Paid College Student Positions

Join FIRST2 NETWORK on your Campus!

First2 Network recognizes the value of having students at the table to inform decision-makers of problems that need to be addressed to improve STEM student success and to co-create the solutions for those problems. First2 Network builds student leaders to take on this vital role, in part through paid positions.

PURPOSE:

The First2 Network is funded to learn how to help more students be successful in completing a STEM degree, targeted specifically on the first two years in college, since that is the time when most STEM students withdraw. Central to First2 is student voice. The U.S. National Science Foundation has many funding streams for scholarships and summer research programs; First2 was not funded to do these things, but was instead funded to learn how the activities provided can best be offered to support this student success. Students are funded through paid positions to do work on three fronts: to help themselves, to help other STEM students, and to help the network drive institutional learning and change.

FIRST2 STUDENT LEADERSHIP PROGRAM ELEMENTS: “THE 4C’S”

Co-Mentoring: A reciprocal relationship where two or more individuals provide mutual guidance, support, and learning, sharing their expertise and experiences to help each other grow professionally and personally. Students co-mentor with other students, supervisors, and members of their institutional team.

Career Development: The process of managing and advancing one’s professional growth and career path through skills enhancement, experience, education, and networking.

Content-Area Research: Involves studying specific subject matter or topics within a field to deepen understanding, inform practice, or contribute to the knowledge base of that area.

Community Development: The process of creating and nurturing a sense of belonging and shared identity among individuals within a community, often through engagement, collaboration, and shared activities so that they can come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems, fostering social, economic, and cultural well-being.

*We thank our collaborators at Northern Kentucky University’s TRUE ACCCESS program for this 4C’s framework.

POSITIONS, HOURS AND STIPENDS:

First2 Network Student Director Positions – 2025–2026 Academic Year

If you have ideas to share, and a strong desire to create change to improve the STEM student experience on your campus, you are a good fit for a Student Director position. We are looking for students who have the ability to facilitate discussions and presentations, or a willingness to learn, and a interest in improvement work, community building, and professional development.

Position Description

The Student Director position within the First2 Network supports student leadership, campus-based change initiatives, and community-building efforts that promote success for rural, first-generation, and low-income students in STEM. Directors work closely with their Institutional Teams, supervisors, and the broader network to drive meaningful, student-led improvements in the college STEM experience.

This position is flexible by design, offering multiple hour levels and allowing each student to co-create a plan through a personalized road map aligned with team needs and personal leadership goals.

50 hours/semester – $900 – Entry-level leadership role for students newer to First2 or campus organizing. Supports change ideas, attends training, engages in outreach, and participates in campus cohort meetings.
100 hours/semester – $1,800 – Intermediate role for students with prior First2 or leadership experience. Takes ownership of a change idea, mentors peers, helps lead campus engagement efforts, and represents student voice in Institutional Team work.
150 hours/semester – $2,700 – Advanced role for returning student leaders. Leads or co-leads major projects, mentors other student leaders, facilitates team planning, and serves as a bridge between students and staff on program-wide initiatives.

Student Directors work with their supervisors and the First2 team to develop a personalized road map that outlines their activities, responsibilities, and goals for the academic year.

Core Responsibilities:

Road Maps:

Submit within first two weeks of the fall semester; update at the beginning of spring
Define leadership goals, responsibilities, and contributions to team efforts
Optional: include ambassador activities, dean meetings, or research support

Supervision:

Participate in a supervision check-in with the supervisor and a First2 staff member(s)
Maintain regular supervisor meetings and document minutes and progress

Campus Check-ins and Events:

Join campus check-ins twice per semester (Oct/Nov and Feb/Mar) with First2 staff member(s)
Attend at least one in-person leadership event (fall event, spring event, or spring conference)
Higher-hour Student Directors may support event planning and facilitation

Institutional Team Participation & Student Voice

Attend and contribute to Institutional Team meetings
Collaboratively define how student voice will be integrated into team work

