TPE Volunteer Opportunities

Help Make The Placement Exchange a great experience for all!

As the preeminent career resource for student affairs and higher education professionals. Our vision is to provide an unrivaled service that inspires our profession to transform the way we recruit, hire, retain, and advance the workforce in our field. We aim to drive equitable and inclusive, people-centered, human resource practices that deliver intentional and innovative platforms for connection, learning, and placement that respond to the demands of our field and support the full career life cycle of student affairs practitioners and employers in order to cultivate and sustain a diverse, fulfilled, healthy and vibrant workforce. In short we are here to help people to find their start in student affairs and be able to advance and thrive in the profession.

Founded in 2008, the strength of TPE comes from the combined support and resources of its partner associations and the love and hard work of our volunteers!  While volunteer work is critical to keeping our profession alive, we continue to work to shift the narrative to focus on to people instead of an abstract industry. So, if you have some time outside of caring for yourself and others personally, we are asking you to extend love to fellow and future colleagues of the profession by signing up to be a TPE volunteer. - Nick Bates (2022 TPE Planning Committee Member)



2023 TPE Graduate Ambassador Application

APPLICATION OPEN!

2023 TPE Graduate Ambassador Program Overview Information

The TPE Graduate Ambassador (GA) program is an initiative that was launched to give graduate students increased leadership opportunities and preparation for career entry into student affairs. Working alongside the TPE Planning Committee, TPE GAs connect with graduate programs across the country to promote career exploration, mentorship, professional networking and job search readiness to their peers entering the workforce. They also collaborate with our Marketing and Social Media to create campaigns that will educate and inform entering students about crafting their student affairs career experience. Lastly, but very important, GAs are ambassadors for TPE on their home campuses - able to take input and feedback from their peers and provide essential perspective for graduate students seeking a career in Student Affairs. 

Below is the TPE Graduate Ambassador 2023 Selection timeline.  

  • September 1: Application Opens 
  • September 18: TPE 2023 Q&A from 8pm-9pm EDT via Zoom 
  • September 23: Application Closes at 11:59 pm
  • September 26 - 30: Application Review 
  • October 3: Invitations Sent
  • October 7: Ambassador Welcome Event via Zoom

Apply Today!

TPE Graduate Associate Overview

What’s a Graduate Ambassador?

The TPE Graduate Ambassador (GA) program is an initiative that was launched to give graduate students increased leadership opportunities and preparation for career entry into student affairs. Working alongside the TPE Planning Committee, TPE GAs connect with graduate programs across the country to promote career exploration, mentorship, professional networking and job search readiness to their peers entering the workforce. They also collaborate with our Marketing and Social Media to create campaigns that will educate and inform entering students about crafting their student affairs career experience. Lastly, but very important, GAs are ambassadors for TPE on their home campuses - able to take input and feedback from their peers and provide essential perspective for graduate students seeking a career in Student Affairs. 

 

Graduate Ambassadors Benefits

In addition to the communication skills, interpersonal and collaboration skills, and critical thinking skills Ambassadors develop over the course of the year, TPE provides GAs with the following:

  • Dedicated mentorship (3 professionals with work GAs for their full term).
  • Opportunities for career coaching, job search support, and networking with professionals across the country.
  • Joint meetings with NASPA Graduate Associates (GAPs) to talk about topics of interest in the field of student affairs.
  • Accepted students will be recognized on the TPE website and in publication. 
  • TPE GAs receive free registration to participate in the spring 2023 TPE career fair and placement event.

TPE Graduate Ambassador Position Description

Position Description

The Graduate Ambassador (GA) strives to improve the quality of job search experience for graduating students through partnering with TPE as their official student representative. They regularly interact with graduate students in Higher Education/Leadership/Student Affairs/Counseling programs across the country providing outreach and educational opportunities related to career exploration, mentorship, professional networking and job search readiness. GAs also serve as an unofficial council, providing TPE with the graduate student experience and perspective.

 

Commitment and Responsibilities

  • Duration of role: October 3, 2022 - June 2, 2023
  • Attend bi/weekly GA meeting on (time/date, TBD)
  • Attend TPE Planning committee meeting as requested (once per month) on Thursday at 11am EDT
  • Attend the monthly TPE GA/NASPA GAP professional development meeting on the first Friday at 5pm EDT
  • Serve as contact and resource for peers seeking information about TPE and career readiness initiatives in student affairs. 
  • Provide TPE with feedback on what programs and services students need.
  • Conduct outreach to students and promote upcoming TPE events.
  • Collectively coordinate a minimum of six (6) outreach efforts throughout the academic year.

 

Qualifications and Application Information

  • You must be an incoming or current graduate student pursuing a masters or doctoral degree in student affairs, higher education, leadership, counseling, or a related field.

 

Application Window

  • September 1 and closes September 23, 2022 at 11:59pm EDT