The Center for Education in Small Urban Communities is seeking a 50% Graduate Assistant to help coordinate several community engagement programs. The majority of time will be spent helping to implement the SOAR after-school program. The SOAR (Student Opportunities for After-School Resources) program serves Latina/o emergent bilingual students in grades 3 through 5, providing support in reading, homework completion, and enrichment activities. University undergrads serve as volunteer tutors and are paired with one student each semester to provide one-on-one help and mentorship to the child.

This is 20-hr/week position, in-person, for both the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters.  As the student coordinator, the candidate will report to Dr. Victor H. Perez. This is a 9-month appointment and may be renewed on a yearly basis based on performance.

Position Responsibilities:

• Recruit and supervise 120-150 university undergrads to serve as volunteer tutors 
• Collaborate with course instructors, cultural houses, RSOs and others during the recruitment process
• Supervise, monitor and evaluate university undergrads registered in volunteer/service-based courses 
• Collaborate with Champaign Unit 4 and International Prep Academy staff and teachers to manage the logistics of the program
• Supervise and monitor the children participating in the program
• Assist with the Youth Literature Festival and other activities as needed

Minimum requirements:

• Full time graduate student (preferably in one of the following fields: education, social work, speech and hearing science, human development and family studies, or library science).
• Bilingual in English / Spanish is preferred but not required

Note: This position requires the candidate to be available in-person on Wednesdays and Thursdays from approximately 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. when the program takes place.  The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer.