Expectations and Tiers of Involvement

The Middle East Studies Center relies on a team of interns, student associates, and volunteers to maintain an active schedule of events and online interactions with the communities we serve.  There are three tiers of involvement, each one building on the prior one.  All team members begin with tier one and continue serving in the capacity of tier one as they "climb the ladder" of involvement and responsibility. Tier three is the lead intern who will lead and train newer members of the team in the practices they learned when they first began. 

Tier 1: OSU Student Volunteer, or Cultural Consultant

As a volunteer, you will help with the coordination and execution of the various community events put on and sponsored by the MESC. You will support outreach and academic engagement activities in a number of possible ways including:

·         Social media outreach and engagement, fielding inquiries. 

·         Publicity, newsletters, posting flyers etc.

·         Support for events; whether for pre-event logistics, on-site, or post-event reporting activities. 

·         Driving to outreach sites

·         Tech support

·         Clean-up at events

·         Media production at the Digital Union

Volunteers will also have the ability to attend a weekly team meeting to discuss upcoming events and the current affairs of the MESC. These meetings are optional, but strongly encouraged if you intend on pursuing a role as an intern.

Tier 1 Requirements and Restrictions:

• To remain an active volunteer and/or cultural consultant, you must participate in at least one volunteer opportunity per semester, otherwise you forfeit your position.
• Please arrive to volunteer site at least 15 minutes before your scheduled shift.
• Business casual/professional dress (as the event dictates) is required at all times.
• Work study students start out in Tier 1 and follow the guidelines for Tier 1, in addition to requirements to work at OSU, and eligibility requirements for Tier 2. 
• To be a Cultural Consultant, you must complete the training. 

Tier 1 Privileges and Responsibilities:

·         Access to the MESC Facebook Page

·         Access to the MESC Twitter Account

·         Access to MailChimp

·         Access to BuckeyeBox

Eligibility for Tier 2:

If you would like to increase your commitment to the Center, and become eligible for more professional opportunities, please see the requirements for Tier 2 below:

·         Background check successfully completed

·         Attend the weekly team meeting

·         Read, understand and sign the Acceptable Use Policy

·         Institutional Data Policy Training (IDPT) – Instructions to enroll

·         Drupal Training

·         Worked as a volunteer for at least one semester (except Academic Interns)

Tier 2: Intern-in-Training*, or Academic Intern

After you have become familiar with the operations of the center, you may have the opportunity to become an intern-in-training or Academic Intern for a limited time period. Then you will be eligible to apply to the Center to be the Lead Intern (see below). Alternatively, you may become a cultural consultant which entails outreach into the community to increase knowledge of the Middle East, knowledge of international career paths, and intercultural awareness.

As an intern, you will have a more in-depth role in the Center and its activities. Your primary duties will focus on support for event planning, reporting, and execution, but you may also be assigned other tasks including:

·         Video/audio editing

·         Scheduling meetings and worktimes

·         Data compilation and analysis regarding events

·         Culling current headlines and seeking interviews with OSU faculty for comment

·         Communicating with potential speakers and sponsors for events

·         Web content updates and creating newsletters/flyers

OSU students enrolled in the undergraduate International Studies program have the ability to become to earn credit as an Academic Intern. Academic interns are required to work at least 10 hours per week.  For more information, contact Richard Meltz (meltz.2@osu.edu).

Tier 2 Requirements and Restrictions:

·         Minimum of 3 hours per week in the office (including one hour team meeting)

o   Academic Interns are required to work a minimum of 10 hours, including the one hour team meeting.

·         Maximum of 12 hours per week in the office (including the one hour team meeting)

·         Maximum of two semesters

Tier 2 Privileges and Responsibilities:

·         Access to MESC Computers

·         Access to Qualtrics

·         Ability to edit MESC website

·         eRequests

·         eTravel

Tier 2, other possible tools:

·         Access to MailChimp software

·         iBooks Author

·         Lightroom

          Premiere

·         U.osu.edu (Wordpress)

 

Eligibility for Tier 3:

If you would like to increase your commitment to the Center, and become eligible for more professional opportunities, please see the requirements for Tier 3 below:

·         Attend the weekly team meetings

·         Financials Training

·         Worked as an intern for at least one semester

*Tier 2 intern position can be paid under the work study program.

 

Tier 3: Lead Intern

Interns who show promise and initiative may have the opportunity to become the Lead Intern. This position is paid and provides individuals with the ability to take on more responsibility and a leadership role within the MESC. The Lead Intern will work directly with the Assistant Director to delegate tasks to other interns and volunteers, specifically the event coordination checklists. 

Tier 3 Requirements and Restrictions:

·         Minimum of 3 hours per week in the office (including the one hour team meeting)

·         Maximum of 12 hours per week in the office (including the one hour team meeting)

·         Maximum of two semesters

Tier 3 Privileges and Responsibilities:

·         Access to e-request system

·         Access to travel request system