Want a Part-Time Job For the Next School Year? Apply to be an Associate Vice President!
The USC wants you!
For every USC initiative you’ve seen this year, there’s a team of students working behind the scenes. All of these initiatives start from just an idea; it’s up to the USC AVPs and Coordinators to bring them to life.
If you’re up for the task, the USC is hiring paid, part-time (full-time in July and August) Associate Vice Presidents to work during the upcoming school year. AVPs are responsible for supporting the Vice Presidents and their specific portfolios, reporting directly to the VP. Don’t miss your chance to take a key role in shaping Western’s unparalleled student experience!
Applications for these positions are now open until April 7th at 11:59 p.m.
To help you find out if you have what it takes, the AVPs of the USC shared their experiences.
AVP University Affairs
The AVP University Affairs works closely with the VP University Affairs, Mariana Batista, to conduct research, review policy, and help coordinate ongoing campus advocacy initiatives, such as academic policy, affordability, and mental health support.
This year’s AVP University Affairs is Stavros Liakakos, a third-year Ivey HBA student.
Liakakos explains that the AVP roles, like his, depend on how the current VP wants to utilize the AVP.
“In my case, I act as an extended branch for Mariana. If she needs extra help in a specific area, she’ll task me to do research for that,” Liakakos says. He describes his role as similar to a “contractor.”
A challenge Liakakos faced in the role is advocacy being often a long and challenging process, without instant gratification.
“It’s easy to get discouraged when things don’t go as planned. You might have big ideas going into this role, but not everything gets completed right away—it takes time.”
To overcome that challenge, Stavros identifies resilience as a key trait for success in the AVPUA role. “Advocacy isn’t just about saying, ‘I’m going to advocate for this, advocate for that.’ It’s about continuing to work toward solutions, no matter what setbacks you face,” he explains.
Beyond resilience, Liakakos emphasizes that what truly sets prospective AVPUA applicants apart is their passion for a cause.
“Experience is important,” Liakakos explains, “but it doesn’t have to be USC experience. What matters is that it shows you care about something. For example, if menstrual equity is something that’s really important to you and you’ve been involved in projects or life experiences related to it, that will help you stand out.”
Batista echoes Liakakos’ sentiments. “Many applicants focus on their individual experiences, but it’s also crucial to connect those experiences to the broader mission of improving the overall student experience at Western,” explains Batista. “Highlighting your commitment to student advocacy is key to standing out.”
AVP External Affairs
Working closely with the USC’s political advocacy, the AVP External Affairs has a wide range of responsibilities that depend on the politics of the day.
This year’s AVP External Affairs is Kathleena Henricus, a fourth-year International Relations student who has served on the USC’s Board of Directors in the past.
“I wanted to apply for the AVP role because I was itching to be the person on the ground, doing the work,” she said.
Henricus describes the AVP External Affairs role as unique because of how dynamic it is. As political issues change, so does her work.
This year, her responsibilities included assisting the VP External Affairs, Michelle Wodchis-Johnson, with the ‘Get Out to Vote’ campaign to increase voter turnout for the provincial election.
“Get Out to Vote wasn’t in the job description,” said Henricus. “But the province called the election, so we had to get to work.”
Among her proudest moments this year was attending the Student Advocacy Conference, held by the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). With Wodchis-Johnson, Henricus met with nine MPPs, speaking to them directly about students’ main concerns.
Henricus has always been passionate about politics and advocacy, and working as AVP only reinforced her interest. Her experience speaking to politicians and other student leaders at OUSA conferences throughout the year solidified her goal to pursue a career in political advocacy.
“It’s been really cool to meet politicians and bring the student voice directly to them, and it’s something I want to continue doing,” she said.
Because the AVP External Affairs is constantly shifting their focus onto relevant political issues, Henricus stresses the need for future applicants to be highly adaptable and have strong communication skills.
“I’ve been in a bunch of clubs, and I was a Soph, so I had experience communicating with people about their needs,” she explained. “That transfers really well to this job.”
In addition, Wodchis-Johnson believes a solid understanding of government policy is important for successful advocacy.
“Being politically engaged is a huge asset,” said Wodchis-Johnson. “Part of the role includes political monitoring—imagine being paid to read the news!”
For applicants, Henricus warns against self-doubt:
“Don’t be the person who tells themselves ‘no.’ You don’t need to have 100% of the job description. if you’re even a little bit interested, you should apply!”
AVP Student Services
As the AVP Student Services, Wade Masse, a fourth-year International Relations student, oversees and supports essential student resources like the Peer Support Centre, Food Support Services, and Pride USC.
