BELONGS Graduate Fellows
Main Points to Know
Supervisors: Dr. Allyson Hallman-Thrasher (Graduate College) & Dr. Jeremy Henkel (Center for Teaching, Learning, & Assessment)
Hours: 5 hours/week for 15 weeks (Fall, Spring) 10 hours/week for 5 weeks (Summer)
Stipend: $20/hour or $4,000 for annually, can be stacked with existing graduate appointment (see note below)
Start Date: August 1, 2025
Duration: Funding available for Summer 2025–Spring 2026 OR Fall 2025–Summer 2026
Note: Position may be held in conjunction with a Fellowship appointment or in conjunction with another GA, RA, or TA position, provided the total hourly appointment of all positions does not exceed 20 hours. If those invited to serve as BELONGS Fellows are on a graduate appointment that exceeds 15 hours per week, the Graduate College can request a reduction in appointment hours from Fellows’ home colleges to no more than 15 hours per week so that Fellows can be awarded a 5-hour Graduate Assistant (GA) to stack with their existing appointment.
Position Summary
The BELONGS (Building Educational Leadership Opportunities and Networks for Graduate Students) Fellows program aims to position graduate students as leaders among their peers, who will serve as advisors for key Graduate College initiatives, partners in student outreach, assistants in professional development, and peer mentors in learning to teach. Each Fellow will be assigned specific area(s) of focus: fostering community building, supporting instructor training and mentoring, or co-planning and co-facilitating professional development workshops, depending on their area(s) of expertise. Specific responsibilities are detailed below. We are seeking 5 Fellows whose work will average 5 hours per 15-week Fall and Spring semester and 10 hours for 5 weeks of Summer. Fellows will receive a graduate assistantship of $1500 for both Fall and Spring semester and a summer graduate appointment of $1000, for a total of $4000 annually.
BELONGS Fellow Key Responsibilities
Community Building
- Provide peer-led guidance, build community, and share resources
- Plan and facilitate (with logistical support from Graduate College) two community building events for all graduate students each semester
- Assist with collection of survey and focus group data to assess graduate student support needs
- Collaborate with units (e.g., ISSS, Career Services, Counseling and Psychological Services) to offer monthly one-hour ‘lunch & learn’ discussions to assist graduate students in navigating academic and cultural transitions (topics could include: academic expectations of Graduate School, getting to know Athens & µÛÍõ»áËù, managing time and stress, resources for families, overview of OHIO resources, communicating effectively with mentors, career planning)
- Strengthen connections to OU and Athens for graduate students with specialized needs (e.g., international, first-generation, caregivers, those on the academic job market)
Pedagogical Training & Mentoring
- Collaborate with CTLA and Graduate College to support Graduate Student Instructor Academy (GSI)
- Facilitate graduate student mentoring groups with partnering faculty member, meet with 4-6 groups monthly for one hour
- Co-plan GSI sessions (e.g., inform session topics, locate, share resources)
- Co-facilitate GSI sessions on effective teaching strategies
- Provide feedback on teaching and/or teaching products of GSI Academy
Professional Development
- Publicize Graduate College events and professional development with goal of increasing in-person attendance
- Co-lead professional development sessions with Graduate College
- Inform new directions for professional development
- Participate in orientation activities to welcome new students and introduce resources
- Serve on a student panel at Graduate Student Orientation and facilitate breakout sessions
- Revise online orientation modules
- Provide graduate student perspective in orientation planning
Required Qualifications:
- Graduate student in residence at µÛÍõ»áËù (any college or department) in at least starting their second year of graduate study by Fall 2025
- 3.2 GPA and no history of academic probation at the graduate level
- Interest and/or experience in student affairs, teaching or professional development, and community outreach or advocacy to serve in areas of focus: 1) community building, outreach, and support of specialized populations (e.g., first-generation students, international students, etc.) 2) graduate students instructor preparation or teacher preparation, mentoring 3) professional and career development
- Can articulate in application and interview how your experience can inform your service as a BELONGS Fellow
- Strong organizational, writing, and communication skills
- Ability to work independently and as part of a diverse team
Preferred Qualifications:
- Earned a prior graduate degree at µÛÍõ»áËù
- Previously held or currently hold a GA, TA, or RA
Experience with survey platforms (e.g., Qualtrics) or willingness to learn
- Experience with interview/focus group data collection
- Background or strong interest in communication, adult learning, higher education, teacher preparation/professional development, or a related field
- Familiarity with graduate student development
- Prior leadership role in graduate education (e.g., GSI participant, GSS member, TA or instructor of record, leadership role in home department or college)
Fellow Selection Process
You can preview required elements at the above link without submitting the application. In general, the application requires some background information, uploading a CV, answering questions about why you want to serve as a BELONGS Fellow and what you hope to accomplish, and providing the name of at least one µÛÍõ»áËù faculty member who can provide a recommendation. Applicants do not need to provide a recommendation letter from faculty; the Graduate College will solicit recommendations for those applicants who progress to the interview stage. The Dean of the Graduate College will make the final selection and extend offers to Fellows.