About

University 101 is accepting applications for new instructors for Fall 2025. Prospective instructors should submit the new instructor application, along with a cover letter and resume. 

Requirements

• master's degree or higher from an accredited institution (official transcript required)
• status as a full-time university employee, retiree of USC Columbia, or Ph.D. student
• completion of the Teaching Experience Workshop
• approval by the instructor's supervisor or department chair
• approval by the director of University 101 Programs
• participate in regular professional development opportunities offered by University 101 Programs

Application Process

  Visit the University 101 Programs web page for full application instructions.

Posted 10/21/2024

About

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Graduate Staff Assistant (GSA) Positions are Available  for the Summer 2026 Semester

 

Position Summary and Duties

The College of Nursing seeks a reliable and detail-oriented Graduate Assistant to support administrative and academic operations. This position works closely with the Office of Academic Affairs, the Office of the Dean, and the Clinical Education Department to ensure efficient documentation, file management, and event support. The Graduate Assistant must be able to work independently, manage multiple tasks, and maintain a high level of professionalism and confidentiality.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare documents, correspondence, and letters for the Office of Academic Affairs
• Maintain and organize files for the Office of Academic Affairs in accordance with college and university standards
• Assist the Clinical Education Department with preparation of materials for upper-division student applications
• Support course syllabus collection, filing, and record maintenance
• Assist the Office of the Dean with special projects as assigned
• Provide support for College of Nursing events, including preparation, coordination, and on-site assistance
• Perform additional administrative duties as needed to support college operations

Time Commitment:

This position requires a commitment of 20 hours per week, with hours varying by faculty member. Some individual hours are scheduled based on faculty teaching schedules, most commonly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and/or Fridays. The remaining weekly hours are flexible and may be arranged around the GIA’s academic schedule. The period of employment follows the academic calendar, and the GIA must be available through the end of each semester’s examination period.  

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications

• Current enrollment as a graduate student in good academic standing
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and efficiently with minimal supervision
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Professional demeanor and ability to handle confidential information

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior administrative or office experience
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and standard university system

Benefits:

This position will qualify the GIA for in-state tuition.

Application Instructions:

Please send your 1) Resume; 2) In lieu of sending a class schedule, send availability for each day of the work week (M-F).

Kendall Anderson Jr., MBA

Academic Assessment Manager

Office of Academic Affairs

College of Nursing

ka44@mailbox.sc.edu

(803) 544-8986

Position Category:

Hourly Graduate Student Position (2)

Designated Unit/Center/Project:

Children’s Law Center, Joseph F. Rice School of Law

Immediate Supervisors:

Drs. Liyun Zhang, Katie Perkins, Yanfeng Xu, and Orgul Ozturk

Position Description:

The Children’s Law Center at the Joseph F. Rice School of Law is accepting applications from interested graduate students for two (2) hourly positions to work on an inter-disciplinary project. Researchers at the Children's Law Center of the Joseph F. Rice School of Law, College of Social Work, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, and Darla Moore School of Business have been awarded a grant to partner with the SC Department of Children’s Advocacy to evaluate the effectiveness of the direct representation pilot program in Berkeley, Sumter, and Clarendon Counties. Duties of the hired graduate students include all activities related to conducting a research project:

• Review and synthesis of research literature
• Data collection and management
• Development of data collection instruments (e.g., protocols, procedures, surveys)
• IRB management and maintenance
• Data tracking and downloads from online surveys (e.g., Microsoft Forms)
• Guided quantitative data analysis (e.g., descriptive statistics)
• Guided qualitative data collection and analysis (e.g., interviews, focus groups)
• Participation in team meetings
• Report and/or manuscript preparation

Salary:

$15-$25 per hour. Salary commensurate with qualifications.

Hours:

10 to 20 hours per week, up to 40 weeks per year.

Required availability beyond standard business hours (if yes, describe evening and/or weekend obligations):

Most work will occur Monday-Friday within standard business hours. There may be occasional work outside of normal business hours to support data collection that may occur in evenings and/or weekends. Faculty and staff will work with students’ schedules to plan and coordinate any work outside of normal business hours with ample notice.

Travel required (if yes, describe nature and frequency):

Occasional travel is required for data collection in Berkeley, Sumter, and Clarendon Counties in SC during normal business hours. Faculty and staff will work with students’ schedules to plan and coordinate travel with ample notice.

Required on-campus hours (if yes, describe whether all or some hours must be completed on-campus):

Remote work will be permitted for certain tasks, but students will be required to be on-campus for tasks such as data collection, team meetings, and other activities that are not suited for remote work.

Equipment to be assigned (desktop/laptop computer, etc.):

A desktop or laptop computer will be assigned as well as any other needed technology (e.g., data analysis software, recorders for qualitative interviews).

