NIU’s Orientation Office is looking for students to help run one of the university’s most popular classes.

Through this week, students can apply to be peer instructors for UNIV 101, a class geared toward freshmen. Nearly 1,600 students participated in the class this past fall.

Peer instructors assist the professor in the course in a variety of ways, said Robert Richardson, a first-year connection intern for the orientation office.

Peer instructors are required to attend all classes for their assigned section and help with work the instructor may have, which may include passing back papers, taking attendance or sharing their own freshman-year experiences.

The position is unpaid. However, students receive mention of their time spent as instructors on their NIU transcripts, Richardson said. The Orientation Office is working on getting instructors internship credit.

“It’s a great resume builder,” Richardson said.

There are requirements and a selection process to become a peer instructor.

Students must have taken UNIV 101 and must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher.

Last year, about 65 students applied and only 54 were selected, Richardson said.

Sophomore English major Rachel Helfrich was a peer instructor last fall. She said she was able to make friends while doing something she enjoyed. She also said the workload wasn’t overwhelming.

“I think it was a really great experience,” Helfrich said.

Applications for peer instructors can be picked up at the Orientation Office, located at the Campus Life Building, Suite 120, or in the basement of the Holmes Student Center. They also can be downloaded off the Web site at www.orientation.niu.edu.

Deadline to turn in applications is Friday.