STUDENT LEADERS

(Resident Advisors, Community Assistants)

Applications for the 2026-2027 Academic Year NOW OPEN

Lead Where You Live

WHAT IS A STUDENT LEADER?

Student leaders are students who serve in the residential communities whose main function is to build community and relationships with residents to provide individualized support, campus resources, and academic encouragement.

Our student leaders are intrinsically driven advocates for student connection, development, and success. You'll find that many of our student leaders are widely involved on campus and come from varied academic areas.

Our Resident Advisors (RA's) serve our First Year communities while our Community Assistants (CA's) serve our Sophomore+ communities.

THE STUDENT LEADER (RA and CA) ROLE

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Maintain safety and welfare for residential students
Serve as a resource and mentor by providing skill-building for transition to and success at SDSU
Perform community walks—remaining on-call or “on duty”
Provide social and educational programs focused on resident engagement and growth
Assist with Campus/Housing related emergencies
- Includes: Power outages, Fires, Natural disasters

In Kind Compensation:

Single Room
Meal Plan

REQUIREMENTS:

2.5 cumulative SDSU GPA and active full-time enrollment throughout your appointment
Be in good judicial standing - Not on disciplinary probation
If placed in a building open over the break, one must be available to be on duty for a portion of the break periods (Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Breaks)
Must have one year of University Experience(this can include Transfer University Experience)

For a more in-depth look at our Student Leader Terms & Conditions and Expectations, scroll down to the end of this page.

WHAT MAKES AN IDEAL CANDIDATE?

Skills can be learned, but values are what make a person shine in their roles and careers!

Coachable- Commitment to skill development/growth
Passion to help others
Great customer service skills
Strong problem–solving, interpersonal, and communication skills
Ability to multitask and balance many priorities
Experience working as part of a team
Positive attitudes about living in the residence halls and attending SDSU
Commitment to resident development
Desire to provide a safe & secure environment for students

STUDENT LEADER TIME COMMITMENTS

Being a student leader is more than taking on another activity, it is a lifestyle change. Your floor or building is your home, and you and your fellow RA/CA are responsible for developing the community environment in that home.

Student leaders must have one year of university experience and be a full-time student during their appointment
In general, you’re expected to spend at least 20 hours per week in this role, but that is merely a guideline.
- Sometimes that means spending a lot of time on the floor or in the building with your residents or planning and presenting programs, and sometimes that means studying ahead of time so that you can do those other things the next week. There is no way to determine exactly how much time it will take to be an effective RA/CA.
Student leaders can be a current member of a Fraternity or Sorority
- Due to the time commitment, one cannot rush/pledge/participate in intake/recruitment for a fraternity or sorority while in the position
Must attend student leader training and team meetings will be held every Tuesday night during the academic year from 7 p.m. -10 p.m. Required training for the RA/CA position takes place in August and January.
- You will be unable to enroll in Tuesday night classes/labs.
Participate in University, Division and Departmental programs and initiatives such as Sophomore Housing Lottery/Open House, Explore SDSU, Aztec Nights, Convocation, etc.
Must participate in a duty rotation.
Co-Curricular activities and outside responsibilities are limited to 15 hours per week (this includes student organizations/jobs)
- If you are selected, we believe that you have the ability to stay involved in your current activities and handle the responsibilities of being a RA/CA. We know that your campus involvement is an important part of who you are, and we wouldn’t expect you to sacrifice that. However, we expect that being an RA/CA will be your top priority after your academics.

Attend an Information Session *Required*

Applicants must attend one Information Session prior to the application deadline to be considered. Dates, Times, and Locations of these information sessions can be found here.

Submit Your Online Application

Applications are submitted through eRezlife. More Information can be found here.

Attend a Meet-&-Greet(optional) and Prepare for Interviews

Interviews will be about 25 minutes. Applicants must participate on the designated interview dates.

CLICK TO APPLY!

CURRENT STUDENT LEADERS ONLY

Any current REO student leaders (CA/RA) interested in returning for the next academic year will need to complete the “Current Student Leader” application in eRezLife. Completing an application is necessary for you to be considered for a position.

All current student leaders (RA, CA) interested in returning for the next academic year will need to attend a required Information Session. You will be notified via email when these sessions are scheduled.

Please note, the Residential Education Office has set a 3-year limit for the Student Leader role, which also applies if those years are non-consecutive.

PAST STUDENT LEADERS ONLY

If you have been a Student Leader in previous years, you will apply as a New Applicant on eRezlife. Please note, the Residential Education Office has set a 3-year limit for the Student Leader role, which also applies if those years are non-consecutive.

CANDIDATES IN OUR CURRENT ALTERNATE POOL

If you are currently a part of the Alternate Student Leader pool for the 2025-2026 Academic Year, you will need to reapply in order to be considered for the 2026-2027 academic year.

ANY QUESTIONS?

Check out our FAQ page here! For any more questions, please email our team at reoslselection@sdsu.edu.

Click Below to View the Terms and Conditions

RA TERMS & CONDITIONS AND EXPECTATIONS 2025-2026:

RA Term & Conditions and Expectations 2025-2026

CA TERMS & CONDITIONS AND EXPECTATIONS 2025-2026:

CA Terms & Conditions And Expectations 2025-26

2023-2024 REO Departmental Team

Report abuse