Serving as a graduate assistant offers students seeking master’s degrees a way to further their education without burdening their budgets.

Graduate assistant coaches at Stevenson get their tuition paid for in exchange for their services as assistant coaches, and with tuition continuously  rising, the graduate assistant positions are a way for these former athletes to pay for an advanced degree. At Stevenson, there are graduate assistant coaches for almost every sport.

The application process starts with various coaches and admissions reviewing each candidate for the graduate program. Applications start coming in once coaches of the various sports post openings for a new assistant coach. Next, applicants must submit a resume and cover letter. After that, coaches selects the best fit for their program following an interview.

Following the initial process, the chosen applicants must be accepted into the Stevenson graduate program. Required materials for the graduate school application include an undergraduate transcript and a short essay about what they want to get out of the master’s program and how it will serve them in the future.

Graduate assistants  can choose from programs in Business and Technology Management, Communication Studies, Community-Based Education and Leadership, Crime Scene Investigation, Cyber Forensics, Digital Forensics, Forensic Accounting, Forensic Investigation, Forensic Science, Forensic Studies, Healthcare Management, Nursing, and Teaching.

Graduate assistantships require experience, commitment and dedication. Emma Robinson, a second-year graduate assistant for the track and field team, is proof. She has been involved in track and field since her first year of high school and competed for four years at the University of Massachusetts. Her dedication and commitment shows through her daily work with individual athletes, while also studying for her master’s degree.

Commitment is important for Robinson because of the many things she is tasked with on a daily basis.  “Every day’s tasks vary and include all parts of coaching a team. Some of these tasks include recruiting, coaching, team communication, coordination of team travel, monitoring eligibility status, watching the academic progress of student-athletes, and maintenance of team equipment,” said Robinson. “I assist coach Camodeca in all daily operations of running a track and field team,” she added.

There are other options for graduate assistant positions at Stevenson University, including some programs within departments. These positions require recipients to help students in the classroom, as well as perform other assistant duties. In every case, however, the graduate assistant program helps to keep students debt free as they continue their educational path.

For more information on Stevenson graduate assistantships in athletics, visit the university athletic page.