Undergraduate Project Leader FAQs
What will I do as a Project Leader?
As an Undergraduate Project Leader, you will be doing the important work of continuing to support students after their three-week experience in the Academy of Civic Life’s Summer Residency program comes to an end. Meeting with the Academy high school students during the academic year, your primary role is to mentor and support them, keeping them motivated, as they complete their college applications and develop and implement their civic engagement projects. You will meet with students two times a month and will be responsible for running workshops and facilitating discussions, collaborative learning, and project planning. Your leadership will play an integral role in the success of our high school student cohort.
What training will I receive in this role?
Prior to the start of the academic year meetings, you will be required to attend virtual training sessions. During this training you will learn about civic engagement projects and how to guide students as they develop theirs. You will also be introduced to different pedagogical approaches that you can apply as you run workshops focusing on both college applications and civic engagement. As a Project Leader, your role will be to mentor and support students as they undertake their work; the training sessions you attend will help you to develop the strategies and skills to do so.
When will I meet with students?
YoYou will be meeting with students twice a month throughout the school year. Most meetings will be in person at Brentwood High School. You will also be invited to chaperone field trips to youth leadership meetings and trainings as they arise. The academic year ends with a practice session and a symposium on Saturdays in May at Stony Brook University.
I still have a lot to learn about civic engagement. Can I still apply to be a Project Leader?
Yes! We are looking to hire students who have an interest in and are passionate about civic engagement–even if you don’t yet have a ton of experience organizing or mobilizing. We see the Project Leader position as an opportunity for our undergraduate students to learn more about civic justice and social action. It is our hope that through both Undergraduate Project Leader training and your work with our program’s high school student cohort, you will learn about and get hands-on experience planning civic engagement actions, which will help and inspire you to pursue your own community-based projects. Your role in the program is to support the high school students, but our goal is for your work to be as interesting, engaging, motivating, and fulfilling as possible.
Do I need to have served as a TA with the Academy of Civic Life in order to apply to be an Undergraduate Project Leader?
No. Undergraduates who work as Teaching Assistants during the Academy of Civic Life’s Summer Residency are welcome to apply to become Project Leaders; however, whether or not you served as an Undergraduate TA with the Academy does not impact your eligibility for applying to be a Project Leader.
Do I need to take GLI 402 to be an Undergraduate Project Leader?
No. GLI 402 it is not a requirement for Project Leaders to enroll in the course. So, if you were unable to enroll in GLI 402, but would still like to become involved in the Academy of Civic Life, the role of Undergraduate Project Leader is a great opportunity to do so.
Still have questions?
For more information about the application process, please visit our “How to Apply" page.
You can also email us at academyofciviclife@stonybrook.edu.