Democracy Fellow - IE

Working Title: Democracy Fellow - IE

State Role Title: Institutional Employment/Federal Work Study

Position Type: Institutional Employment

Position Status: Part-Time

College/Division: Office of the President Unit

Department: 100191 - JMU Center for Civic Engagement

Pay Rate: Hourly

Beginning Review Date: 

Specify Range or Amount: $13.00

Is this a JMU only position? N/A

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? N/A

About JMU:

Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

General Information:

The James Madison Center for Civic Engagement is a high-profile administrative entity seeking to hire undergraduate Democracy Fellows to promote and support its on-going civic learning and democratic engagement initiatives (see: www.jmu.edu/civic and www.jmu.edu/vote). Our mission is to educate and inspire people to address public issues and cultivate the common good in our democracy.

The Madison Center emphasizes the acquisition of knowledge to make one a more informed participant in our democracy, skills to make one a more effective participant, and values that embrace the common good. The Madison Center is a nonpartisan entity that works in partnership with students, faculty, staff, and with community, state and national partners, to support civic learning and democratic engagement.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee Dukes Vote voter registration drives, classroom visits, campus events like the town hall series, educational tabling, election day programming, and other events with campus and off-campus partners.
• Serve as student ambassadors during high-profile events at JMU.
• Create resources for addressing barriers that keep young people from having access, sharing their voice and participating in civic and political life.
• Facilitate different kinds of dialogue programming on campus, including our National Week of Deliberation (see: www.sites.lib.jmu.edu/nwod), Dukes Discourse, and dialogue initiatives (see: www.sites.lib.jmu.edu/waml).
• Conduct research and writing for social media, educational primers (see: www.sites.lib.jmu.edu/civic), podcasts, and the new civic engagement minor.
• Assist with organizing and facilitating civic engagement events, workshops and forums for JMU students, faculty and staff, and community partners.
• Outreach to student organizations and help strengthen JMU’s civic engagement partnerships.
• Assist with conference proposals and present work to local, state and national audiences.
• Attend in person weekly all-staff and project meetings to connect, bring ideas and grow as a team.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Exceptional oral and written communication skills
• Exceptional research skills
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to complete assigned work on time
• Ability to collaboratively work as an effective member of a diverse team
• Commitment to nonpartisanship and appreciating differences when representing the Madison Center

Conditions of Employment:  

Students must be degree-seeking students, enrolled on at least a half-time basis (6 credits for undergraduate and 5 credits for graduate).

Students must have a 2.0 or better cumulative GPA.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

Additional Posting Information:

This position is a 6 hour/week opportunity. Selected candidates will participate in a training retreat on Saturday, August 24th.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are a student with a disability and need assistance please contact the Office of Disability Services at (540) 568-6705 or disability-svcs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the Office of Disability Services, located in the Student Success Center, Suite 1202 and they will be happy to assist you.