Student Admin Worker - Graduate Assistant, Education and Training

Position Summary

University Life was created to develop and enhance the student experience at Columbia University. Working in collaboration with students, faculty, and staff, University Life focuses on enhancing the student experience by strengthening resources, policies, and conversations, and building community outside of the classroom. Our efforts all connect to core values for the Columbia community: Inclusion and Belonging, Health and Well-being, Sexual Respect, and Community Citizenship. University Life is a central division focused on enhancing the student experience across Columbia’s 17 schools and colleges. We serve as a student life hub for the University and are committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive campus culture where students can thrive in all dimensions of their lives. In University Life, we focus on connecting students to each other, to the broader University and surrounding community, and to opportunities beyond their schools. We work to educate students about Columbia’s values and policies, as well as share essential and timely information with students from the University. Through our programs, services, and partnerships, we support students’ educational enrichment during their time at Columbia. Working closely with University Life’s Assistant Director for Education and Training and other members of the Education and Training team, the Graduate Assistant (GA) will work on several key projects including, but not limited to, the University-wide programs and requirements, Pre-Orientation and the Community Citizenship Initiative.

Responsibilities

• Communication - Assist with managing student inquiries through our communication channels (i.e. group emails, Canvas inbox, phone calls).
• Student Programming - Staff Education and Training programs such as the Community Citizenship Initiative (CCI); support logistical needs for the Campus Conversations program and other educational workshops; and support full-time staff at signature events including University Life Forums, study breaks, or Community Connections programs.
• Orientation and Welcome Week - Support the Assistant Director and Program Administrator for Education and Training at school orientations and resource fairs. Additional opportunities to plan your own programs or support other Education and Training programming will be available as capacity permits.
• Marketing & Media - Create promotional flyers, event descriptions, event signage in partnership with the Program Administrator for Education and Training and the University Life Communications team.
• Research - Research current trends, innovations, and best practices in Education and Training and analyze data and findings to identify opportunities for improving training programs.
• Data Management - Assist with basic data management such as student list management, creating simple data reports, cleaning up data from surveys, etc.
• Administrative Responsibilities - Assist with any additional administrative tasks related to training programs, including scheduling, participant registration, and communication as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Applicants must be currently enrolled graduate students in the New York area.
• Candidates must be in good academic and disciplinary standing with their institution and agree to a disciplinary check.
• GAs may also be called upon to support other projects across the office as needed. We are looking for candidates that are flexible, creative, and have the ability to work both independently and in groups.
• Ideal candidates will have experience/interest in, and/or be studying higher education leadership and organizational development, or related fields (interest in DEIB or dialogue facilitation is a plus).
• GAs will be paid $23/hour for approximately 20 hours per week throughout the academic year.
• Must be available to work in-person at the office.
• The Assistantship will run from late August 2025 through May 2026, with the possibility to start earlier and/or extend to the summer and the following year.

Preferred Qualifications

• Basic knowledge of Google Sheets/Excel.
• Experience with student/client-facing email and phone communications.
• Experience using Canva (or other basic graphic design skills) is a plus.
• Experience using Qualtrics or other data collection tools is a plus.