Student Development Opportunities

Women & Gender Studies Program at George Mason University; Shady Hills (FL); On-site; USD 25,000 - 26,000; Part time

Job summary

George Mason University invites applications for a Graduate Professional Assistant in the Women and Gender Studies Center within University Life. The 20-hour per week GA position will support student staff, programs, and center initiatives, reporting to the Associate Director.

Responsibilities include event support, outreach, and center operations. The role emphasizes collaboration, communication, and engagement with a diverse campus community, with compensation described in the contract terms

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in one of George Mason University’s Graduate Programs for Fall 2026–Spring 2027
• Background or interest in social justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, intersectionality, activism, or community engagement
• Strong professionalism and communication skills
• Problem solving with patience and empathy across diverse backgrounds
• Strong organizational and project management skills and deadline accountability
• Strong interpersonal skills with commitment to supporting students, faculty, and staff
• Experience with public speaking and outreach
• Familiarity with social media to engage audiences; ability to learn new academic tech systems
• Must be able to work in person at the Johnson Center (Mon–Fri 9:00–5:00)

Responsibilities

• Project Management: ensure all project elements meet deadlines and checkpoints
• Staff the center for 20 hours a week (JC 240K) including customer service, welcomes, sign-ins, and resources
• Connect students to campus offices and resources; troubleshoot center tech issues
• Collaborate with team leads and directors to ensure smooth center function and events
• Coordinate events, marketing, staff activities, and outreach
• Support growth initiatives: research, data collection, class visits, tabling sessions
• Maintain online presence through website edits and social media
• Assist with pre-semester staff training
• Conduct outreach to promote the center across the university
• Contribute to long-term WGST Center Library project development and amplification

Skills

Public speaking

Communication

Social justice

Diversity & inclusion

Project management

Staffing & customer service

Event outreach

Tech literacy (Canva)

In-person work

Education

Graduate student enrollment at GMU

Tools

Canva

Job description

Opportunities in Women and Gender Studies

Graduate Professional Assistant

Women and Gender Studies Center

UNIVERSITY LIFE

EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS

Mission

University Life cares for the whole student by promoting inclusive well-being and fostering lifelong learning – preparing ethical leaders for the world.

Values

TOGETHER, we achieve our mission through an unwavering commitment to our values:

• Inclusion and Equity We are committed to cultivating an environment of engagement, connection, and belonging that is respectful and fair for everyone.
• Leadership for Positive Change We are committed to cultivating leaders who critically examine and understand the potential impact of their decisions and act ethically.
• Well-Being We are committed to cultivating an environment of understanding and fulfillment of both individual and community well-being that promotes purpose, vitality, engagement, and resilience.
• Collaborative Community We are committed to cultivating a supportive network of colleagues that shares ideas, learns and creates together, and develops authentic connections.
• Strategic Transformation We are committed to dynamic action in creating meaningful solutions to anticipate and meet the needs of an ever-changing community.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Women and Gender Studies Center is to bridge academic coursework with student development, leadership, and coalition building. We are designed to provide opportunities for intellectual, personal, and social inquiry and interrogation related to sex; gender; gender identity/expression; sexuality; intersections with race, ethnicity, class, (dis) ability, age, nationality, immigration and citizenship status, and religion, through feminist, queer and multiracial lenses, with a focus on global and transnational issues and public policy.

Function

The Graduate Professional Assistant is a 20-hour per week graduate assistantship in the Women and Gender Studies Center which is housed in the Division of University Life at George Mason University. As a member of the Women and Gender Studies team, the Graduate Professional Assistant reports directly to the WGST Associate Director, Holly Mason Badra. By providing support to student staff members and overseeing programs and initiatives for the center, the GPA will assist us in expanding our reach, impact, and effectiveness of our programs, resources, and student-facing opportunities.

Required Skills/Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in one of George Mason University’s Graduate Programs for the Fall 2026 – Spring 2027 academic year
• Background or interest in at least one of these areas related to our mission: social justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, intersectionality, activism, or community engagement
• Strong professionalism and communication skills
• Practiced in troubleshooting/problem solving, thinking creatively and critically, tapping into patience and compassion, and in working with people of diverse backgrounds and identities
• Effective organizational and project management skills (including being self-motivated, responsible, reliable, and flexible); a strong sense of accountability adhering to deadlines
• Strong interpersonal skills with a genuine commitment to providing support and assistance to students, faculty, and staff
• Experience with public speaking and/or program outreach
• Familiarity or experience using social media to engage a variety of audience Experience with Canva or an ability to learn new academic technology systems successfully
• Must be able to work in person at our physical center in the Johnson Center (with hours scheduled based on availability Monday – Friday between 9:00am-5:00pm

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Humanities or other related fields
• Currently pursuing a PhD or terminal degree in Humanities or other related fields

Position Responsibilities

• Project Management: Ensures all elements of projects and events meet agreed upon deadlines and checkpoints from start to finish
• Physically staffs the Women and Gender Studies Center (JC 240K) for 20 hours a week
• Staffing the center includes:
  • customer service
  • greeting guests
  • having guests sign in
  • supporting guests with our resources such as printing, coffee, tea, library
  • connecting students to other offices and resources on campus as needed
  • trouble shooting technical issues in the center
  • keeping the center tidy
  • completing opening and closing tasks
  • and other duties as needed
• Works closely with the team leads, Director, and Associate Director to ensure smooth functioning of the center and related events
• Collaborates with other center staff, program directors, and other CHSS and university programs, departments, and offices.
• Provides event support by working with the Associate Director (and Director at times) to coordinate and organize events, market events, staff events, and more
• Supports marketing and growth initiatives, including engaging in some research and data collection and conducting class visits as well as tabling sessions
• Supports our online presence through website editing and social media efforts
• Assists with the development and execution of pre-semester training programs for center staff
• Conducts outreach to promote our center and programs among students university-wide
• Alongside the Associate Director, works with other center staff on long-term WGST Center Library project, including organization, development, and amplification

GPA Time Commitments

The Graduate Professional Assistant position is designed for a 20 hour per week work commitment. At times, the work may require extended hours and/or night and weekend work hours.

Compensation & Other Terms

The Graduate Professional Assistant position will be paid a minimum stipend of:

• 9.5-Month GPA Contract (August 10, 2026 – May 27, 2027): $21,650

Stipends will be paid on the 1st and 16th of the month for the duration of employment contract period;

Other Terms For The Position Contract Include

• Tuition grant up to the 6 graduate credits at the equivalent in-state rate, not to exceed $4,800.00 per semester; master’s degree students (with exception of MFA students) who are out-of-state do not receive in-state tuition rates;
• Participate and attend all scheduled session of the University Life Graduate Staff Academy, hosted in-person, each month, as class schedule allows;
• This GPA position is a 9.5 month GPA with the possibility of renewal for a second academic year. The week of August 10th can be done remotely.

Contract Dates For This Role Are

9.5-Month: August 10, 2026 through May 24, 2027