Intercultural Life Peer Educators & Outreach

Who are the ILPEs?

Intercultural Life Peer Educators, or ILPEs for short, are a team of trained student facilitators that work in the Office of Intercultural Life. These students put knowledge of various social identities and systems to practice by leading interactive, dialogue-based programs.  

ILPEs are hired during the student leader selection process and serve for one full academic year. Keep reading to learn more about how you can work with the ILPEs, or when to apply for next year’s team.

Request an ILPE Outreach

Interested in exploring topics related to diversity, identity, intersectionality, and social justice? 

Outreach programs are tailored workshops that explore a specific identity group or focus on overarching topics related to diversity education. The individual or group requesting a program will meet with an Intercultural Life Peer Educator (ILPE) to plan a program to meet the needs of their audience.

Examples of places where an outreach can occur:

• Residence Halls
• Academic Classrooms
• Student Organizations
• University Departments
• Student Leader Team Meetings

All outreach requests must be submitted at least three weeks in advance to allow Peer Educators the amount of time necessary to research and prepare for your presentation with excellence.

Request an outreach here.

Contact ILPE supervisor Tianna Cervantez (she, her) at tcervant@knox.edu for more information.

Become an ILPE

Interested in joining the ILPE team? ILPEs are paid student leaders who work for 10 hours each term (30 hours an academic year) at the minimum wage rate for the state of Illinois ($12/hr in 2022, $13/hr in 2023).

ILPE are hired during the annual Student Leader selection process, which takes place during fall and winter terms of the year prior to employment. Take a look at the student leader selection page to see this year’s timeline. This position can be held alongside another student leadership position, pending the approval of all team supervisors.

Strong candidates to the ILPE position will demonstrate a commitment to collaboration, a baseline understanding of social identities, and a commitment to continual growth. The team offers training and professional development opportunities throughout the year dedicated to ongoing growth. Public speaking skills and an ability to moderate or facilitate group discussion are key elements of an ILPE.