Residential Life Lead

Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) runs one of the most globally diverse, two-week academic enrichment programs in the world. Approximately 600 students attend YYGS during each of the 3 two-week sessions, and they are housed in Yale’s historic Residential Colleges. Our curriculum is highly collaborative, exposing participants to innovative topics while facilitating student discussions shaped by international perspectives. Students have the opportunity to participate in one of four academic tracks: STEM, Social Sciences, Humanities, or Cross-disciplinary.

YYGS is currently hiring staff to serve on the 2024 YYGS Residential Life Team. We invite you to help us bring the world to Yale this summer and mentor students in a very diverse community.

Successful candidates will demonstrate interest in working and living with teenagers from all backgrounds. Ideal candidates will have excellent communication skills, organizational skills, mentoring/teaching experience, and previous experience with similar programs, summer camps or residential life. 

Job Highlights

• Compensation: $8,600
• Supervision and mentorship opportunity
• Summer housing and meal plan covered

Position Focus 

Students and early career professionals interested in exploring global education while immersed in an inclusive community are invited to join our Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS)’s summer team. YYGS is an academic summer enrichment program for outstanding high school students from around the world that is administered by Yale’s Office of International Affairs (OIA). In 2024, YYGS will host up to 600 high school students in a series of three in-person academic enrichment programs, each 2-weeks in length. Sessions will cover academic topics in STEM, humanities, social sciences, and cross-disciplinary areas. YYGS is a unique learning opportunity for both our participants and staff. 

Under the direct supervision of the Assistant Director of Residential Life (ADRL), a team of four Residential Life Leads will be trained and gain experience leading our summer Residential College offices and staff. They will also work proactively with YYGS leadership to mentor and supervise participants. The College Leads and their team of residential fellows are responsible for maintaining a safe and welcoming YYGS community, ensuring the safety and security of YYGS participants, and facilitating program operations in their respective college and during all components for the duration of the session. The Residential College Leads will be trained and cultivate their strengths in facilitating inter-cultural communication, and brainstorming solutions while maintaining a constant presence in our residential colleges throughout the program. They will also lead participants through trainings, curriculum components and recreational activities and will practice anticipating and responding to students’ needs and address them in a timely manner. 

Duties and Responsibilities 

• Lead Residential Life Team of one of three YYGS residential colleges or lead events. Empower staff to work independently and together. Support their needs, monitor their work ethic and quality of work, manage their schedules, and provide constructive feedback. 
• Be responsible for the daily operations of our Residential College Program Offices and ensure all residential needs of participants are met (facilities and accommodations, etc.) and report any concerns. 
  • Participants visit the Program Office for all of their non-academic residential needs such as lost keys, roommate conflicts, maintenance issues, and participant sign in/out of game equipment. 
• Assist with management of participant check-in/check-out procedures. Residential College Lead’s responsibilities include ensuring that all participants successfully arrive at the program (and reporting students who are not accounted for to the ADRL) and overseeing prox card, nametag, room key distribution. Check-out procedures include facilitating room inspections and managing the return of prox cards, and room keys. 
• Work collaboratively as a team to ensure all 600 participants are accounted for in every academic class session (lecture, breakout sessions, capstone project groups, and seminars), residential activity, and all other scheduled event. Actively seek out participants who are unaccounted for in these sessions. 
• Mentor participants and enforce program rules which include respect the property of the residential college and all individuals in the vicinity, including Yale affiliates who share the space with YYGS. 
• Collaborate with leadership to make sure all participants understand and respect the evening curfew and program boundaries while being approachable so participants are comfortable reaching out when in need. 
• Host opening day Welcome & Orientation presentation by residential college. 
• Host Residential Events by residential college.
  • YYGS Speaker Series, this event is a Ted Talk style of opportunity in which participants are invited to share on a special interest topic (can be academic or non-academic) to their peers.
  • YYGS Staff Speaker Series, this event is a Ted Talk style opportunity for staff to share insightful information on special interest topics (can be academic or non-academic) for participants. 
  • Talent Show, this event is for participants to showcase their hidden skills in front of their respective residential college. 
  • Last Night Party, this event is the celebration marking the end of the participants time at YYGS, staff will chaperone this event to ensure participant safety. 
• Helps students when they get locked out by keeping an accurate key inventory and encouraging good residential habits such as locking doors and always carrying keys. 
• Adhere to and implement strategies as set forth by ADRL for disciplinary action of YYGS participants and staff alike, including proper documentation of all interactions (disciplinary, academic, or interpersonal in nature). 
• Be the primary point of contact during the sessions for participants including carrying and answering the program cell phone during the day and overnight (when on shift). 
  • This may include speaking to concerned parents, going to hospital with injured student, or assisting students who are locked out of their rooms. 
• Communicate any concerns about participants to the ADRL in an appropriate and timely fashion. 
• By end of summer programming, submit recommendations for edits to overall residential experience. 
• Perform other related functions at the direction of the Leadership Team. 

Skills and Specifications 

• Has excellent communication and interpersonal skills including comfort with public speaking to an audience of 200+ 
• Has experience in effectively managing a team. 
• Comfortable working with teenage children (ages 15-18) 
• Demonstrates superior organizational skills and ability to multitask. 
• Responds appropriately to stressful situations. 
• Demonstrates flexibility and willingness to help administer the program. 
• Enjoys working outdoors and doesn’t mind walking across campus several times per day and lifting ~20 pounds. 

Is available for occasional coordination meetings (virtual) in Spring 2024 and available to arrive on June 17 for training and work full-time while in session June 21 (9:00am) — August 2 (4pm), 2024 

Experience and Training 
● Required: Successful completion of background check 
● Preferred: Experience working in a residential setting. 
● Preferred: bachelor’s degree earned and/or current grad student. 
● Preferred: Experience working with teenage population.

Application Details

To apply, please email the following as attachements to reslife.yygs@yale.edu

• Resume
• Cover letter explaing why you are interested in the position(s) 
  (you may express interest in more than one)

All applications will be reviewed upon receipt. Interviews and employment offers will be made on a rolling basis, until all position are filled. 

This position does not have any pathways to sponsorship by Yale University. Applicants must be authorized to work in the US.