Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies

Graduate Assistant Position Description: Research and Program Assistant Dr. Krista (Terry) Wojdak, Higher Education Program

Housed within the newly formed Department of Counseling, Family Therapy, & Higher Education (CTH), the mission of the Higher Education Program at Appalachian State University is to prepare individuals to be informed,
thoughtful, creative, and effective leaders in community colleges and universities. Students in the program prepare for or advance their careers in adult or higher education through active scholarship, professional discourse
within a community of diverse learners, the development of caring relationships, reflective learning and practice, and the integration of research, theory, and practice.

THE POSITION

This position will provide support for Dr. Krista Wojdak, Professor of Higher Education, in two ways. First, as a research assistant, the GA will provide support for Dr. Wojdak's scholarship which is focused primarily on
postsecondary teaching and learning. This position will support the following projects (note, this list may evolve or expand):

• Developing, implementing, and evaluating a new framework of Active Learning
• Identifying and evaluating emotional and social learning strategies/approaches
• Developing a model of empathetic, human-centered design for postsecondary teaching and learning
• Trauma-Informed Teaching & Learning in Postsecondary Education

Second, as a program assistant, the GA will support Dr. Wojdak in her role as program director for the Graduate Certificate in College and University Teaching and the Higher Education Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, with a
focus on recruitment, retention, and curriculum-related projects.

YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

Administration & Communication

• Meet weekly with supervisor via Zoom.
• Check email at least once per day on weekdays.

Research & Writing

• Assist in drafting Institutional Review Board applications for Ethics in Human Research
• Support grant writing efforts
• Assist in drafting proposals for conference papers
• Engage in exhaustive academic literature searches for research projects
• Draft well-written literature reviews
• Support data collection and analysis efforts across research projects
• Provide copy editing for writing projects

Internal and External Program Communications

• Develop social media presence for the program
• Coordinate volunteers for program information sessions
• Assist in maintaining a program AsULearn site to communicate with current students
• Additional tasks may emerge based on interest and experience

Professional Development

• Complete and maintain CITI certification requirements.
• Complete academic database search training with Belk Library.
• Complete training related to APA 7 formatting conventions.
• Other training requirements may be necessary on level of experience and project needs.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be a full-time graduate student at Appalachian State University.
• Must be enrolled in an on-campus (in person) graduate program
• Ability to work 20 hours per week to fulfill position responsibilities.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS & CHARACTERISTICS

Note: These are preferred qualifications. Please still consider applying even if you do not feel like you meet 100% of these qualifications.

• Undergraduate or graduate degree in social sciences (ex: education, psychology, social work, sociology, economics)
• Familiarity with academic research (quantitative, qualitative, and/or mixed methods)
• Familiarity with American Psychological Association (APA) formatting conventions
• Ability to navigate library resources and academic databases (Google Scholar, ERIC, PubMed, Web of Science, etc.)
• Proactive communicator and strong written communication skills
• Attention to detail with particular regard to writing mechanics
• Ability to take initiative and work independently on assigned projects (ex: does not consistently need explicit examples or extensive project details to start a project)
• Highly organized and ability to effectively manage time
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and personal growth

POSITION DETAILS AND BENEFITS

• Start Date: August 21st, 2023
• 20 hours per week during academic year (August-May) excluding winter and spring breaks
• Opportunity for renewal dependent upon department funding allocations.

TO APPLY

• Application materials
  • 1 Page Resume
  • 1-2 Page Letter of interest addressing the following questions:
    • Why are you interested in this position?
    • What are your academic interests?
    • When was a time where you were successful in working proactively and independently?
  • A writing sample
    • This could include course assignments, personal writing, etc.
• Email your materials to Dr. Krista Wojdak, Assistant Professor of Higher Education, by 5:00pm May 12th, 2023.
• Email: wojdakkp@appstate.edu
• Candidates will be notified of their status by Friday May 19th, 2023