health and wellness. People in this position will become experts on locating mental health resources on campus and in London to share with students who may be struggling with mental health. In addition, the Wellness Education Peers will develop resources, gain program develop skills and public speaking skills. Mental health is becoming such an important topic of conversation on campus, and this position is dedicated to helping students seek help early in order to improve their health status to be able to enjoy their lives at university. Think you may be interested in helping decrease the stigma of mental health on campus, while also making a difference in student’s lives who may be struggling? This may be the perfect position for you!
Career Peers: This program emphasizes peer to peer support in regards to increasing student’s self efficacy in career searching, resume and cover letter writing, Linked-In profiles, and more. As a Career Peer you will be working closely with the Student Life Centre staff to deliver career related programming such as mock interviews, workshops, and events. Learn how to give students constructive feedback and improve your oral communication skills and confidence by applying to be a Career Peer!
Mentees in the Professional Mentoring Program: If you are an upper year student who wants to gain valuable experience in their future career goals, being a mentee is perfect for you! Students will be matched with professional members of the community, where they will have the opportunity to network, increase their communication skills, and gain experience in transitioning into the professional work force. Mentees will work with the Coordinator of Student Life and Learning at the SLC to ensure their mentoring relationship remains positive, and supportive.
This year, I had the amazing opportunity to be a Career Peer with the Student Life Centre. My educational background at Brescia has been in Food and Nutrition, and when I began my position, I did not realize how much it would contribute to my success in this field for my future. I learned how to give constructive feedback to students, which will further contribute to a career as a dietitian by giving me the necessary skills to appropriately and effectively council patients. Because I was in fourth year this past year, becoming an expert on resumes and cover letters also helped me greatly in my applications to graduate programs this year. I gained more confidence than I have ever had in regards to entering the work force, because I learned how to conduct myself in a professional manner, and how to properly answer questions in interviews which I learned first hand from the mock interviews that I conducted. Being a Career Peer not only has begun to prepare me for my career journey, but it also gave me an opportunity to be an active member of the Brescia community this year. I collaborated with students to develop blog posts about unique aspects of their education, met with staff of the Student Life Centre to create marketing plans and develop resources for future student’s success, and also worked with a team of five amazing girls who have supported my passions, and were always willing to lend a helping hand. This experience has been more than I could have imagined, and I encourage Brescia students to seek out this opportunity to create their own unique experience that will no doubt benefit their professional lives!