The Graduate Community Fellows program offers a sustained and systematic method of building graduate community at MIT, especially in the directions of interest for the OGE.
In addition, the Fellows have the opportunity to interact intimately with administrators, advocate for student interests, and gain valuable leadership experience.
— former Fellow
Graduate Community Fellows are a cadre of graduate students who work on projects and assignments that enhance graduate community in unique ways. Each Fellow reports to a staff member in the OGE or in a partner organization, and focuses on a specific project. Current open positions are listed in the section below.
As a cadre, Fellows meet regularly to coordinate efforts, and to pool their observations and reflections. They have the opportunity to advise the OGE about the needs of the graduate student community, and serve as an important conduit for informing the OGE about the graduate student experience.
To serve as a Graduate Community Fellow, a graduate student must meet minimal eligibility requirements and agree to the terms of appointment (below). Appointment periods for Fellow positions vary.
Open Positions:
Starting Immediately
Career Advising & Professional Development (CAPD) – Signature Programs
This Fellow supports graduate student programs and events by working closely with, and reporting to CAPD.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
- Plan, implement, and evaluate programs and events that promote and celebrate the professional development of graduate students, including the annual Path of Professorship workshop and graduate excellence awards.
- Assist in creation and stewardship of opportunities for graduate students to build and broaden networks of support to enhance the graduate experience.
- Assist in designing and implementing approaches to assess and document the success of programmatic efforts.
- Interact with departments, administrative offices, and student groups with which the OGE partners or whose activities the OGE funds.
- Develop marketing tools for programs and events.
- Convene focus groups to identify student needs, interests, and experiences.
- Partner with other Fellows on mutually beneficial projects.
Skills and Qualifications:
Strong organizational skills; strong communication skills; experience with project planning; enjoys working on a team. Background in science or engineering. Candidates should be interested in holding the position for two years.
Office of Graduate Education (OGE) – GradThriving
This Fellow will support GradThriving by working closely the GradThriving Associate Dean, the GradSupport Associate Dean and the GradSupport Program Coordinator.
Tasks & Responsibilities:
- Create reports utilizing aggregated data provided by the Office of Graduate Education GradThriving area which includes GradSupport, GradDiversity, GradFamilies and GradExperience areas
- Update GradSupport website as needed.
- Design and create a template for a GradThrive annual report including GradSupport, GradDiversity and GradExperiences
Skills and Qualifications:
- Strong data analysis skills
- Ability to create compelling reports which capture the work of GradThriving
- Ability to offer suggestions on additional data points to be collected
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Ability to work independently to meet deadlines
- Ability to work collaboratively
PKG Center – Community Engaged Learning
The PKG Center for Public Service is the epicenter of public service at MIT. It is a small collegial and welcoming office. The PKG Center’s overarching goals are to tap and expand MIT students’ unique skills and interests to prepare them to explore and address complex social and environmental challenges. We educate students to collaborate ethically and effectively with community partners to engage in meaningful public service, today and in their lives beyond MIT.
The Graduate Community Engagement Fellow will work closely with the Assistant Dean for Community Based Programs to support the development of community engaged learning initiatives at the PKG Center. The fellow’s projects will focus on research and programming that supports PKG’s efforts to provide technical assistance for community engaged learning across MIT through partnerships with faculty, graduate students, and DLCs.
Tasks & Responsibilities:
Community Engaged Learning
- Update the CEL Landscape Analysis
- Research CEL initiatives at peer institutions
- Coordinate CEL Faculty Luncheon
- Support the development of CEL initiatives at PKG
Database Project & Data Analysis
- Create and manage a synced database in Airtable to track and analyze outreach efforts, ensuring data insights inform engagement strategies.
- Set up systems and reporting in Airtable to streamline data collection and visualization
- Aggregate, sanitize, and analyze student engagement and demographic data across the different PKG programs
- Serve as a general resource for data analysis and visualization.
Writing and Communication Center – Technology Studio
The Writing and Communication Center (WCC) is seeking a Graduate Community Fellow (GCF) to assist in the development and management of the Communication and Technology Studio, a resource for practicing public speaking and oral communication projects. Under the supervision of WCC staff, the GCF will coordinate the studio’s operations, promote its use among MIT students, staff, and faculty, and conduct weekly orientation sessions to ensure effective use of studio resources. The GCF will also collaborate with WCC staff in organizing public speaking clinics and oral communication events.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of WCC staff, the GCF will:
- Ensure the studio and scheduling software are functioning smoothly.
- Troubleshoot any issues that arise.
- Promote the studio to the MIT community.
- Organize and lead weekly orientation sessions for new users.
- Collaborate with WCC staff to organize public speaking clinics and oral communication events.
- Be prepared to speak to both small and large groups of students and scholars about the studio.
Skills and Qualifications:
- Strong interest in public speaking, with excellent presentation and interpersonal skills.
- Experience in event promotion and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively to groups.
- Proficiency with various software and apps, with the ability to explain their functionality to others.
- Experience in troubleshooting software issues.
- Strong organizational skills.
This is a flexible position that requires both virtual and in-office work.
Applications
Applications for open positions should be submitted through this link. They will be reviewed as they are submitted; positions will be filled ASAP but some may not begin until the beginning of the next semester. Please contact gcf-admin@mit.edu with any questions.
Eligibility
- All graduate students who are registered and in good standing in a full time degree program at MIT for the current academic year are eligible to apply. (An international student who has full support in the form of an RA or TA is not eligible during regular academic terms – see Graduate Policies and Procedures for more information.)
- Fellows must be in the Boston/Cambridge area for the term of their position. A student in nonresident doctoral thesis research status, or thesis-in-absentia status, is not eligible to apply.
- Applicants must have been enrolled at MIT for at least one regular semester (fall / spring) prior to applying.
- Applicants on NSF GFRP who are on tenure are not eligible to work
- Renewal of a position is not automatic. Current or previous GCFs who wish to be renewed should speak with their supervisor.
Terms of position
- The typical Graduate Community Fellow position is often for two or more semesters and can continue into the summer term. See position descriptions for position-specific information.
- Graduate Community Fellows will receive $850 per month for 10 hours a week working on GCF tasks. Duties are outlined in each position’s description.
- You are only permitted to hold one graduate community fellow position at a time. Also please review MIT hourly employment guidelines for graduate students that can be found here
- A Fellow can be dismissed prior to agreed upon timeline for conduct considered detrimental to the Office of Graduate Education, or for failure to accomplish their responsibilities as a Graduate Community Fellow. Should one be dismissed, the payments will cease. If the OGE and GCF’s supervisor determine that the person accepted GCF payments during a time period in which the position responsibilities were not met, the OGE may pursue reimbursement of the payments from the Fellow.
Request a new position
MIT Offices interested in establishing a new graduate community fellow position should first reach out to gcf-admin@mit.edu for instructions on how to develop a proposal. All proposals must include a position description detailing the role, responsibilities, and a list of specific, concrete tasks. Supervisors must regularly meet with their fellow for mentoring and advising as well as report annually on progress. Supervisors may also anticipate some meetings with the program administrator and other supervisors throughout the year.
