The Rhetoric and Writing (RW) program funds numerous graduate assistantships (GAships) to support students’ professional and personal development. Most students are assigned a GAship every year of enrollment based on their career goals, past experiences, and desired skillsets.
From classroom teaching to research and administration, our GAships offer a range of opportunities to complement students’ coursework. Read on to learn more about each of the GAships funded by the RW program.
Community Engagement
Red Cedar Writing Project/Global Alliances for Literacy Engagement
Graduate students who hold the Red Cedar Writing Project (RCWP)/Global Alliances for Literacy and Engagement (GALE) GAship in WRAC are half-time graduate assistants. Their official title is Graduate Research Assistant. The RCWP works with K–university teachers and GALE works with international writing partnerships. Tasks include upkeep of the RCWP and GALE websites, creating PR materials, maintaining the listserv and social media, coordinating writing events, and working with grants at multiple levels. This assistantship is approximately 20 hours of work per week during the academic year with the possibility to continue work hourly during the summer.
Write On! Prison Writing Program
Graduate students who hold the Write On! Prison Writing Program GAship in WRAC are half-time graduate assistants. Write On! makes community-engaged work more visible through our yearly publication and bringing writers together from inside and outside carceral spaces. Through Write On!’s training and work, graduate assistants will enhance community partnership and community-engaged research work, as well as promoting scholarship in community literacy and community-focused writing program administration.
Project Management
The Cube
Graduate students who hold the Cube GA in WRAC are half-time graduate assistants. Their official title is Graduate Research Assistant. The Cube works on a number of projects throughout the year. The Cube GAship can be adapted to the interests and desired experiences of the GA. Possible tasks may include web design, UX/UI design, project management, and/or publishing as well as mentoring undergraduate employees. This assistantship is approximately 20 hours of work per week.
Writing, Rhetoric, and Culture (WRAC) Communications
Graduate students who work in the WRAC Comms GAship celebrate the great work of our students, faculty and staff, alumni, and larger community. Our comms team mission builds on this base: We create, support, and sustain the WRAC community. We nurture an intellectual community that seeks out and welcomes all individuals and that openly makes space for the broadest possible spectrum of diversity. We amplify community members and welcome new members and friends online and in print.
Research
WIDE Research
Graduate students who hold the Writing, Information, and Digital Experience (WIDE) GAship are half-time (20 hours per week) graduate assistants. WIDE GAs are assigned to project teams to work as junior researchers for folks in WIDE, which includes all of our graduate faculty focused on research. GAs will also work with undergraduate researchers in WIDE. Responsibilities vary from semester to semester, and students can expect to gain substantial hands-on research experience including publishing with faculty researchers in proceedings, journals, and digital publications and participating on project teams as a researcher using a mixed methods approach.
Teaching and Administration
Citizen Scholars Program
Graduate students who hold the Citizen Scholars Program GAship are half-time (20 hours per week) graduate assistants. The GA will work alongside the Program Director in three areas: 1) Program development and strategy (e.g. monitoring program goals, aligning program goals with College and University-level strategic plans, etc.), 2) administration (e.g. outreach to faculty and student recruitment, etc.), and 3) student support and engagement (e.g. supporting students in undergraduate research, planning co-curricular events, etc.).
First Year Writing Teaching
Graduate students who teach First Year Writing (FYW) have a half-time assistantship (20 hours/week) within an award-winning First-Year Writing Program grounded in writing studies and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Their official title is Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA). FYW GTAs are responsible for teaching one section of FYW independently. This is usually WRA 101: Writing as Inquiry, which is the standard FYW course for most incoming students at MSU. WRA 101 is a four-credit course with a cap of 24 students. GTAs are responsible for creating materials in consultation with FYW administration following the shared curriculum and learning goals. GTAs teach lessons, give feedback on student work, assess projects, and facilitate student communication as the instructor of record.
First Year Writing Admin
Graduate students who hold the FYW administration GA are half-time (20 hours per week) graduate assistants. Typical projects and tasks include program vision and planning in collaboration with the FYW administrative team, to helping to manage everyday program operations. The GA will provide support in areas of curriculum development, assessment, and teacher support and development.
Rhetoric and Writing Assistant Admin
Graduate students who serve as an assistant administrator for the Rhetoric and Writing program have a half-time (20 hours per week) assistantship. Graduate program administrative GAs provide support of administrative work such as assisting with strategic program development, alumni research, budgeting, course scheduling, advising, and student opportunities. GAs will work with the WRAC graduate director and graduate faculty.
Undergraduate Studies Teaching
Graduate students who teach in Professional and Public Writing (P2W), Experience Architecture (XA), or the Minor in Writing (MiW), have a half-time (20 hours per week) teaching assistantship. UGS GTAs are responsible for teaching one section of a P2W, XA, or MiW course independently. This includes courses at the 100–300 level. The courses are typically 3 credits with a cap of 18–22 students. GTAs are responsible for day-to-day teaching materials. Learning outcomes, syllabus structure, and major projects will be provided by the UGS director. GTAs teach lessons, give feedback on student work, assess projects, and facilitate student communication.
Undergraduate Studies Assistant Admin
Graduate students who serve as an assistant administrator for the WRAC undergraduate programs (UGS) have a half-time (20 hours per week) assistantship. Undergraduate program administrative GAs provide support in curriculum development, assessment, research, and student experiences for the Professional and Public Writing (P2W) major, the Minor in Writing (MiW), and the Experience Architecture (XA) major. GAs will work with the Director and Assistant Director of WRAC UGS, P2W/XA/MiW faculty, and any P2W/XA/MiW graduate teaching assistants (GTAs).
Writing Center
Writing Center Coordinator
The Writing Center MSU provides one-on-one writing consultations with clients (students, faculty, and community members) as well as various other initiatives to support writers across campus and the wider community. Graduate students with Writing Center (WC) assistantships are considered half-time (20 hours per week) graduate assistants and are known as coordinators. They split their time between consulting with clients, serving as a project or program coordinator, and supporting committees. Coordinator roles may include engaging with campus or community partners, supervising operations and logistics, facilitating faculty development workshops, or supporting other local or global initiatives. Typically, coordinators serve 8 hours per week in their coordinator position and spend the remaining 12 hours consulting with clients.
Writing Center Assistant Director
The Graduate Assistant Director (GAD) serves as part of the Writing Center’s (WC) administrative team. The GAD supervises, mentors, leads, teaches, and assesses in a variety of contexts, dependent on previous experiences, professional goals, and research interests. The GAD may supervise graduate coordinators, support day-to-day operations, lead assessment research and design efforts, support professional development efforts, and serve as a leader in the Writing Center and across campus.