Apply to be a Cultural Advisor for 2021-22
Application Deadline Extended to July 1
Why Apply to be a Cultural Advisor?
The Cultural Advisor program is devoted to fostering the inclusion of students on campus. Ideal candidates are genuinely interested in learning more about other cultures, identities, and lived experiences and finding ways to share that knowledge throughout campus.
CAs can be rising sophomores through seniors, and typically represent a wide range of identities and backgrounds. All CAs will live in designated spaces in upper-class residence halls and may be the designated CA for the building they live in or a building close by.
If applying over the summer, the process requires that you complete an application, and have an interview with Lisa Miles who directs the program, and one recommendation from a faculty or staff member who knows you well.
How do I learn more about being a CA?
The complete position description explains what is expected of a CA and includes information regarding the work they do in the residence halls and with SpiderNights.
What do I need to do to apply?
- Review the CA position description
- Complete an application form
- Have a faculty or staff member complete the recommendation form
- Email Lisa Miles to schedule a personal half-hour interview over Zoom
What are the application deadlines and important dates?
Because Covid-19 made it much harder to get to see the CAs in action, we are extending the deadline this year until July 1 by which you should have submitted an application and gotten a faculty or staff member to submit a recommendation for you. Ideally, you should be able to join us for four days of training starting on August 18, unless you are an Orientation Assistant. OAs may apply this year even though our training times overlap. OAs who are accepted into the program will be expected to join the group as soon as the semester starts, and make up the training during the first few weeks of the semester.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, a CA and an RA are separate positions and have separate responsibilities.
Yes, we will consider students who will be abroad for a semester. Please let Common Ground know if you are planning to go abroad when you apply.
This will be allowed only for the academic year 2021-2022. Usually, the CA training process does not allow for you to be an OA as their trainings overlap. If you apply as an OA, you must be prepared to join the group as soon as Orientation is over, and make up the training within the first few weeks of school.
CAs are not paid. But it is a vibrant leadership development program, that includes a generous programming allowance each semester for all your hall and SpiderNights activities, and training that is helpful both in your CA role as well as your life as a student and after. And we do feed you well during our August, January, and bi-monthly trainings.
You have some input, and can let us know the population you want to work with. When you are offered the position, you will be told the hall in which you have been placed, and you can decide at that time whether to accept the position. If you are applying after the housing lottery has been completed you will live in the room you selected and depending on the needs of the program you will either be the CA for that building or an adjacent one.
It depends on the building. Most often you will be in a single room unless you request a roommate, or you have been accepted into an SSIR. You may live with the roommate of your choice and select your suitemates as well.
CAs may go through the lottery and if they receive housing in the apartments and have the approval of Common Ground they may perform their role there. They would be expected to participate in SpiderNights planning and hosting with the rest of the CAs, but for their programming requirement they would host one meal a month called a Meet and Eat for a small but diverse group of students in their apartment. More information about this can be found in the CA position description.
