Family and Supporter Orientation Graduate Assistant

At a glance 

$20/hr 

Onsite, based in East Lansing, MI 

Work in person from the location 

On Campus Student Employment 

Full-time∙From May 4 to August 28 

US work authorization required 
 
Applications and interviews will be accepted and scheduled on a rolling basis with the review of applications beginning on March 13th, 2026.  Applicants must submit their materials via the Qualtrics survey to be considered for this position. 

Position Details  

The Family and Supporter New Student Orientation Graduate Assistant position will assist with coordinating various events throughout the summer including during the August NSO program, leading the family and supporter undergraduate planning committee, analyzing assessment data, and preparing for staff training in August. We are looking to hire one graduate student to support New Student Orientation Family and Supporter programming throughout 2026.  

New Student Orientation (NSO) is a sub-unit of the Transitions and Transfer Student Success unit within the Office of Undergraduate Education. NSO aims to help new students and their families/supporters transition to MSU and create a strong foundation for pursuing their academic goals.   

Family and supporter engagement is a key part of the NSO experience. Through both virtual and in-person events, NSO is dedicated to supporting families and supporters through their transition to the MSU community. Led by the Family and Supporter Orientation Coordinator, family and supporter initiatives include the Family and Supporter virtual webinar series, Fall and Spring Welcome in-person experiences, the Family & Supporter Communications Portal, collaborations with summer bridge programs, and more.  

The Family and Supporter New Student Orientation Graduate Assistant will have work focused on program planning (virtual and in-person), student staff management, and assessment to aid in the facilitation of family engagement programming during the summer cycle.   

Responsibilities may include all the following:   

Student Staff Management  

Co-supervise Family and Supporter Committee as they cultivate inclusive, engaging programming for Fall 2026 families, supporters, and students.  

Collaborate with professional staff and other graduate assistants to implement consistent performance evaluation materials and processes for student staff.  

Manage student staff attendance and disciplinary-related matters.  

Track attendance and compliance with student staff participating in family and supporter programming.  

Assist with training process for the 2026 Family and Supporter Committee and Spartan Leader staff.  

Facilitate weekly team meetings and other check-ins as needed.  

Program Planning  

Collaborate with campus partners to identify resources and support services to be promoted during the orientation process.  

Interact with students and family members/supporters to answer questions (particularly on social media platforms such as Facebook), provide resources, and help navigate the Orientation and college transition process.     

Direct Family and Supporter Committee throughout the creation of orientation components such as the Family and Supporter Webinar series, Family and Supporter Fall Welcome Experience, and/or other NSO programming for families, supporters, and students.  

Demonstrate a knowledge of accessibility and inclusion in creating programming that engages all new families, supporters, and students.  

Design print and virtual materials for new students and family/supporters to use.  

Assessment and Other Duties as Assigned  

Analyze institutional, NSO, and family engagement research to evaluate the effectiveness of NSO programming and themes.  

Create and cultivate learning outcomes for student staff training and committee work in accordance with relevant literature and development theories.  

This position may be asked to assist with other projects as needed throughout the summer.  

Qualifications   

Be a graduate student at MSU for Fall Semester 2026.   

Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to lead and facilitate diverse groups of families, supporters, and students.   

Ability to collaborate with professional staff and students in both in-person and virtual modalities.  

Must be able to work effectively as part of a diverse team to accomplish group goals.   

Must be able to manage time and deadlines, communicate effectively, and be open to receiving feedback.  

Have a commitment to diversity and sensitivity toward a variety of ideas and values.   

Be a positive representative for Michigan State University and adhere to and enforce the rules and regulations of Michigan State University.   

Time Commitment   

This position will report to the NSO office in person for approximately 25 hours/week with the possibility of up to 40 hours (fluctuation due to program needs). Start date TBD with the hired candidate.   

Onboarding Dates: Paid onboarding sessions (fewer than 9 hours weekly) may take place later in the spring semester. Specific dates to be determined upon hiring and onboarding may not occur until May.  

Be available for up to 40 hours per week during the August programming experience:  

Training for Spartan Leader staff: August 17-21   

Orientation programming: August 24-28   

This position is seasonal, and it may end following the NSO program debrief.  

Compensation   

$20/hour; paycheck distributed via the bi-weekly schedule.    

The employee is responsible for entering their accurate work hours into the Enterprise Business System portal at the end of each shift.    

Training on entering hours will be provided by NSO/MSU staff.   

Application and Selection Process   
 
Applications and interviews will be accepted and scheduled on a rolling basis with the review of applications beginning on March 13th, 2026.  Applicants must submit their materials via the Qualtrics survey to be considered for this position. 

Applications and interviews will be accepted and scheduled on a rolling basis.   

The earlier you apply, the sooner you will interview and find out if you are selected.   

Applications will be reviewed by the New Student Orientation staff. Eligible applicants will be invited to participate in an in-person interview.   

***All exceptions to the qualifications and process stated above are at the discretion of the NSO Directing Staff and must be communicated and agreed upon prior to the employee’s start date. Further, job responsibilities are subject to change due to the program being under development.