Residence Life creates an inclusive and vibrant community where residents grow and flourish in and out of the classroom. Through our residence community, residents have a sense of belonging where they learn to live with, learn from, and take care of others, as well as themselves.
Our Don Team is made up of Junior Dons and Dons. The basic qualifications for each position are outlined below.
Junior Don: A current, upper year King’s student. Upper year means a registered King’s student who is going into their 3rd year of study or higher.
Don: A young professional, graduate student, or a recent graduate from an undergraduate program. If they completed their undergraduate program at King’s, preferably someone who has at least one academic year between their graduation and the start date of this position.
The position descriptions and responsibilities are the same for both positions and are outlined below. Junior Dons will typically be responsible for smaller-sized communities.
Dons are community leaders and role models who provide mentorship and support to the King’s residence community. Dons report to the Assistant Dean of Residence Life (ADRL) and work closely with the Programming & Community Engagement Coordinator (PCEC), who is also typically a member of the Don Team. Together, they make up the Residence Life team, which is an integral part of the Dean of Students Office within the broader Enrolment & Student Life Office at King’s.
The Don position requires a high degree of independent work, creativity, passion, reliability, on-campus presence, dedication and flexibility. Dons are an integral component of residence life at King’s and are largely responsible for delivering a friendly, safe, inclusive and supportive residence experience. Dons are expected to motivate their residents to get involved in campus life and help foster an environment where residents can build relationships with one another.
Dons participate in a rotational, after-hours, on-call schedule. A Don can expect to be on-call for about four (4) shifts a month. During these on call shifts, Dons work with Student Patrol, Front Desk and Campus Security to respond to various, and occasionally serious, incidents within residence. Incidents can include, but are not limited to, lockouts, noise complaints, alcohol-related concerns, medical emergencies, mental health crisis, verbal and/or physical aggression, suicide intervention etc. There is a Don on-call Monday to Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. and 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays.
Dons will typically be graduate students, young professionals or recent graduates of an undergraduate program. Junior Dons will be mature, upper-year registered King’s students (going into their third year of study or higher).
Additional experience and skills needed to thrive in this position include:
Experience and skills in Mental Health Support, Anti-Oppression, Equity Building, and Sexual Violence Prevention Training are considered an asset.
Dons are required to be trained in Emergency First Aid & CPR – Level C. Emergency First Aid Training will be provided during training in August.
Employment Equity Statement:
The University of King’s College is committed to diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion. We encourage and welcome applications from Indigenous persons (especially Mi’kmaq), persons with a disability, racialized persons, including persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), persons of a minority sexual orientation and/or gender identity, persons who are neurodivergent, persons from rural communities (especially rural Atlantic Canada) and all candidates who would contribute to the diversification of our community.
Our goal is to have a diverse Don Team that represents the lived experiences and worldviews of our residence population. If an applicant is a member of one of these groups, they are encouraged to self-identify on their electronic application.
Remuneration for the Don position is comprised of taxable benefits (housing and food) and stipends.
Taxable Benefits:
Taxable benefits are treated as income by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and may impact income taxes during the tax year(s) one works as a Don.
Stipend:
The Don contract dates are August 21, 2026–May 31, 2027.
The Don training program is scheduled between August 21–September 4 and will include joint training with Student Patrol and Front Desk. These training dates are subject to change with notice. There are days off scheduled within the Don training program.
Dons are expected to be fully moved into their on-campus accommodation prior to the training start date. Dons are required to pay a $300 damage deposit before receiving their keys and moving into their rooms/suites.
Dons are also expected to make themselves available for Welcome Day at King’s. This is the day where we welcome all students to King’s campus and serves as our residence move in day. Welcome Day 2026 is on Sunday, September 6, 2026.
Interested candidates can apply for this opportunity by completing our online application form:
UKC Residence Don Team Application Form
The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. Thursday, January 15, 2026. The application form will automatically close when the deadline has passed.