Graduate Assistants (GAs) in Undergraduate Admission play an important role in welcoming prospective students, as well as their families and high schol counselors to USD. This on-campus position offers the opportunity to develop professional skills in communication, advising and event coordination, all while working closely with admission staff and student assistants.
GAs represent the university through presentations and meetings with thousands of visitors, provide support with application processing and contribute to projects and events throughout the recruitment cycle. Learn more about the impact and experiences of our Graduate Assistants below!
Why We Chose to Be GAs
Hear from several of our amazing Graduate Assistants as they share what it's like working in Undergraduate Admissions. From building professional skills to making a meaningful impact on prospective students, their experiences highlight the value of being part of our team.
Summary of Duties:
As a member of the Undergraduate Admission team, the graduate assistant provides a vital link in USD’s admission process. Under the direction of the Associate Director of Operations, the primary duties of the graduate assistant encompass four main areas:
- Representing the university to prospective students, parents, high school counselors, alumni, and other external constituents by meeting with and offering presentations to campus visitors, conducting tours of the campus and occasionally attending local college night programs.
- Providing front desk and phone coverage when needed.
- Processing applications for freshman and transfer applicants which includes credentialing new applications, updating evaluated applications, assisting with applicant data cleanups, processing incoming mail and other tasks related to the processing of applications.
- Special project and technical support with various recruitment events throughout the enrollment cycle.
Required Qualifications:
- Excellent public speaking and interpersonal communication skills
- Strong work ethic, punctuality and the ability to keep regularly scheduled working hours
- Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail and the ability to use discretion when working with confidential materials
- Experience with data entry is required; familiarity with Microsoft Office and Google suite, Banner or other SIS and Salesforce or other CRM is helpful
- Ability to flex between collaborating with members of the Admission team and working independently
- Ability to provide effective operational guidance to team of undergraduate student assistants and tour guides
Salary, Hours & Availability
Salary is $18/hour. Preference may be given to candidates who can occasionally work Saturdays and evenings for events such as Torero Visit Day, college fairs, Saturday info sessions, etc. Strong preference is given to well qualified candidates whose schedules best match the needs of the office.
Special Conditions of Employment:
Occasional overtime may be required during peak application processing and event periods. Substantial work on the PC using a keyboard and mouse. High degree of confidentiality with respect to student files, credentials, emails, student and university correspondence, phone calls, memos, and all information pertaining to applicants, students, alumni and other constituents.
Supervisor: Sally Asbille, Associate Director of Operations with additional supervision provided by Jim Bonner, Interim Director of Admissions
Interested in applying for the position? Indicate your interest and upload your resume in the form below.
If you have any difficulties with the form or upload, contact us at admissions@sandiego.edu
Billy Shyne '21
"I chose to be a GA because I genuinely love being part of students' college journeys and helping them navigate such an exciting time in their lives. The experience was perfectly aligned with my School Counseling program, giving me invaluable insights into the college admission process and teaching me how to support students and families through big decisions and transitions—skills I use every day as an international school counselor. I enjoyed it so much that I've continued reading applications for UGA over the past few years, and it's been incredibly rewarding to stay connected with the team and continue supporting future Toreros!."