Being an Orientation Leader gets you more than just the green polo.
Orientation Leaders
Orientation Leaders
What is an Orientation Leader?
Orientation Leaders are the first friendly faces you’ll meet on your Bobcat journey. They’re here to welcome you, cheer you on, and guide you through your very first steps as an OHIO student. OLs help you feel right at hOUme by living out the spirit of BSO every day:
B - Belong
OLs are committed to making sure every new Bobcat knows they belong at OHIO. They create genuine community, spark connections, and help students see themselves as part of something bigger from the very start. Whether you’re navigating your first day or making new friends, OLs are right there celebrating that you’re here!
S - Succeed
Your success starts at orientation. OLs help students discover the tools, resources, and people who can support their academic goals. From understanding the registration process to pointing you toward tutoring, advising, involvement, and campus support, OLs make sure every Bobcat has what they need to succeed.
O - Own
This is your OHIO experience. OLs help students build confidence, understand their options, and start shaping a personal vision for what they want their Bobcat journey to be. They encourage students to step in, step up, and truly own their place at OHIO.
What do Orientation Leaders Do?
Orientation Leaders wear many hats-- and they rock every single one!
They Guide
OLs walk new Bobcats and families through their orientation day, lead small group discussions, facilitate icebreakers, and help build community before classes even begin.
They Support Academic Success
Each OL is trained to help students understand the course registration process and support the Academic Advisor that will be enrolling our students in their first semester of classes.
They Spotlight Our Experts
Ohio University has a ton of support offices and staff who are here to help you succeed. OLs help students and families find the right place to go and get the help they need!
They Welcome Families, Too
OLs play a huge role in Family & Guest Orientation, serving on student panels, supporting major campus events like Moms, Dads and Sibs Weekends, and answering questions about academic expectations across majors.
Why You'll Love Meeting (Or Becoming!) an OL
Orientation Leaders are energetic, caring, and always ready to help you take your first steps as a Bobcat. They set the tone for your OHIO experience, and if you’re someone who loves building community, cheering others on, and representing our beautiful campus, you might just be ready to join the team.
Here are some of the wonderful things incoming students have said about our team!
“Absolutely amazing!! They were fun, engaging, and helped me through everything.”
“All of my orientation leaders were very friendly and open to questioning, and made all the activities more fun and high-energy. Overall, the orientation leaders I interacted with made being a part of the BSO process much more fun.”
“My orientation leaders were very enthusiastic and fun and made me feel comfortable and welcomed”
“I was super impressed by the overall comforting and welcoming attitude accompanied by their contagious enthusiasm.”
“The orientation leaders were great, extremely helpful, always looked like they wanted to be there, and were ready to do their jobs to the best of their abilities.”
Transferable Skills and Career Readiness
Being an Orientation Leader is a great way to build your resume! Orientation Leaders can gain skills such as communication, adaptability, public speaking, team work, relationship building, customer service, leadership, organization, conflict management and strategic thinking.
Represent and Support Your Academic College
Orientation Leaders can represent their academic college and network with faculty and staff within their college.
Memorable Experiences and Lifelong Friendships
Orientation Leaders support incoming students, give back to their OHIO community, and make lifelong friendships!
Compensation and Other Perks
Paid stipend for mid-May through mid-July (including training and all BSO programs). Hourly pay for time spent working any other programs throughout the year. Shared residence hall room and meal plan with 10 meals per week from mid-May through mid-July.
Ready to Apply?
Eligibility, Hiring Process and Timeline
Eligibility
Students must meet the following requirements to apply:
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.2
- Good academic standing (must be maintained to continue employment)
- Enrolled on the Athens campus at the time of application OR Enrolled on a regional campus at the time of application with plans to relocate to Athens in the spring semester.
- Planning to enroll on the Athens campus in the spring and fall semesters of the upcoming year.
- Positive energy and enthusiasm for being an OHIO Bobcat (strongly encouraged)
Graduate students will not be considered for these positions, but can contact our office for other opportunities.
Hiring Process and Timeline
Step 1 - Complete the Online Application
Students must submit an online application to be considered for the Orientation Leader position. The application will be due by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, October 22, 2025.
When submitting the application, candidates should be prepared to answer the following questions:
- Why are you interested in becoming an Orientation Leader?
- Describe a time in which your presence had a positive impact on others or a situation. What was the context and what did you do? What was the result?
- What do you think are students' greatest needs when they are attending Bobcat Student Orientation? What types of support do incoming students need most?
- Tell us about a time something did not go the way you wanted it to. How did you respond, and how did you proceed?
- Is there anything else about you or your experience that you believe we should consider when making our hiring decisions?
We recommend drafting your application question responses on a separate document to avoid losing any of your responses.
Step 2 - Individual Interview
Select Candidates will receive an invitation to interview with the New Student and Family Programs office. Interviews will be held on November 3rd & 4th, and students will receive an invitation with their time slot if selected.
Step 3 - Group Interview
On the same day as the individual interviews, candidates will also participate in a group interview process with New Student and Family Programs staff and other candidates.
Step 4 - Notification and Acceptance
Initial offers of OL positions happen in November and candidates are given a specific time frame in which to formally accept the position before it is offered to other candidates in the applicant pool. Unfortunately, we may have great candidates who we are unable to offer a position to. However, some of those candidates may be offered a slot in our alternate pool and could be asked to join the team at a later date if a position opens up.
Expected Participation
Student staff are expected to participate in the following:
- One-Day Orientation Programs – January, May, July, and August
- UC 3690 Orientation Leader Course* – Spring Semester
- OL Training* – mid-May
- Fall Orientation Programs* – late May through mid-July
- College Credit Plus Orientation Programs – July/August
- Welcome Week (Events and Responsibilities Vary) – August/September
*Students must commit to attending and participating in the UC 3690 course and OL Training in mid-May. They must also be available to work a majority of orientation programs in the summer in late-May through mid-July. Participation in the other events and experiences listed above are dependent on course conflicts and other student leader training and responsibilities. Generally speaking, the roles and work times for all programs not starred in the list above can be discussed. Students who are potentially unavailable for a portion of the summer are still encouraged to apply and should discuss availability during the interview process.
New orientation leaders are typically not permitted to enroll in courses, on campus or online, or hold other employment during training and throughout the summer programs that end in mid-July. Between these dates, staff members are expected to focus on their roles with orientation. However, students who are planning to take a summer course are still encouraged to apply and should discuss planned summer course enrollment during the interview process.