“With a portfolio like Student Services which is incredibly focused on the provision of services distributed by our Coordinators’ programs, what I help out with is filling in the gaps,” says Masse.
He also assists his VP Student Services, Daniel Klapper, with scheduling meetings and supporting Peer Support and Food Support volunteers.
One of his proudest accomplishments was streamlining the Food Support Services system, an initiative he came up with.
“I was a volunteer before, and I knew how frustrating it was to manually send emails with locker combinations,” he says. “So over the summer, I coded an automatic email system that pulls all the necessary information with a single button click. It’s saved a ton of time and has gotten really positive feedback from staff.”
The flexibility of his role and all USC positions help Masse balance the role with academics and his personal life. “A lot of the work can be done asynchronously, and when things get busy with school, there’s always understanding from the team,” he says.
For prospective applicants, Klapper also suggests that “successful candidates are individuals who demonstrate a true passion and are willing to go the extra mile to improve the management of the portfolio.”
To do this, Masse suggests conducting research on the role to get a better understanding of what the job is.
“Look at what we’ve done previously on social media, go onto the USC’s website to see the different portfolios, and start generating ideas of where you see the role going and how your individual talents could benefit that,” says Masse.
Masse also offers a key piece of advice: “Don’t get bogged down by thinking you need a certain amount of experience.” Being able to articulate what you’ve learned from your life experiences and how you plan to apply it to the role is enough.
AVP Orientation and Programming
Tunajjina Mahboob, a fourth-year English and French student and the current AVPOP, says that her role is all about supporting the VPOP, Sarah Fullerton, in creating programming from start to finish.
“That means working on ideas, promotion, logistics, and execution,” Mahboob explains. “I also oversee the OP coordinators, checking in on their events, helping with planning, and making sure they have what they need.”
Her journey into the role was driven by a desire to see a different side of orientation programming. “I was a Faculty Soph for three years, but I wanted to understand the USC’s side of things,” she shares. “But once I started, what I really enjoyed working on was year-long programming beyond Orientation Week.”
One of the biggest surprises in the role was realizing how many people are involved in bringing student events to life. “It’s not just the USC or our portfolio—it includes full-time USC staff, Western administration, and external vendors,” she says.
Among her proudest accomplishments is the success of Orientation Week initiatives. “The drone show was a highlight—Sarah and I came up with the images for the drones to create,” Tunajjina recalls. “‘Meet Your Match’ was also really popular, and we ended up extending it throughout the year.”
For students considering this role, Tunajjina stresses the importance of genuine passion. “If you’re just in it to have ‘USC experience’ on your resume, you won’t get the same fulfillment,” Mahboob explains. “The real reward is seeing a program you worked on come to life and students enjoying it.”
She also highlights time management and organization as key qualities for success, with Fullerton agrees with.
“Since you’re balancing different programming elements and working with many teams, being organized makes everything smoother,” Mahboob says.
Fullerton also advises students to not hesitate in reaching out if you’re interested in learning more about any of the portfolios. “All the coordinators, AVPs, and VPs are happy to chat and share what our portfolios do!” says Fullerton.
AVP Student Engagement
That’s me! As AVPSE, I play a supportive role within the Student Engagement portfolio, which serves as a bridge between the USC and students and creates a two-way dialogue that ensures student voices are heard.
A big part of my job is supporting my VPSE, Shreya Menon, in various ways. This includes conducting media monitoring to stay on top of current events and student concerns, managing the USC Voice website, and assisting with different student engagement projects.
What I love about this role is how flexible it is—my tasks can change based on my skills and interests.
For example, I shared with my VP that I have experience in graphic design, and she started assigning me to create visual assets for social media and events.
When I expressed an interest in event planning, she let me brainstorm ideas for upcoming initiatives and take on a role in the execution. There’s so much opportunity to shape this role to fit what I’m passionate about.
For anyone considering applying for this position, my biggest advice is to come in with a vision.
The Student Engagement portfolio is still relatively new, which means there’s room to shape how it operates. Having ideas on how the USC can better reach students will make you stand out.
Menon echoes this sentiment: “New perspectives are incredibly important for this role. Bring your ideas to your application and interviews—this will go a long way in the process.”
Another key thing to keep in mind is how your application represents you.
“Your organizational skills reflect who you are as a candidate,” Menon points out. “If you submit your application late or with errors, it suggests poor time management or attention to detail. VPs want students who are not only qualified but also demonstrate their full capability to do the job.”
If any of these AVP roles sounds like the right fit for you, don’t miss your chance to apply!
