Introducing the Hire Achievers new semester long program!
Click here for program information
New semester-long program
Program overview
The Hire Achievers Program is a campuswide initiative to assist departments that want to hire part-time student employees. This program offers a 100% match in funding for these student employees. Our primary goal of the program is to assist supervisors in strengthening the experiences of student employees in on-campus positions and to enhance their preparation for professional work by connecting student employment to the IU Indianapolis Profiles of Learning for Undergraduate Success.
Funding details
The Hire Achievers Program offers a valuable financial benefit to participating departments that desire to hire more student employees. See additional information about the funding breakdown below.
- Students can work up to 15 hours per week and will be paid at 75% from their work-study funds, and the remaining 25% is covered by the Hire Achievers Program.
- The entry-level pay rate for your position is $11.00 per hour.
- If departments wish to increase the number of hours or the pay rate, the departments will be responsible for offsetting the cost.
Our program now offers a referral benefit for departments that refer new supervisors or departments to the program. If a new supervisor or department is referred to the On-Campus Internship Program or the Hire Achievers Program and the new supervisor is accepted and hires a student in either program, the referring supervisor's student's income will be covered at 100% by the program regardless of the student's work-study eligibility.
Are you eligible to apply?
There are certain eligibility requirements of supervisors, students, and the positions being filled in the program. Before applying, review the eligibility details to determine if you meet the program criteria.
Read the program rules and responsibilities to learn more about the requirements and documents needed to apply.
Supervisors of students in the Hire Achievers Program must meet the following criteria:
- The direct supervisor should complete the application and vetting process.
- Any supervisors whom the students will report to must have completed Jaguar Series One prior to approval.*
- Supervisors must meet with the students regularly as a part of the program.
- It is required that all supervisors regularly check Canvas and submit summaries of four coaching chats throughout the year in accordance with program timelines.
- Supervisors must participate in one site visit per student.
- Supervisors must be prepared to give students time to complete their modules while clocked in.
*Alternative training programs may be approved at the discretion of the program coordinator.
All students must be approved prior to extending an offer. Students are eligible if:
- They are a freshman or sophomore at the time in which they will be employed.
- They are work-study eligible.*
- They are enrolled in at least 12 credits.
- They agree to complete the online modules as a part of this program.
- They agree to participate in one site visit during the program.
*First-year international students are also permitted to participate, even if they do not qualify for work-study. The program will cover 50% of their income.
Once the supervisor and position opening(s) are approved, instructions will be provided on how to recruit and hire your student(s). Before applying for the program, review the following criteria to determine if your positions are eligible to be offered as a part of the program:
- Positions must pay a minimum of $11.00 per hour.
- Positions must include learning outcomes and should provide students with tasks that will help them learn or expand their skills (students should be kept busy with work tasks).
- Positions must be posted on Handshake when recruiting students (additional instructions will be provided on approval to the program).
- Positions descriptions will be required with the application and must be accurate to the responsibilities that the student will actually complete.
Student requirements
In addition to participating in coaching conversations with their supervisors, students will be required to complete monthly professional development via online modules. Supervisors should clearly communicate this requirement to students prior to extending an offer for a position. In addition, students must agree to the requirements established before choosing to participate in the program.
The learning component aims to foster student reflection and career development in the student positions. Each month students will be required to spend about one hour of their work time completing online modules and reflecting on how they are experiencing a particular topic in their own work. Supervisors should work with their student(s) to ensure they have time set aside to work on these modules. Each topic is reflective of a National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) career competency and aligns with one or more Profiles of Learning for Undergraduate Success. A breakdown of these components can be found on the Hire Achievers student page.
After completing the development series modules and the academic year within their position, students will receive a certificate of completion and will be able to indicate their Hire Achievers work experience on their IU Indianapolis Experiential and Applied Learning Record.
Supervisor expectations
Supervisors in this program also have requirements they must complete as a part of this program. However, lots of additional support, tips, resources, and guidance are provided to supervisors throughout the year. Our office is here to support participating supervisors just as much as students. We are happy to help every step of the way!
