Honors College Graduate Assistant
Office/Department:  Honors College
Supervisor:  Scott Brevard, Director of Student Engagement
Number of positions:  1

Mission Statement:

The mission of the JMU Honors College is to develop a diverse community of inquisitive and aspirational learners from all parts of campus through distinctive and challenging educational experiences. Our core values include (1) independent, student-centered learning, (2) interdisciplinary training, (3) collaboration, and (4) active and informed service and leadership.

Functional Areas: 

• Programming and events
• First-Year Experience Course
• Leadership development
• Community building 

Students who participate in this experience will gain an understanding of student affairs as a profession and the influence student affairs has on contemporary higher education through the following tasks and activities:

The GA will support co-curricular engagement efforts that are intentionally integrated with the academic mission of the Honors College, providing insight into how curricular and co-curricular experiences can complement and reinforce each other.

In this role the GA will:

• Support the planning and implementation of Honors co-curricular programs and events that promote student belonging.
• Contribute to the Honors College First-Year Experience by supporting HON 100, including coordination and professional development support for HON 100 Teaching Fellows.
• Assist with the advising, coordination, and support of Honors student leadership groups, including the Madison Honors Leadership Council (MHLC), the Dean’s Student Advisory Council (DSAC), and the Dingledine Scholars program.
• Support college admissions and recruitment efforts by assisting with prospective student programming, yield-related events, and Honors application review.
• Participate as a full member of the Honors College team, attending staff meetings and collaborating across functional areas to support Honors students in and out of the classroom.
• Develop professional skills in project management, communication, assessment, and collaboration within a complex organization.

Students who participate in this experience will be exposed to the purposeful application of the following student development, career development, counseling, and/or organizational theories:

• Leadership development frameworks
• Student transition and first-year experience frameworks
• Organizational and systems theory
• Strengths-based advising, coaching, and mentoring approaches

Students assigned to this site will be able to participate in the following assessment and/or evaluation projects:

• Co-curricular engagement assessment: Assist with the collection, analysis, and interpretation of participation data and quantitative and qualitative feedback related to Honors co-curricular programs, events, and student leadership initiatives.
• Student leadership program evaluation: Contribute to assessment and reflection activities associated with Honors student leadership groups, including the Madison Honors Leadership Council, Dean’s Student Advisory Council, and Dingledine Scholars, with attention to leadership development outcomes and student learning.
• Academic Program Review (APR) support: Assist with the preparation and organization of assessment data related to co-curricular engagement for inclusion in the Honors College’s upcoming Academic Program Review self-study, under the direction of professional staff.
• Use of assessment for improvement: Participate in discussions about how assessment findings inform program refinement, resource allocation, and strategic planning in the Honors College.

Students who participate in this experience will be evaluated and provided on-going feedback in the following ways:

• Regular one-on-one meetings with the Director of Student Engagement focused on supervision, reflection, and professional development.
• Ongoing formative feedback through collaborative project work and supervision of undergraduate student employees.
• Mid-year and end-of-year evaluations aligned with CSPA assistantship expectations.
• Informal feedback and professional socialization through participation in Honors College staff meetings and team-based work.

Specific expectations of students assigned to this site include:

• Support student leadership development through direct engagement with the Madison Honors Leadership Council, Dean’s Student Advisory Council, Dingledine Scholars, and HON 100 Teaching Fellows.
• Provide day-to-day supervision and developmental support for undergraduate Honors Engagement Assistants, under the direction of the Director of Student Engagement.
• Maintain a consistent work schedule aligned with assistantship expectations and key programmatic needs.
• Participate actively as a contributing member of the Honors College staff team.
• Demonstrate professionalism, reliability, and sound judgment in working with students, faculty partners, and campus collaborators.
• Participate in evening or occasional weekend programs related to student engagement, recruitment, or first-year experience activities, as needed.