Want a Part-Time Job for the Next School Year? Apply to be an External Affairs Coordinator!

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 start from just an idea; it’s up to the USC Coordinators to bring them to life.

If you’re up for the task, the USC is hiring paid, part-time Coordinators to work during the upcoming school year. As the name suggests, Coordinators are responsible for coordinating the USC’s initiatives, reporting directly to one of the Vice-Presidents. 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.

One exciting opportunity for the upcoming school year is working with the External Affairs portfolio.

Next year, the Coordinator roles for the portfolio are changing slightly—the USC will be hiring a Municipal Affairs Coordinator and a Provincial/Federal Affairs Coordinator.

To help you find out if you have what it takes, the current External Affairs Coordinator from the team shared their experiences.

External Affairs Coordinator

The External Affairs Coordinators support the VPEA in “maintaining and building relationships with the community and government to represent students’ concerns to decision makers at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels.”

One of this year’s External Affairs Coordinators is Nathan Ayele, a third-year Commercial Aviation Management and Political Science student at Western.

Ayele’s work spans policy development, advocacy campaigns, and event planning—all aimed at strengthening student representation in government.

“Some of my work is policy-based. For example, I wrote a body text brief for a policy paper that my VP submitted to the provincial government for their budget,” explains Ayele. 

He specifically worked on the Blue Ribbon Panel recommendation for the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA), which addressed financial instability in post-secondary institutions.

Beyond policy work, Nathan also contributes to event planning. “I helped organize Pints and Politics, an event where city councillors attend. I handled the logistics, website info, QR codes, and promotions,” he shares. 

His role also extends to coordinating advocacy efforts, such as Advocacy Day, which was hosted by the USC to bring awareness about its advocacy initiatives and successes.

“For Advocacy Day, I made all the questions for the Kahoot with grand prizes,” he recalls.

One of Ayele’s biggest surprises in the role was how event-heavy it was. 

“Going into this, I thought it would be mostly policy work, but there’s a lot of campaign planning and events,” he says. “I had to ask Michelle a lot of questions at first, but that’s okay and it’s been a great learning experience.”

Nathan’s motivation for joining the External Affairs team stems from his background and family history. 

“My mom grew up in a Communist state, so she did not have the privilege of freely participating in politics,” Nathan recalls. “Elections were tailored to one party, and there’s no going to the ballot box. But being born and raised here, I have that privilege. It’s why I feel a responsibility to be involved.”

As a Black student, Nathan also sees advocacy as a way to bring underrepresented voices to the table. 

“Everybody’s perspective should be valued and everybody’s perspective is important. But it won’t be heard until you speak up for yourself. If I don’t speak up, who will?” he says.

For Nathan, the most rewarding part of his role isn’t a single event or policy—it’s the overall impact. 

“The entire experience is meaningful,” he says. “Knowing that the work we do can influence legislation and create a better future for students, one in which we’re able to afford university without so many barriers, housing, and basic human rights, that’s what’s most fulfilling.”

When asked what helped him stand out in the hiring process, Nathan emphasizes the importance of passion over experience. 

“I think being someone with an open mind and a willingness to listen is key,” he says. “Politics is an area where everybody has different opinions—you can’t go in thinking, ‘It’s my way or the highway.’ You have to be able to work with others.”

He reassures prospective applicants that prior government experience isn’t necessary. 

“Even when I got the position I was sort of shocked because I felt that there were other candidates that could have stronger experience, so it makes me wonder what made me stand out,” says Ayele. 

“So, I think you don’t need to have worked for an MP or been on a political campaign. What really matters is having a passion for advocacy and wanting to make change so your VP knows that you’re going to work really hard for students,” he explains.

If the External Affairs team sounds like the right fit for you, don’t miss your chance to apply!