Call for 2017-18 Graduate Assistant for
EcoHouse and for Public Health House
Learning Communities
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2017-18 Learning Community
Graduate Assistant Job Description
The Office of First Year Programs and Learning Communities (FYP&LC) supports Graduate Assistant positions to provide undergraduate enrichment/administrative support for some of our interdisciplinary Learning Communities. LC Graduate Assistants serve under a Faculty Director as part of a support team ensuring each student gets the most out of their experience.
Learning Communities are a proven pedagogy that can provide intentionality and integration amongst undergraduate students’ curricular, co-curricular and residential experiences. They become a foundation for a creative and holistic approach to education. They help first-year students in their transition to college and encourage all students to become engaged on campus; they enable students to have regular one-on-one or small group interaction with faculty, advisors, staff, and peer mentors; they emphasize undergraduate research and experiential learning and they develop intentionality and interdisciplinary habits of mind that encourage students to become life-long learners. Each Learning Community has unique attributes and traditions that develop based on their theme.
Essential Duties:
- Plan, implement, manage and evaluate Learning Community events, activities, and field trips, including all related budgeting, scheduling, marketing, and recruitment; assuming greater responsibility until students become proficient in programming and organizational skills
- May instruct, co-instruct, or support credit bearing FYE (first year experience, UNIV 1810), service-learning (UNIV 1840), and/or sophomore seminars (typically UNIV 3820); assist in the development of curriculum; plan and implement class activities; supervise group projects, and assess student learning
- Advise and mentor students utilizing individual and group strategies; holding office hours weekly throughout the Fall and Spring semester within the Learning Community’s Residence Hall
- Provide advisement to Learning Community student groups/committees; set individual and group performance standards; manage work-flow; evaluate individual and group performance, and provide regular oversight and feedback
- Assist in the development of Learning Community marketing and public relations efforts; ensure that all print and electronic materials are professional in appearance, current and accurate; organize and deliver individual and group presentations; write articles for university and/or program newsletters, blogs, websites, etc.
- Act as a liaison between the Learning Community, key students, faculty, and staff stakeholders from across the university; send periodic updates, coordinate meetings as needed, and give public presentations as needed
- Connect students with relevant faculty, programs, and events occurring across campus, encouraging engagement and student professional and personal development
- Communicate regularly with the LC Faculty Director and staff within Office of First Year Program and Learning Communities
- Must attend and/or promote Learning Community Support Team meetings and Learning Community Team Planning meetings as well as key LC events throughout the year; and ensure that individual Learning Community activities do not conflict with LC-wide activities
- Prepare a report on responsibilities completed in position at the end of each semester and prepare and/or contribute to Learning Community Annual Report submitted to FYP&LC at end of the academic year
- Complete other duties as assigned
Commitment: 10 or 20 hours per week depending on position; schedule will vary based on availability and programmatic needs. Weekend and evening hours are required in order to lead or attend related courses, events, and activities.
Qualifications: Strong written and verbal communication; demonstrated supervisory/advisory experience; strong leadership, organizational and programming skills; demonstrated commitment and experience with creativity and innovation; demonstrated experience with Microsoft Office programs; and must be actively enrolled in appropriate graduate program at UConn. LC Graduate Assistantships are 1-year appointments with no guarantee of reappointment the following year.
Preferred Qualifications: 1+ years experience supervising college students; experience with event coordination and event management; related professional experience; enrollment in a related UConn PhD program; teaching experience.
Application Process: Interested candidates should send a letter of interest; resume/CV; and names and contact information for three professional references to: Melissa Foreman, Assistant Director, Learning Community Program, Office of First Year Programs and Learning Communities at Melissa.Foreman@uconn.edu. Applications will be reviewed and accepted until the position is filled. The University of Connecticut is an EEO/AA employer.
For more information, contact: Melissa Foreman at melissa.foreman@uconn.edu