Assigned Office Space (if any):

Shared office space will be provided at the Children’s Law Center, Darla Moore School of Business, and College of Social Work on the USC campus, depending on tasks assigned.

Minimum required qualifications:

• An earned bachelor’s degree in social work, education, psychology, economics, or other related social science
• Enrollment in or acceptance to a graduate degree program at the University of South Carolina by the start date

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience working on teams, demonstrated leadership skills, and cultural humility
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
• An academic record that includes research methods coursework
• Experience with data management and analysis software (e.g., STATA, NVIVO, SPSS, SAS, or R)
• Experience or interest in mixed-methods research, evaluation, children’s law, and child welfare
• Experience or interest in cost-effectiveness analysis

Competencies to be reviewed:

Core competencies that will be evaluated include but are not limited to:

• Relationships with others: The extent to which the graduate students establish positive relationships with the research team and external collaborators
• Willingness to learn: The extent to which the graduate students want to learn about their job and ask questions about the job, projects, and assigned tasks
• Task responsibility: The extent to which the graduate students demonstrate attention to detail, persistence, and thoughtfulness regarding assigned tasks
• Time management and work quality: The extent to which the graduate students complete their work on time and with high quality
• Growth: The extent to which the graduate students exhibit positive development as researchers over time

If you are interested in the position, please email your CV and a cover letter to Dr. Liyun Zhang at zhang349@mailbox.sc.edu by August 7, 2026.

Position Summary

A Graduate Student Research Assistant position is available through the Student Affairs and Academic Support Faculty Fellows program to support a faculty-led, mixed-methods research project examining social capital and student success at a large public research university. This position is funded through the Division of Student Affairs Faculty Fellows Program. It provides the opportunity to gain applied experience in higher education research while contributing to a scholarly project with practical implications for student success.

Appointment Period: 

September 1, 2026–June 30, 2027

Compensation: 

$6,000 stipend paid over the appointment period in accordance with USC student employment procedures

Estimated Time Commitment: 

Approximately 8–10 hours per week
This temporary student employment position supports the completion of the Faculty Fellows research project and provides meaningful professional learning and applied research experience. The work schedule is flexible and will be developed collaboratively to align with the student’s academic commitments and project milestones.

Scope of Work

Research and Literature Support

• Conduct literature reviews related to social capital, student success, belonging, mentoring, and relationship-rich education.
• Identify and summarize relevant scholarly and professional resources.
• Assist with annotated bibliographies, citations, and reference management.
• Support environmental scans and benchmarking of peer institutions.

Data and Assessment Support

• Assist with the revision, administration, and distribution of a social capital survey instrument.
• Support participant recruitment for surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
• Organize, clean, and prepare quantitative and qualitative research data.
• Assist with transcription, qualitative coding, and thematic analysis.
• Prepare descriptive tables, charts, and data visualizations.

Project Coordination

• Assist with scheduling interviews, focus groups, and project meetings.
• Maintain project documentation, timelines, and shared files.
• Support communication and follow-up with research participants.
• Assist with organizing Institutional Review Board documentation and research materials.

Dissemination and Reporting

• Assist with research reports and executive summaries.
• Support conference proposals, presentations, posters, and manuscripts.
• Prepare research summaries for campus stakeholders.

Professional Expectations

The Graduate Student Research Assistant is expected to:

• Work independently while maintaining regular communication with the Faculty Fellow.
• Track and submit hours worked to document progress toward the expected weekly commitment.
• Attend twice-monthly project meetings with the Faculty Fellow. These meetings are considered part of the student’s work hours and will include project updates, mentoring, and professional development.
• Meet established project deadlines and communicate proactively regarding progress or challenges.
• Maintain the confidentiality of research data and adhere to University research ethics, data-management, and IRB requirements.

Professional Development

This position provides the opportunity to participate in multiple phases of the research process, including study design, literature review, data collection, analysis, and dissemination. This position is ideal for graduate students interested in higher education, student affairs, educational research, assessment, or doctoral study. Depending on contributions, students may have opportunities to participate in conference presentations and scholarly publications.

Anticipated Deliverables

Deliverables may include literature review summaries, organized datasets, data tables or visualizations, project documentation, and draft reports or presentation materials.
Specific responsibilities and deliverables will be determined collaboratively based on project needs and the graduate student’s skills and learning goals.

Application Process

Interested applicants should complete the online application and submit the following materials:

• Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Unofficial graduate transcript

Application Deadline: Friday, August 21, 2026, at 12:00 pm (eastern time zone)
Anticipated Start Date: September 15, 2026

Questions about the position may be directed to:

H. Kay Thomas, Ed.D. Clinical Associate Professor

Student Affairs and Academic Support (SAAS) Faculty Fellow, 2026–2027

University of South Carolina

hkaythomas@sc.edu