The Division of Student Affairs provides thirteen Graduate Assistants with opportunities to grow as aspiring leaders in higher education. Recently, we caught up with a few of them to talk about how the pandemic has altered their experiences as GAs in the 2020-2021 academic year.
One of the greatest lessons this pandemic has taught those who work in higher education is how to adapt. Vic Norris, a Graduate Assistant in the Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement, said that his experience is one of “constant change and adaptation. Being able to work with student leaders has been a new challenge, but a joy as well.” However, adapting to this new format has also limited the amount of in person work that GAs can do. Hannah Curtis, GA for Sports Clubs noted that the new limitations did not “allow much practice and competition. I do think the Division handled it well and was very thorough.”
Even in the wake of a pandemic, graduate assistants have found opportunities for growth and ways to play active roles in their respective communities. Jessica Borne, a Residential Community Director for Mary Hey Peyton-Shuttles Commons, expressed that her experience “has been one of a lot of growth,” and that she is “amazed at her students’ hard work and diligence to still make connections inside of our community” despite the pandemic.
Finding a sense of community as the world fights COVID-19 daily has not been an easy task. However, graduate assistants have played active roles in successfully helping students navigate the new, partly virtual world. Dani Meyers, a second year graduate assistant for the Hegi Career Development Center, expressed that she believes that their office has “grown stronger in terms of better communication and support amongst ourselves and as part of the SMU community,” and despite the pandemic, they are able to “provide the same caliber of services to students as we did prior to COVID-19.” As we begin to think of a world beyond the pandemic, the desire to serve students at SMU will remain.
While the initial adjustment to online instruction was difficult, the new format provides those interested in higher education with the opportunity to serve as graduate assistants, even from afar. Dedman Law student Colleen Collins said that she is a “virtual student at home in Florida, and it has been an amazing experience to work for the Women and LGBT Center virtually. This work is so important, and it is something I am passionate about – so it has been fun to make things happen for the Center from afar.” Perhaps one of the major takeaways of the pandemic will be that no matter the format, student affairs professionals can still have a profound impact on students and the universities they serve.
Graduate Assistants have faced unique challenges as they navigate classes, work, and attempting to have a social life with a pandemic raging. While this academic year may look far from normal, some things, like support and mentorship, have remained. Emily Rasch, Graduate Assistant for Student Affairs Administration, noted that, “when I think of starting my role in the middle of a pandemic, what I will remember most is the people who invested in me and helped me succeed, both in and out of the office.” Though adapting to the pandemic’s challenges has been a task in itself, it is important to remember those who are helping graduate students succeed.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last March, little was known about the impact it would have on daily life at SMU. However, through hard work and a little flexibility, Graduate Assistants for the Division have offered a new sense of hope for the future of student affairs at SMU.