Change Ideas & Improvement Science:

Plan and implement at least one change idea per year related to Institutional Team work
Present a poster at the spring conference (virtual submission optional)
Participate in current coaching support structure led by Improvement Science Team

Power Skills Training:

Complete one WV Jobs Network’s Power Skills Certification course (approx. 1–3 hrs/week)
Includes coaching, modules, and digital credentialing for resumes and portfolios

Outreach & Ambassador Events:

Attend five approved STEM outreach or learning events per semester (e.g., club meetings, field trips, PDSA cycles)
May include legislative, campus, or conference ambassador work

Reflection & Reporting:

Submit one journal reflection (December)
Keep road map and meeting notes updated and filed

Optional Responsibilities:

Attend the fall virtual conference
Attend the spring in-person conference (strongly encouraged)
Support Institutional Team educational research and data work
Engage in additional onboarding elements

Dropped Requirements from Previous Years:

No All Hands Meetings
No Monthly Student Director Meetings
No additional journal prompts
No anonymous feedback forms

QUALIFICATIONS:

Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
Enrolled in a STEM major (per WV STEM Scholarship criteria set by the WV HEPC) at a WV or KY institution
Preference will be given to first-generation, rural, or Pell-eligible students
Interest in leadership, STEM success for all, improvement science, and facilitation

BENEFITS

Opportunity to lead change, build skills, and advance STEM in WV
Educational stipend up to $2,700/semester based on hour tier
Paid travel, meals, and lodging for required in-person events
Professional development, leadership development, mentoring, and Power Skills certification

First2 Network Summer Student Director Positions – Summer 2026

Position Description

The Summer Student Director position within the First2 Network supports student leadership, campus-based change initiatives, and community-building efforts that promote success for rural, first-generation, and low-income students in STEM. Directors work closely with their Institutional Teams, supervisors, and the broader network to drive meaningful, student-led improvements in the college STEM experience.

75 hours/summer – $1,350 – Summer Student Directors play a crucial role in organizing and executing various onboarding and orientation activities to support new students and institutional team members. This position requires a proactive individual with strong organizational and communication skills to ensure a smooth transition into the academic year. Summer Student Directors work with supervisors to make a customized plan for their work based on the following framework of program elements. 75 hours per summer minimum.

Summer Student Directors work with their supervisors and the First2 team to develop a personalized road map that outlines their activities, responsibilities, and goals for the summer.

Core Responsibilities:

Road Maps:

Submit within first two weeks of the summer term; update throughout the summer as needed
Define leadership goals, responsibilities, and contributions to team efforts
Optional: include ambassador activities, dean meetings, or research support

Supervision:

Participate in a supervision check-in with the supervisor and a First2 staff member(s)
Maintain regular supervisor meetings and document minutes and progress

Campus Check-ins and Events:

Join campus check-ins twice per term with First2 staff member(s)
Attend at least one in-person leadership event

Institutional Team Participation & Student Voice:

Attend and contribute to Institutional Team meetings
Collaboratively define how student voice will be integrated into team work

Change Ideas & Improvement Science:

Plan and implement at least one change idea per year related to Institutional Team work
Present a poster at the spring (2027) conference (virtual submission optional)
Participate in current coaching support structure led by Improvement Science Team

Power Skills Training:

Complete one WV Jobs Network’s Power Skills Certification course (approx. 1–3 hrs/week)
Includes coaching, modules, and digital credentialing for resumes and portfolios

Outreach & Ambassador Events:

Attend five approved STEM outreach or learning events per semester (e.g., club meetings, field trips, PDSA cycles)
May include legislative, campus, or conference ambassador work

Reflection & Reporting:

Submit one journal reflection (TBD)
Keep road map and meeting notes updated and filed

Optional Responsibilities

Support Institutional Team educational research and data work
Engage in additional onboarding elements
Support event planning and facilitation

