Professional Intern

This Professional Intern position provides a recent graduate with hands-on experience in Student Affairs and Higher Education Administration. Reporting to the Program Manager for Orientation and Access, the Professional Intern supports key initiatives within New Student Orientation (NSO) and the College Enrichment Program (CEP).

As a central access, transition, and retention unit within the Division of Student Affairs, NSO and CEP advance UNM's commitment to educational equity by serving students who are first-generation, Pell-eligible, from rural communities, and from other historically underrepresented populations. NSO introduces new students to the university through in-person, virtual, and self-paced orientation programming, while CEP provides continued transition support, success programming, and community-building opportunities that help students thrive throughout their academic journey.

The Professional Intern plays an important role in supporting the student transition experience at UNM. A central responsibility of the position is managing the New Student Orientation Task List, which guides incoming students through onboarding steps as they prepare for orientation and their transition to the university. This role will assist with monitoring onboarding progress, communicating with incoming students, and ensuring students are prepared to participate in orientation.

The position also supports the planning and implementation of New Student Orientation programming, working closely with NSO Leaders who welcome and guide students through orientation. As students continue their transition into the university, the Professional Intern helps support an extended orientation model and the continued involvement of NSO Leaders as Lobo Companions, a year-round peer mentorship and engagement program that helps students stay connected throughout their first year.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Professional Intern will:

• Provide holistic academic transition support to undergraduate students, including answering inquiries, resolving issues, assisting with course registration, and helping students understand financial aid and university processes.
• Support the management and communication of the New Student Orientation Task List, assisting incoming students in completing required onboarding steps through the VisualZen Orientation platform.
• Serve as a core member of the New Student Orientation team, supporting program planning, logistics, communication, and on-site implementation, including required evening programming.
• Support extended orientation and transition initiatives that strengthen belonging, engagement, and academic success during students' first year for first-gen, Pell-eligible, and rural students.
• Assist with the recruitment, training, and mentoring of NSO Leaders, including their continued involvement as Lobo Companions, a year-round peer mentorship program.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, academic units, and campus partners to strengthen support systems for incoming and first-year students.
• Maintain accurate records, track student participation, and contribute to assessment and reporting to support CEP and Division of Student Affairs Strategic Plan.

This role requires collaboration, student-centered practice, and strong communication with faculty, staff, campus partners, students, and supporters. The successful candidate will be an emerging professional who is passionate about student success, interested in program development, and eager to learn systems and tools that support student onboarding and navigating the transition into higher education.