Palo Alto University (PAU), a private, non-profit university, founded in 1975 and located in the heart of Northern California’s Silicon Valley, is a community grounded in values of social justice, dedicated to addressing pressing and emerging issues in the fields of psychology and counseling that meet the needs of today’s diverse society. The students at PAU reflect the diversity of the region, are engaged in their education, and committed to improving the lives of others. The University sees diversity in its staff and faculty as very important to serving its diverse student body (or synonymous with inclusive excellence).  PAU offers undergraduate and graduate programs with online, hybrid and residential options. PAU has an engaged faculty who make significant contributions to their fields and prepare future leaders who make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities.  When you put all of this together, PAU creates a legacy of confident, competent, and compassionate professionals who are at the forefront of psychology and counseling and who move ahead in life by moving lives ahead.  

Job Title: Communication & Engagement Student Assistant
Department:  Communications and Engagement   
Reports To: Director of Comms & Engagement         
Location:  Hybrid (Remote, with required travel to PAU campuses for events)

 Job Description

 The Communications & Engagement Student Assistant will support the Office of Communications and  Engagement by helping share stories, capture events, and keep the PAU community connected. This role is  a great opportunity for a student interested in communications, social media, or event support to gain  hands-on experience while contributing to projects that highlight PAU’s students, faculty, and community. In  addition to creating and posting content, the student assistant will provide general support to the office,  including administrative tasks that keep communications and engagement efforts running smoothly. 

 Specific Duties and Responsibilities 

• Content Creation:  Assist with drafting articles, press  releases, and internal communication pieces for  PAU News. Input content into the PAU News external webpage and help ensure it is updated  regularly. 
• Social Media Content:  Support the development of content  for social media platforms by creating  engaging posts, capturing event highlights, and writing captions. Assist in gathering photos, videos,  and other content that will be used across PAU’s social media. 
• Event Story Recaps:  Help to cover stories from on-campus  events (e.g., orientations, faculty talks,  community gatherings) by writing up recaps, gathering quotes, and compiling post-event highlights  for PAU News and social media. 
• Visual Content Capture:  Attend selected campus events  to take photos and videos for use in content  pieces. Ensure visual content supports the storytelling needs for communications across PAU’s  channels. 
• Content Support:  Provide content ideas, draft messaging, and assist with content calendar planning  as directed by the Director of Communications and Engagement. 
• Analytics and Feedback:  Assist in gathering and analyzing feedback from communications efforts,   including social media engagement and article views, and suggest improvements. 

 Required Qualifications

 To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The  requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. 

 Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential  functions. 

• Must be enrolled as a student in good academic standing (3.0 GPA is preferred) at Palo Alto University   ● Strong writing skills with the ability to summarize and craft clear, engaging content.  
• Basic knowledge of social media platforms (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook) and content creation.      
• Photography and basic videography skills, with the ability to edit visual content. 
• Strong attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines. 
• Proficient in Google suite 
• Experience using Canva 
• Genuine interest in Palo Alto University and promoting the university   ●  Ability to work with minimal supervision 

Application Procedures

 To apply, please submit the following: resume/CV and cover letter to the Director of Communications  and Engagement by uploading your documents to this employment posting site. 

EEOC Policy:  

No Discrimination: The University is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to non-discrimination in its hiring and other employment practices and in the application of its personnel policies. In compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists, employment decisions will be made irrespective of the staff member's backgrounds of race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except for minors), sex, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, sexual orientation, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic condition), disability and/or any another status protected by law. 

As provided by law, and when it is requested to do so, the University will offer reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities, if the individual is otherwise qualified to safely and to the University standards of quality of work, perform all essential functions of the position and if it will be done without undue hardship to the University.