A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and must be attached as the first page of your resume. The letter should address your specific interest in and fit with this GSSA position. Please include your University Department/Program affiliation and year in graduate studies.

This position works with Rackham's Professional Development and Engagement Team to assist with implementation of Rackham?s Public Scholarship programs and Doctoral Intern Fellowship programs. The role reports the Assistant Director for Experiential Learning, and will also work closely with the Program Specialist for Doctoral Internships. The role will be shaped in consultation with the selected candidate around the areas and needs below: 

To support Rackham's public scholarship programs, the GSSA will assist with design, implementation, facilitation, and evaluation of Rackham's public scholarship programs, including Public Scholarship Grants, Institute for Social Change, and the Engaged Pedagogy Initiative. The GSSA will also assist with developing and implementing new program ideas if they have interest, summarizing program evaluation data for reporting, and updating content for our website. 

To support Rackham's Doctoral Intern Fellowship Program, the GSSA will help to maintain and update the content and curriculum for an asynchronous internship guide, and synchronous and asynchronous professional development workshops for students completing doctoral intern fellowships (experience with instructional design would be beneficial).  

The GSSA will also regularly assist with the setup and on-going data entry for an internship posting system, enter and compile internship program data, and analyze outcome data based on student surveys of those who completed internships as a part of the program.

This GSSA position is ideal for those who are interested in program development, implementation, and administration, public engagement in higher education, career development, community engaged learning and research, outreach, career diversity for Ph.D. programs, and the civic responsibility of public higher education. Because we are committed to diversity, we aspire to develop and nurture the individual and collective skills to recognize, celebrate, and deploy difference as a path to engagement, innovation, and the generation of new ideas and knowledge.

Appointment Period: Fall 2025 (This position is for one term with renewal contingent upon completion of performance expectations and available funding).

Estimated FTE: 50% (20 hours per week)

Compensation: This appointment provides tuition, required fees, stipend (at the GEO negotiated GSSA monthly rate), GradCare health insurance, and dental insurance (Option 1).

 Number of applicants from last academic year: 11.

 The GSSA will assist with implementation and support of Rackham's Public Scholarship programs and Doctoral Intern Fellowship programs, design, implementation, facilitation, and evaluation of Rackham's public scholarship programs, including Public Scholarship Grants, Institute for Social Change, and the Engaged Pedagogy Initiative. The GSSA will also assist with developing and implementing new program ideas if they have interest, summarizing program evaluation data for reporting, and updating content for our website and help to maintain and update the content and curriculum for an asynchronous internship guide, and synchronous and asynchronous professional development workshops for students completing doctoral intern fellowships 

• Contribute to learning experience design and content development for asynchronous and synchronous workshops and learning modules for Rackham's Doctoral Intern Fellowship Program. 
• Assist with designing and developing updating Institute for Social Change (ISC) workshop content and goals; assist with facilitating and implementing ISC as availability allows. 
• Work with Assistant Director to imagine and develop new initiatives and resources related to public scholarship training for graduate students, using the Rackham Strategic Evaluation and Assessment report as a guide.   
• Use knowledge and expertise related to public scholarship, community-based learning, and professional development to review program applications, review student materials, and participate in program planning meetings.
• Contribute to on-going qualitative research, evaluation, and analysis of program data, including conducting interviews and focus groups with current students and alumni to shape future programming directions.
• Analyze and write concise summaries of program evaluation data to demonstrate impact, effectiveness, and areas for improvement. 
• Community Engaged Course Design Workshop: Assist with developing content, facilitating sessions, and evaluating student materials. 
• Institute for Social Change: Serve on the planning team for Institute for Social change with Faculty Director and Rackham staff. Create and facilitate sessions, lead selection and training of engagement group peer mentors/facilitators and develop session plan/curriculum for engagement group sessions, develop new program and workshop ideas in consultation with Faculty Director and Rackham staff. 
• Public Scholarship Grants: Organize, review, and provide feedback for applicants, assist with grant workshop, and review final reports. Benchmark changes to review criteria and review process with Assistant Director. 
• Plan and implement public scholarship events for graduate students where theGSSA's interests overlap with the mission and vision of the Rackham Program in Public Scholarship and Professional Development and Engagement team. 
• Research faculty and practitioners for participation in programs and panels (examine research and areas of interest to assess alignment with RPPS mission, goals, and scholarly content).
• Data entry and management related to internships using 12Twenty database
• Update content for workshop slides and materials as needed for programs. 
• Track required internship paperwork
• Compile Internship program data for institutional records and reporting purposes
• Research and summarize employment outcomes for doctoral students who participated in Rackham?s internship program

