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Residence Life Intern

Program and Residential Life Assistants

Columbia University’s NYC Residential Summer Programs offer immersive academic experiences for high-achieving high school students from around the world. Program and Residential Life Assistant Interns in the Internship in Building Community program design and lead the student experience for these pre college programs. Interns are trained in best practices for community engagement and then have the opportunity to apply those skills during the programs.

The role is ideal for students aspiring to enter careers in higher education, student affairs, non-profit management, social work, and other youth development fields. We are seeking interns who are passionate about working with high school age students, motivated to develop new skills and be creative, and ready to take on leadership in the digital age.

Position Overview

Residence Life Interns develop their leadership, professional, and community-building skills as they serve as a live-in Resident Advisor to students enrolled in the NYC Residential Summer Program for high school students. Additionally, interns will work in a Program Assistant role with responsibilities geared towards program administration, student life, academic support, or community engagement.

Residence Life Responsibilities

  • Serve as a Residential Advisor to approximately 10 high school students.
  • Oversee and uphold the strict adherence to the program’s Behavioral Standards agreement any report instances in which a student was found to be violating said policy
  • Enforce the program’s dormitory etiquette policy which includes executing nightly check-ins with assigned residents. Report student tardiness, disruptive behavior, and care concerns to program management.
  • Work to ensure that students are effectively and responsibly engaging with their course work and community life
  • Research, plan, and lead cultural excursions to destinations in and around New York City on evenings and weekends and supervise attending students.
  • Maintain an active cell phone and remain on-call for the duration of the practicum - with the exception of designated time off.

General Responsibilities

  • Attend and actively engage in a mandatory two-week training seminar prior to the start of the program
  • Perform duties in a program support capacity in the areas of campus life, student services, program administration, academic support, or community engagement
  • Act as a model of proper behavior and attitude for the students of the program, a responsibility that extends to all instances in which the incumbent is acting in an official capacity or interacting with community members.
  • Engage seriously in the program and seek to make a contribution that furthers the goal of building community among the interns, staff, and high school students.
  • Other duties as assigned

Application

Our Summer 2025 Application is now open! For further information about the official internship job posting and application process, visit our application page.

Seminar & Practicum

The Internship in Building Community is divided into two distinct parts; Seminar and Practicum.

Seminar

Seminar takes place prior to the start of classes when Residence Life Interns participate in a two-week training period. During this time, Residence Life Interns will learn about our community development model, gain new skills for engaging students both on and off-campus and develop strategies for working with youth. Training will include learning about collaboration skills, event coordination, conflict resolution, how to navigate Columbia systems and technologies, wellness tools, as well as training geared toward interpersonal communication and organizational skills. 

Practicum

Practicum takes place while classes are in session and lasts seven weeks. This is the time when Residence Life Interns apply their training and work together to create a quality student experience for the NYC Residential Summer Programs. Along with acting as a Resident Advisor to teams of 10 students during their stays on campus, interns will be assigned into Program Assistant roles during Seminar with differing areas of focus related to the student experience, such as special events, community outreach, academic skills, and cultural engagement.

Commitment

Employees must commit to the entirety of the program's duration which runs from June 15th - August 9th, 2025. Hours will range from 30-40 hours per week, with significant evening and weekend hours.

This summer position is residential with housing provided on our Morningside campus in Manhattan. Employees will move into their summer housing on June 15th, 2025, and move out by August 9th, 2025

Please note that interns are allowed to take a class or work limited hours in another internship while being an RA. Some time restrictions may apply such as during the seminar period, but we want to support the overall goals of our interns and are willing to be flexible.

Compensation

Residence Life Interns are paid $18.00 an hour.

Interns should expect to work 30 - 40 hours per week during their appointment. Staff will be paid on a biweekly schedule.

For more information about the Residence Life Intern role, please visit the FAQ page.