Dropped Requirements from Previous Years

No All Hands Meetings
No Monthly Director Meetings
No additional journal prompts
No anonymous feedback forms

QUALIFICATIONS:

Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
Enrolled in a STEM major (per WV STEM Scholarship criteria set by the WV HEPC) at a WV or KY institution
Preference will be given to first-generation, rural, or Pell-eligible students
Interest in leadership, STEM success for all, improvement science, and facilitation

BENEFITS

Opportunity to lead change, build skills, and advance STEM in WV
Educational stipend of $1,350/summer
Paid travel, meals, and lodging for required in-person events
Professional development, leadership development, mentoring, and Power Skills certification

APPLICATION:

To apply for one of these paid student leadership positions with the First2 Network, please use the button below to access our application.

FIRST2 PAID STUDENT POSITION APPLICATION

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Can’t complete your minimum requirements? Having trouble?

Remember that you can attend FIrst2 Network meetings (listed on our calendar here); you’ll get a chance to build relationships with others and participate in input and decision-making in real time.

If you’re having trouble connecting with First2 activities, reach out to our Program Coordinator (first2studentcoordinator@gmail.com) for support in making a plan to get on track. If you can’t complete something, you can always propose an alternative and these will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for approval.

ANY requirement that does not work for your specific circumstances can be addressed on an individual basis. Email both the Program Coordinator (first2studentcoordinator@gmail.com) and your supervisor suggesting an alternative(s) that achieves the same end goal and the student support staff team will review your request. Don’t be shy to ask…we know everyone has different things that come up in family and in life.

PROGRAM RATIONALE:

Research and Internships: A key piece of our project is improve students’ STEM self-efficacy and professional skills by engaging them in research, immersing them in the professional STEM community early in their academic career.

Ambassador Activities: Another core piece of our grant proposal is to have First2 students serve as ambassadors to other stakeholders – both to their hometowns and to decision-makers in leadership roles. Through Ambassador activities, First2 Network student leaders help to drive education and systems change so that all students can be more successful. First2 students do outreach to their hometown high schools to help better prepare potential STEM students to transition to (and through) STEM degree programs in college, often by sharing their own experience of college, reflections on what did/did not prepare them well, and tips for success. FIrst2 students also meet with college administrators, legislators, and other institutional and state leaders to share their experiences and to share what First2 is learning about how colleges can change so that more students thrive, graduate, and enter a satisfying career in STEM. This also provides a way for First2 students to “pay it forward” with a service activity.

Educational Research and Evaluation: For the network to function and accomplish our goals to improve the STEM ecosystem to double to the graduation rate for all STEM students, we need to maintain professional standards of accountability. One of the main goals of the network is to learn with our students about barriers and solutions, and this work is led by our research and evaluation teams.

Conferences: First2 students have reported that one of the biggest benefits to them in the FIrst2 Network is the personal and professional networking; our conferences are where the majority of this networking happens. Students are also integral voices as we present and reflect together during these convenings, and it is essential to have students at the table to make sure our work is grounded with student realities.

Journals: We need to be able to share student experiences and reflections across the network, with strategic partners, with NSF, and with funders. These experiences should be real and authentic, and capture both successes and challenges. Although we spend time reflecting verbally in conversations, these journal entries are designed to share written insights. They are extremely valuable in network reflection, change, and reporting.

Network-wide Events and Trainings: Students have reported that knowing the other students across the network and building relationships in statewide student spaces is important to students and to the health of the network.

Campus Clubs: Campus Clubs are the main way within First2 to build a supportive social community that includes peers, faculty, and others at your school. Our research has shown connections between the level of engagement/leadership in First2 activities and academic persistence. Students who have more interaction with their First2 campus club have been shown to have more input and leadership in the First2 Network. Students with higher engagement in the Network are more likely to persist in their STEM degree programs! Clubs have been an important place where students receive support from older students and staff, and have been critical in supporting students to persist in STEM degrees.