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Orientation and Student Success begins search for SOAs

Tech is in the process of looking to hire more Student Orientation Assistants (SOAs) and will be hosting an info session at the Roaden University Center Tuesday, September 13. 

The info session will cover the general details that involve becoming an SOA such as benefits, qualifications, the commitment that it involves, as well as a Q&A session afterwards. 

The office of Orientation and Student Success is currently accepting applications up until Wednesday, September 21.

Director of Orientation and Student Success, Allen Mullis, explained what it would look like to be an SOA. 

“A Student Orientation Assistant is a peer mentor for the incoming students in the Fall. So essentially they are that student leader that helps facilitate that transition from applying and getting admitted to Tech to really becoming a Tech student. It can be everything from helping answer the simple questions to sharing what their experience has been like as a Golden Eagle themselves,” Mullis said.

As a once Student Orientation Assistant himself, Mullis is able to relate to the incoming SOAs and tell them of his own experience. “The majority of what we inject into our program are the experiences that we share with others and the understanding of just how impactful a role such as this can offer,” Mullis said.

Along with being a paid position here at Tech, there are also numerous other opportunities that come along with the job. 

“It’s a great leadership opportunity and a chance to further your experience here as a student at Tennessee Tech,” Elijah Sandoval, a current SOA said. “Your experience here is ultimately what you make it and this position itself can help further imbed you into the culture and campus as well as getting to share your experience here with the other students.”

The same experience can even be said for students who have been impacted by SOAs. 

“They help further promote the friendly atmosphere of our school and have even personally helped me during the transition from high school to college as it can be difficult getting acclimated to living away from home,” Haley Payne, a current Tech student said.

Along with the list of qualifications that can be found on Tech’s website (such as you must be an undergraduate Tech student and not graduating in the Spring/Summer 2017 and earned a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better in college or 3.0 in high school if you are a freshman) there are also other qualifications that they would want people who are interested in this position to have. 

“We want students who are passionate about the university and find a lot of value in trying to give back and share their experiences with students and their parents,” said Mullis.

If you are interested you can find out more information at the Office of Orientation and Student Success located at Roaden University Center 339.