Community Advisor Position Description

The Community Advisor (CA) position supports PAYS participants to build community. The CA’s primary responsibility is the safety, security, and well-being of PAYS students. On a typical day, the CA will spend the afternoons and evenings with students engaged in activities. Much of the CA’s time will be spent planning and preparing for daily community meetings, weekly community building activities, and Friday field trips/activities. Past field trips and activities have included the beach, a museum, a talent show, birthday acknowledgements, karaoke, sports activities, pool parties, trips to the Village and a dance; it will be their responsibility to implement programming for the community.

Successful applicants will demonstrate academic preparedness, strong communication skills, and a commitment to supporting high school students. Educational experience is especially helpful.

The CA is a role model and mentor to all PAYS participants. For this reason, it is critical that the CA maintains professionalism and always exhibits good judgment. The CA must remain on campus in their designated Walker Hall room and sub-free throughout PAYS. Due to the intensive, residential nature of the program, Community Advisors are not permitted to hold additional employment during the PAYS Summer Experience.

After the PAYS Summer Experience, the CA may choose to volunteer for PAYS in various ways, including, but not limited to, as a college advisor to seniors and/or by participating in college planning workshops during the fall and spring semesters. There might also be opportunities to tutor PAYS students throughout the academic year.

Community Advisor Responsibilities

The responsibilities of a PAYS CA are both challenging and rewarding. As a community advisor, you will be expected to fulfill the following responsibilities:

• Participate in a two-week training and pre-program preparation from June 8^th - June 19^th. Opening Day is Sunday, June 21^st. The program ends on Friday, July 17^th. Inability to attend training will disqualify you from holding this position.
• Provide a mature, professional influence to all members of the PAYS community, including students, staff, faculty, community partners, etc., model clear behavioral expectations for students, and monitor student behavior throughout the course.
• Plan, prepare, and implement daily and evening community building activities for the entire community and program
• Teach an elective for (7) non-consecutive days throughout the summer experience
• Mentor, engage, and socialize with a diverse group of students, encouraging students to build community across grade levels (especially during the evenings) as appropriate and consistent with the College’s relevant policies, including the Minors on Campus Policy.
• Implement the PAYS activities calendar, choice of sporting events will be up to the discretion of both CAs
  • If no activities/events are happening, you must be supervising students inside and outside of residence hall
  • Congregating of staff should be kept to a minimum
• Organize, clean, and maintain the Community Advisory Room
  • Take inventory of supplies
  • Obtain prior approval from the Director, Assistant Director of Educational Outreach and PAYS Coordinator before making any program-related purchases.
• Create, update, and maintain a centralized Community Advisor Activity Board with upcoming activities, sign-ups for events/activities, a Check-In/Out Form (physical) – to ensure the location and wellbeing of all PAYS students the evenings, and a friendly competition leadership board for PAYS students
• Plan and execute an arrangement for Room Checks for all students
• Be on call during designated overnight hours to respond to student needs and urgent situations.
• Work directly with Assistant Director of Educational Outreach and PAYS Coordinator when master key is needed, pick up of master key will be required
• Ensure Golf Carts are readily available, charged, and maintained throughout the summer experience
  • Every morning, golf carts should be at Walker Hall
  • Every night, golf carts should be left charging at the ports behind the Draper Center
• Provide support on Opening Day, Closing Day, and for the staff closing the day after Closing Ceremony
  • On Opening Day, plan, prepare, and execute Floor Meetings to review roommate agreements and/or hall expectations
  • For Closing Ceremony, prepare to introduce groups, students, staff and faculty
• Create and remind staff and students of the Snack Set-Up/Clean-Up Schedule
• Support as a lead on Friday field trips and/or activities/events.
• Drive and/or shop for events and activities, in accordance with College vehicle use and authorization policies.
• Record, manage, and up-keep budget and spending for the PAYS Summer Experience as it relates to CA events, programming, and other activities
• Check-in with the Director, Assistant Director of Educational Outreach, PAYS Coordinator, and/or Post Bacc Fellow for Educational Outreach at least twice during the summer
• Ensure the safety, security, and wellbeing of all PAYS participants, including but not limited to following established policies and procedures for reporting incidents and prohibited conduct (as defined in the College’s Minors on Campus Policy and relevant sexual harassment/sexual misconduct/Title IX policies.
• Assist in disciplinary and emergency situations or where conflict resolution is required
• This is a time-consuming position that takes up days and nights (and sometimes weekends – for planning). The job requires sincere and sustained commitment, but it is also FUN and rewarding!

Required Dates and Hours

The dates of the PAYS experience are June 8, 2026 – July 18, 2026. PAYS Training will happen between June 8^th and June 19^th. The regular hours for the PAYS Training will vary up to 6 hours a day, Monday – Friday. Our PAYS Summer Experience will happen from June 21^st – July 18^th. The regular hours for the PAYS Summer Experience are 8-hour days, varying between 9:00am to 11:00 p.m., Monday – Thursday. Friday schedules may vary. Holiday, weekend, and evening work hours may be required.

Mandated Reporter Disclosure and Background Check Notification

The CA position requires the direct supervision of minors under the age of eighteen (18) without the presence of a legal guardian. Accordingly, under California’s Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), the CA position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter. Further, the CA will be considered a Supervising Adult as defined under Pomona College’s Minors on Campus Policy. The selected candidate will be required to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect as defined by CANRA. We reserve the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background and/or sex offender registry check and signed statement of acknowledgement of responsibilities as a Mandated Reporter. For additional information, please refer to the Pomona College Minors on Campus Policy, available here: https://www.pomona.edu/administration/human-resources/policies/minors-campus-policy.