English Department M.A. Program
Half-Time Graduate Assistantship, 2015-16
Position 1: ENG 495 Assistant
The English M.A. Program has a half-time (10 hours per week) graduate assistantship position to be offered to a student admitted to the English M.A. program. The assistantship will begin in August 2015 and end in April 2016. The position will be offered pending funding.
Title:
English Department Graduate Assistant: ENG 495 Assistant
Terms:
This is a half-time position (ten hours per week), with beginning and ending dates corresponding with the academic year, August 31, 2015, through April 30, 2016. This assistantship is open only to students who have been admitted to the English M.A. Program and who enroll in a minimum of 5 credit hours each semester. The assistantship includes a tuition waiver for 4.5 graduate credit hours and a stipend of $2,000 for each semester. A student who accepts the graduate assistantship may not accept other on-campus employment.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
The primary responsibilities of this position will be to mentor undergraduate student writers as they reflect on the intellectual impact of majoring in English (intellectual autobiography), engage in writing an extended paper (senior paper) or executing a project (senior project), and finally present their work at a student conference. The ENG495 Graduate Assistant will also provide the necessary administrative help in organizing the student conference associated with the course.
The position will provide the graduate student with important skills and experience necessary for his or her future career goals, whether that is moving to a Ph.D. program in the humanities or to a career in an English-related field, such as writing, editing, publishing or teaching.
The graduate assistant will be responsible for working with ENG495 classes in the following ways:
a. Function as a writing tutor to visit 495 classes on a rotational basis to help run writing workshops in memoir, thesis development, research and drafting.
b. Provide feedback to students and work with section professors to devise writing/reading groups for 495 students.
c. Conduct one-on-one conferences with students to help them through all stages of the thesis project.
d. Direct students to the library, writing center and other resources to help develop their thesis projects.
e. Hold consulting hours for students to visit and discuss the memoir or thesis project.
f. Report on contacts with individual students and student groups regarding their thesis projects.
g. Attend meetings with the 495 faculty and 495 committee.
h. Coordinate connecting students with faculty mentors
The graduate assistant will be responsible for working with ENG 495 conferences in the following ways:
a. Help to organize and coordinate end-of-semester conference for students to present their research (Fall 2015/ Winter 2016)
b. Function as a role model and foster professionalization of the students
c. Assist students in preparing thesis projects for oral delivery.
All of these duties related to ENG495 will be supervised by Dr. Ashley Shannon.
Qualifications:
a. Admission to English M.A. Program and minimum enrollment of 6cr. per semester
b. Excellent communication and organization skills
c. A self-starter who works independently
e. Significant tutoring experience in a Writing Center is a plus
e. Experience with senior projects and theses
f. Some experience with advertising/marketing/organizing events.
A student who accepts the graduate assistantship may not accept other on-campus employment.
Work Station:
The English M.A. Program office will be located at 131 Lake Huron Hall on the Allendale Campus. The Graduate Assistant’s workstation will be this office, which will be set up to allow the graduate assistant to work independently.
Orientation/Supervision:
Orientation will be held the first week of work. Dr. Shannon will orient the GA concerning primary responsibilities. Mary Feenstra will orient the GA concerning English Department resources and staffing. The GA will be supervised by Dr. Miller and Dr. Shannon and will receive an evaluation from them at the end of the year.
Renewal:
This position is a one-year position and is not automatically renewable.
Selection Process:
The position will be advertised on The Graduate School (TGS) website and by direct e-mail contact with English M.A. students.
Submit application materials, including:1) Letter stating your interest in the assistantship and describing your relevant experience and qualifications; 2) curriculum vitae
to Dr. Jo Miller via email: [email protected].
Applicants with skills and experience appropriate to the position will be interviewed by a faculty committee, who will select the candidate who best meets the requirements of the position.
Application Deadline: May 1, 2015
Contact Information:
Professor Jo Miller
Director, English M.A. Program
Department of English, 164 Lake Huron Hall
Grand Valley State University
Allendale, MI 49401
Phone: (616) 331-3405
E-mail: [email protected]