Once positions have been approved, supervisors must complete a brief online orientation to the program to understand the requirements in more detail. It is then the supervisor's responsibility to post and screen potential candidates for their positions. Once students have been selected, supervisors will be given additional information about the hiring process and may proceed to train and onboard as usual. Supervisors are not permitted to extend an offer to students until they have been approved to do so.
The main requirement of supervisors in this program is the facilitation of regular coaching conversations with each student. Summaries of each coaching conversation must be submitted within Canvas. See the breakdown below for more details about the approximate timeline and structure of the coaching chats. Additional guidelines and support are provided to help supervisors and students be successful in these conversations.
| Chat 1: PDP Development | Chat 1 is usually due around mid-October and focuses on meeting with the students to establish goals that they would like to strive for throughout their experience. Supervisors are expected to offer guidance on establishing SMART goals and helping them structure these within a professional development plan. |
| Chat 2: Measure Progress | Chat 2 is usually due before the end of the fall semester. The goal of this conversation is to check in on goal progress and to help students reflect on their experience up to that point. Supervisors are expected to discuss specific skill development and progress in addition to goal development. Supervisors should also check in on the student's progress within the modules. |
| Chat 3: Reflect and Reset | Chat 3 is completed at the start of the spring semester. This conversation revolves around planning the final months of the semester. Supervisors should assist students with setting new goals (if applicable) and discuss how they will focus the remainder of their time in the program. |
| Chat 4: Wrap It Up | Chat 4 is due at the end of the spring semester and focuses on helping students reflect on their learning throughout the year. Supervisors should revisit the students' goals one last time and help the students reflect on their progress and growth over time. |
2025–2026 program timeline
July 20, | Online application process opens; applications will be approved on an ongoing basis. |
*Please provide at least seven business days for us to process your application. Once your application is approved, you can post the job description and begin the recruitment/interview process. | |
August 3, 2025 | |
September 26, 2025 | |
October 17, | Last day to hire initial students into approved positions. |
**If you have student turnover after the initial October 17 hiring deadline, please contact the program coordinator to discuss replacing the student staff using the Hire Achievers funding. | |
Application process
Applications are now being accepted for the 2025–2026 academic year (August–May).
Please ensure that the direct supervisor completes the application, as the requirements pertain to their role. Notification of acceptance will be sent to applicants on a rolling basis.
Frequently asked questions
Five students per supervisor can be hired in the program.
Only work-study eligible students qualify for this program. However, the program does allow an exception for first-year international students who are not work-study eligible. The program will then cover 50% of their income.
Yes. Supervisors must apply and be accepted every year to participate.
The program does not cover hiring costs (background check, I-9, uniforms, training costs, nametags, etc.). All additional costs associated with setting up a new hire (outside of the student’s hourly rate of pay) are the sole responsibility of the hiring department.
When students are about to run out of work-study funds, the student or supervisor should first request an increase. If the student is not eligible for an increase, then the program will transition to covering 40% of the student’s income and the department will cover the remaining 60%.
Students cannot participate in the Hire Achievers Program more than one year. However, departments are welcome to keep their students on their own payroll after the program is over. Or, if applicable, students may be able to transition to an internship opportunity as a part of the On-Campus Internship Program.
Summer funding is not guaranteed. However, participating supervisors will have the opportunity to request an extension of funding through the summer. This is usually presented to supervisors in the program in April and is determined on a case by case basis.
If you have student turnover prior to the hiring deadline (October 17), you are welcome to repost and recruit a new student. If you have student turnover after the initial hiring deadline, you should contact the program coordinator to discuss the potential to replace the student staff.
If you are struggling to fill your position, you should reach out to the program coordinator for assistance. Our office is dedicated to helping our Hire Achievers supervisors fill all positions they have been approved for. We can offer additional recruiting support if needed.
Our office is happy to help any supervisors write job descriptions. Please feel free to reach out if you are unsure of how to write a solid job description or if you would like assistance thinking strategically about how to align your position more closely with the program.
Yes! We have many departments that hire students in both programs. However, we highly recommend that departments plan accordingly for each supervisor’s capacity to manage students and maintain the program requirements.
Want to know more or need additional assistance?
Contact the program coordinator, Karla McLaughlin, for more information about the program, application process, or details about how your department can participate.