Peer Academic Support Assistant (Student Casual) - MacEwan Academic Advising Centre, Office of [...]

MacEwan University; Edmonton; On-site; CAD 23,000 - 34,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base pay

Continuous learning culture

Opportunities for career growth

Job summary

MacEwan University is seeking Peer Academic Support Assistants for the MacEwan Academic Advising Centre. You will provide front-line, peer-based information and navigation support to help students transition to university and engage with advising resources.

Responsibilities include drop-in and live chat support, directing students to approved resources, and referrals to Academic Advisors for more complex guidance.

Qualifications

• Must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student with a minimum of 90 credits completed.
• Minimum 3.0 GPA with good academic standing.
• Experience in customer-facing, peer support, or student services is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Provide peer-to-peer academic information and navigation support via drop-in services and live chat.
• Respond to general inquiries using approved resources and data.
• Refer complex questions to Academic Advisors and assist with booking appointments.

Skills

Peer support

Active listening

Communication skills

Problem solving

Information navigation

Customer service

Teamwork

Public speaking

Education

Undergraduate student (90+ credits)

Tools

Digital platforms

Job description

Competition Number: 26.08.184
Category: Student Casual (less than 35 hours per week)
Salary: MSU Band A (Steps 1-8): $16.845 - $24.515 per hour.
Closing Date: A review of applications will begin August 20, 2026, and will continue until a suitable candidate is found.

MacEwan University is seeking Peer Academic Support Assistants for 2 casual opportunities with our MacEwan Academic Advising Centre.

You will provide front-line, peer-based information and navigation support to assist students with their university transition and encourage early engagement with academic advising supports. By sharing general information already documented in approved university materials, the role helps peers understand and navigate academic advising resources, basic institutional processes, and foundational academic information. Through these peer-to-peer interactions, the role helps students locate and understand the resources they need and guides them toward appropriate advising and support services. The role functions strictly as an information and referral resource and does not interpret policy, apply information to individual student circumstances, recommend academic decisions or pathways, or provide case-specific advising. All complex, individualized, or policy-related matters are referred directly to an Academic Advisor. This role enhances access to advising information through a relatable peer perspective, while complementing the existing Academic Advising ecosystem.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing peer-to-peer academic information and navigation support through drop-in services and live chat, limited to general information, processes, and approved resources;
• Responding to general inquiries by providing a general understanding of programs of study and requirements;
• Providing general information drawn from approved university resources, including websites, brochures, handouts, and published advising materials, and helping students locate and understand those resources at a general level;
• Referring students to an Academic Advisor within MacEwan Academic Advising Centre or Faculty/School-based Academic Advisor when inquiries require individualized interpretation, academic judgment, policy application to a specific situation, course planning, enrolment decision making, or case-specific guidance;
• Supporting students in booking appointments with appropriate advising units when needed;
• Sharing relatable peer perspectives and insights on the student experience, including effective strategies for navigating university life and academic expectations while maintaining appropriate role boundaries;
• Promoting awareness and understanding of Academic Advising services at MacEwan, acting as a student ambassador by encouraging early and proactive engagement with advising and institutional supports; and
• Delivering small group sessions and workshops focused on foundational academic navigation topics.

Skills

• A foundational understanding of university structures, academic policies, program requirements, and advising resources, with the ability to navigate institutional systems to locate accurate information;
• Strong information-seeking and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify appropriate sources and verify information before responding;
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage peers in an approachable and supportive way;
• Active listening skills to clarify student questions and respond appropriately to diverse needs;
• Customer service orientation with sound judgment and professionalism;
• The ability to maintain appropriate role boundaries, recognize scope limitations, and refer students to Academic Advisors or other services when necessary;
• The ability to locate, understand, and communicate general institutional information clearly, concisely, and in student-friendly language using approved resources and messaging;
• Proficiency using digital platforms and tools; and
• Basic facilitation and presentation skills for small group sessions.

Qualifications

• Must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student with a minimum of 90 credits completed.
• A minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA with good academic standing and no history of academic misconduct.
• Experience in a customer-facing, peer support, student service, volunteer, or leadership role that involves direct interaction with students, customers, or the public.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Position Requirements

• This position is on campus only.

Benefits

When you become part of the MacEwan University team, you will enjoy a competitive salary. Our total compensation package includes:

• Competitive base pay
• Continuous learning culture
• Opportunities for career growth