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed and are not an exhaustive list of all associated responsibilities.

NOTE: SOME FLEXIBILITY OF SCHEDULED WORK HOURS IS REQUIRED, INCLUDING EVENINGS OR WEEKENDS ON A PRIOR SCHEDULED BASIS.

Applicants must be currently registered in a Rackham graduate program. Preference will be given to doctoral students who have reached candidacy. Students who are unsure if they are in a Rackham graduate program should check their graduate program listing in http://www.rackham.umich.edu/programs-of-study.

• Strong background knowledge of public scholarship, experiential learning, internships, and program facilitation/management. 
• Experience with some or all of the following: experiential learning programs, instructional design, and publicly engaged scholarship (research, teaching or service)
• Ability to handle multiple, overlapping projects and tasks
• Ability to collaborate effectively on a team
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, prioritization, and follow-through
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work and communicate effectively and professionally with the University community as well as external community partners
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently, as the task requires

Experience with managing programs or conferences, instructional design and/or curriculum development. 

• Familiarity and experience with Rackham's Public Scholarship programs and Doctoral Internship programs. 
• Experience with issues in graduate education, student development, leadership development, and diversity issues in higher education
• An understanding of the challenges faced by underrepresented populations in higher education
• Project and program management experience
• Previous experience developing professional development resource materials
• Experience facilitating professional development programs and group conversations.

The GSSA position will strengthen professional competencies in the following areas:

• Develop and manage public scholarship and professional development programs in a higher education setting.
• Updated and revised professional development asynchronous workshop designed for students completing doctoral internships. 
• Develop knowledge of career outcomes, needs, and paths of graduate students.
• Gain experience facilitating workshops.
• Best practices in graduate student success
• Community-building in higher education environments
• Student should be able to present a proposal/paper regarding their experience at a local/regional conference in their field.

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Questions regarding this position may be emailed to rackpublicscholarship@umich.edu.  Applicants may request the status of their application from the appointing unit.

Applications will be reviewed following the posting deadline and selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. References will be contacted for selected candidate; the selected candidate will also be required to submit a letter from their academic advisor supporting their acceptance of this position before hire is finalized.

Joseph Cialdella, Ph.D. is leading this search.

Every effort will be made to have a hiring decision by April, 2025.

Every effort will be made to have a hiring decision by April, 2025.

The University will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, marital status, familial status, parental status or pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression (whether actual or perceived), sexual orientation, age, height, weight, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, HIV antibody status, political belief, membership in any social or political organization, participation in a grievance or complaint whether formal or informal, medical conditions including those related to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, arrest record, or any other factor where the item in question will not interfere with job performance and where the employee is otherwise qualified. The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and regulations which implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Information for the Office for Institutional Equity may be found at https://oie.umich.edu/ and for the University Ombuds at https://ombuds.umich.edu/

Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings for available positions. In the event that an employee does not receive their preferred assignment, they can request a written explanation or an in-person interview with the hiring agents(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.

This position, as posted, is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Graduate Employees' Organization, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO 3550.

Standard Practice Guide 601.38, Required Disclosure of Felony Charges and/or Felony Convictions applies to all Graduate Student Assistants (GSAs). SPG 601.38 may be accessed online at https://spg.umich.edu/policy/601.38 , and its relation to your employment can be found in MOU 10 of your employment contract.

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.