Opening The “GAIT” For Future Academic Advisors

Developing A Meaningful Graduate Assistant and Intern Experience

Chanell Goodright & Margaret Garry

Before We Get Started…

❖ GAIT is the Graduate Assistant and Intern Team, one of of PACE Advising’s internal teams

❖ Our vision for a meaningful experience encompasses the development of roles that prepare graduate assistants (GA) and interns for marketable experiences in higher education and advising.

What is PACE?Personalized Academic and Career Exploration (PACE): A Focus on Freshmen

❖ Developed as our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) theme for Southern Association of Colleges (SACS) accreditation in 2010

❖ The PACE Center opened in May 2012

Components of PACE❖ Academic Advising❖ Career Counseling❖ Mentoring and Academic Coaching❖ University Seminar

A “one-stop-shop” for first-year Texas State students

How GAIT Was Started

GA duties prior to GAIT:❖ Answering phones❖ Scheduling appointments❖ Scanning documents❖ Filing papers❖ Other administrative duties

*No experience to prepare students for a position in Academic Advising. Minimal student interaction.

Graduate Assistant vs. InternGraduate Assistant❖ Year long commitment❖ Required enrollment at the

institution ❖ Limited to graduate students❖ Receives a monthly stipend

Intern❖ Semester long commitment❖ Can but does not have to be

affiliated with institution❖ Open to undergraduate students❖ Paid hourly (if applicable)

The Benefits

For Interns:1) Create a foundation

for employment in higher education

2) Receive a general understanding of

advising as a profession

For Graduate Assistants:1) Gain direct experience

advising students2) Receive a specialized

understanding of advising as a

profession

For Both:1) Given

opportunities to develop

professional skills2) Given a chance to

enhance employment

prospects

The Benefits for the Advising Center ❖ Additional staff to assist with students and projects

❖ Opportunity to develop new professionals

❖ More economical than hiring full time staff members

Budget

SPACE

Training

Supervision

Job Duties

Recruiting

Considerations for Building

Our Program

Eight Steps To Building Our Program

Assess Research Create Recuit Hire Train Evaluate Modify

What need could a GA/Intern fulfill in your office?

What does your budget look like?

Do you have the space to accommodate interns and graduate assistants?

What does supervision look like for your center?

AssessStep One

What university and departmental policies will affect your decision to hire?

ResearchStep Two

CreateStep Three

CreateStep ThreeJob Description

Interview QuestionsApplication

Matrix

All of these documents can be found on the

website provided in your handout.

Online student database

Recruit through relevant programs

Social media

Outreach through colleagues at different universities

RecruitStep Four

Create subcommittees to work on hiring GA/Intern

Determine Logistics (Scheduling/Planning Interview/Offers, etc.)

Matrix Candidates

HireStep Five

TrainStep Six

EvaluateStep SevenIntern Evaluation

Intern Exit Interview

GA Evaluation

❖ Hiring Process

❖ Modified Timeline

❖ Modified Interview Questions

❖ Added an additional GA due to demand

ModifyStep Eight

Any Questions?

Thank You For Attending!

Margaret Garry mgg62@txstate.eduChanell Goodrightchanell@txstate.edu

Thanks to Kristopher Infante and Ashley McCall, who were unable to be present today, but who were instrumental in creating the handout and slides.