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Pepperdine | Community

Apply to Be a Student Leader

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Student Opportunities

Are you interested in being a Resident Advisor (RA) or Spiritual Life Advisor (SLA) in Malibu? Learn more about the RA/SLA role here. We hope you will consider this opportunity to lead in our on-campus housing communities and look forward to meeting you!


Summer Resident Advisor (RA) 

Learn more about the Summer Resident Advisor role.

Applications are now closed for Summer 2024. 


Graduate Assistant for Residence Life (GA)

Learn more about the Graduate Assistant for Residence Life role.

Information regarding the 2025-2026 GA application process will be shared with students at a later date.


Academic Year Student Leader Application

How Do I Apply to be a Fall 2025 - Spring 2026 RA/SLA?

The application process has begun for 2025-2026 academic year.  For specific details regarding mandatory information sessions, refer to the email sent to all residents from housing@pepperdine.edu.

Requirements

  • GPA of 2.5 or higher
  • In good standing with the Office of Community Standards 
  • Check with your Financial Assistance Advisor and determine the impact the Resident Advisor (RA) or Student Life Advisor (SLA) scholarship may have on your aid package
  • Submit the online application by the posted deadline. The application has three elements which will be explained further throughout the application process:
    • A series of short essay questions
    • A 1-3 minute video about yourself
    • A reference form submitted by three people:
      • Former/current faculty or staff
      • Former/current RA or SLA
      • Former/current employer
      • A character reference (coach, pastor, etc) can be substituted if the other options can’t be fulfilled
  • Participate in interviews
  • Live on campus for the entire school year
  • Must be available for training and closing tasks before and after each semester. Please note these dates are subject to change slightly and the finalized dates will be listed in the leadership contract sent out with offers.
    • Early August (Dates TBD): HRL Fall Formation
    • December 12-14*: Fall Closing
    • Early January (Dates TBD): HRL Spring Formation
    • May 1-3*: Spring Closing
    • *Dates are subject to change based on the academic calendar
  • We strive for each student leader to have faith in Christ and must live out their faith in the role of RA or SLA
  • Must be available for HRL Leadership Class Wednesday mornings from 8:30 to 9:50 AM both semesters

Scholarship Award

Leadership scholarship amount varies according to position and type of housing. 

Many students' financial aid may be affected by the RA/SLA scholarship package. Please check with the Financial Aid Office about your individual situation. 

Please note: Meal Plan E is currently $2,270/semester and Meal Plan B is currently $710/semester but this is subject to change for the 2024-2025 academic year. 

Scholarship Amount Awarded For: Full Room Scholarship Meal Plan Scholarship
Resident Advisors in First Year Houses Yes Meal Plan E
Seaside/Towers Yes Meal Plan E
Apartments Yes Meal Plan B
Spiritual Life Advisors in First Year Houses Yes No Meal Plan Scholarship (Required to Purchase Meal Plan E)
Seaside/Towers Yes No Meal Plan Scholarship (Required to Purchase Meal Plan E)
Apartments Yes No Meal Plan Scholarship (No Meal Plan Required)

Student Leader Housing Arrangements

Student leader housing arrangements vary slightly depending on building and role. View these specifics in the chart below.

Position Room Type Bathroom Type Shared Common Space Option to Choose Own Roommate(s) Details
Drescher RA Private Shared Yes In apartment, yes Private bedroom in a four-room apartment
Drescher SLA Private Shared Yes
First-year hall RA Private Private   In bedroom, if desired Private bedroom with a private bathroom (option to have a shared room in a suite if a roommate is desired)
First-year hall SLA Shared Shared Yes Roommate, yes Shared bedroom in a four-bedroom, eight-person suite
George Page RA Shared Shared Yes Roommate and apartment-mates Shared bedroom in a two-bedroom, four-person apartment
George Page SLA Shared Shared Yes
Lovernich RA Shared Shared Yes Roommate and apartment-mates Shared bedroom in a two-bedroom, four-person apartment
Lovernich SLA Shared Shared Yes
Seaside RA Private Shared Yes No, unless another Seaside student leader Private room in a two-bedroom suite with one other student leader
Seaside SLA Private Shared Yes
Towers RA Shared Shared   Roommate, yes Shared bedroom and a bathroom shared with 1-3 others
Towers SLA Shared Shared  

Available Student Leader Positions

To provide context for how many student leader positions are available across campus, please view our breakdown below.

Type of Housing Hall RA Count SLA Count
Apartments Drescher 7 1
George Page 4 1
Lovernich 8 2
Year 2 Halls Seaside 15 4
Towers 6 4
First Year Houses 19 Houses 2 each (38 total) 1 each (19 total)
  78 Total 31 Total

Application Timeline 

RA/SLA Selection Timeline Dates

  • November 4-6, 2024: HRL Info Sessions
  • November 6, 2024: RA/SLA Application Opens
  • December 20, 2024: Application Deadline
  • January 5, 2025: Deadline for Three Reference Form Submissions
  • January 21, 2025: Applicants Notified if they are Invited to Interview
  • January 27 - February 7, 2025: Interviews Conducted by HRL Staff
  • February 17, 2025: RA/SLA Position Letters are Sent Out, Notifying Candidates Whether or Not they Received a Position
  • February 20, 2025: Position Acceptance Deadline