Student - Summer Community Tour Guide & Event Specialist

Soka University of America (SUA) is a distinctive institution located in Aliso Viejo, California, known for its dedication to fostering global citizenship, humanistic education, and community engagement. As a private liberal arts university, SUA emphasizes interdisciplinary learning and cultural diversity, offering students a unique blend of academic excellence and personal growth. The university's campus features a welcoming environment enriched by beautiful facilities, including the Founders Hall Art Gallery and scenic walking paths, which provide an inspiring backdrop for education and community interaction.

The Office of Community Relations, part of the Strategic Marketing & Communications (CR/SMC) department, acts as the critical link between SUA and the wider Orange County community. This office plays a vital role in cultivating and maintaining strong ties with a broad array of stakeholders including city officials, local residents, neighboring schools, nonprofits, alumni, donors, and supporters of the arts. Through signature initiatives such as the Summer at Soka concert series and the biannual art exhibitions held in the Founders Hall Art Gallery, the office enriches the cultural and social fabric of the community. Student employees are an integral part of these programs, contributing their professionalism, warmth, and authenticity to every event and engagement.

The Community Relations team is currently seeking energetic and passionate students to serve as brand ambassadors and join as part of this community-centric workforce. This dual-role student position provides an exceptional opportunity to develop and refine critical professional skills in areas such as public speaking, event management, and community engagement. Working as both tour guides and event specialists, student employees become the public face of the university, helping to advance SUA's mission while interacting with a diverse audience that includes prospective students and families, alumni, donors, city officials, and community leaders.

As a Community Tour Guide, students will lead walking tours around the campus, showcasing SUA's academic programs, student life, sustainable initiatives, and the institution's rich history. Guides share personal experiences, answer questions with enthusiasm and accuracy, and adjust their communication style to connect with people from various backgrounds and ages. This role also includes communicating with prospective visitors via phone, email, and virtual meetings to coordinate tour details and occasionally operating the campus golf cart to provide accessible tours.

In the capacity of an Event Support Specialist, students support the planning and execution of a variety of on-campus, off-campus, and virtual events designed to strengthen SUA's community partnerships and enhance public engagement. Responsibilities include guest hospitality, event logistics, signage placement, setup and breakdown, and providing wayfinding assistance. Students work closely with SMC staff to ensure smooth event operations and maintain a professional and positive demeanor in dynamic, public-facing situations.

Additional bonus opportunities allow for engagement in front desk and administrative tasks, providing hands-on experience in office operations while supporting the Community Relations team.

This position requires a commitment of approximately 2 to 10 hours per week with potential increases during peak event seasons such as gallery openings, admissions visit days, and major community gatherings. Flexibility to work some evenings, weekends, and occasional holidays is necessary. This role offers a competitive base salary, with compensation commensurate with experience and qualifications.

By joining the Community Relations team at SUA, students gain invaluable professional development including advanced public speaking, cross-cultural communication, event coordination, problem-solving, and autonomous work experience. The position also builds opportunities for networking with influential community members such as alumni, donors, arts patrons, and civic leaders while fostering career-ready skills in marketing, communications, and public relations within a respected academic institution. This role is ideal for students who are reliable, detail-oriented, enthusiastic about representing their university, and passionate about contributing to a vibrant, diverse community.