Community Graduate Assistant Opportunities

Community Internship Graduate Assistants and Community Graduate Research Assistants

Financially support our best and brightest students so that they can focus on their studies and develop their professional skills!

Organizations looking to promote professional development opportunities can sponsor Community Internship Graduate Assistantships (view an example). Organizations looking to accelerate research in their field can sponsor Community Graduate Research Assistantships (view an example).

Community Internship Graduate Assistants (CIGAs)

CIGAs are funded by community partners in the private, public, and non-profit sectors. These partnerships allow organizations to support graduate students by providing them hands-on experience as interns at their site. CIGAs are supervised by their 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ faculty advisor, with onsite mentorship from their site coordinator.

CIGAs are appointed by a 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ graduate faculty member and work 20 hours per week on or off-campus under the supervision of their faculty advisor in collaboration with their placement site mentor. CIGA projects and responsibilities, which must be related to the student’s academic degree program, must be clearly outlined in an agreement between 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ and the placement site.

CIGAs receive financial support as graduate assistants, as well as professional development experience. This helps graduate students progress in their programs, and it helps 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ move toward Top Tier status. CIGA sponsors help advance their field, build relationships with some of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s best and brightest faculty and students, and benefit from the graduate assistant’s contributions to the organization. Learn more about the CIGA program.

Assistantship Estimate*
Item Minimum Cost
Stipend including fringe $12,200 - $24,000
Fall tuition $3,000
Spring tuition $3,000
Non-resident tuition Waived by the Graduate College ($14k value)
Reinvestment fee 5%
Total: $19,110 - $31,500

*Estimate is subject to change if stipends, fringe benefits, and/or tuition/fees change. Every effort has been made to ensure that these figures reflect current costs.

CIGAs may be funded with a one-time gift, in two pledge payments, or monthly.

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Community Graduate Research Assistants (CGRAs)

Community Graduate Research Assistants (CGRAs) are funded by community partners in the private or public sectors or by nonprofit organizations. These partnerships allow organizations to support graduate students working on cutting-edge research, scholarship, and creative activities.

CGRAs work with faculty members on campus. Sponsors can contact students for occasional updates and will have the opportunity to view the final product and meet with the students to discuss it at their academic defense or other agreed-upon time. Students own the intellectual property that results from the assistantship. Additional employment outside of the assistantship may be limited based on individual circumstances. 

CGRAs receive financial support as well as professional development experience. This helps graduate students progress in their programs, and it helps 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ move toward Top Tier status. CGRA sponsors help advance their field, build relationships with some of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s best and brightest faculty and students, and benefit from the outcome of the sponsored project. Learn more about the CGRA program.

Assistantship Estimate*
Item Minimum Cost
Stipend including fringe $12,200 - $24,000
Fall tuition $3,000
Spring tuition $3,000
Non-resident tuition Waived by the Graduate College ($14k value)
Reinvestment fee 5%
Total: $19,110 - $31,500

*Estimate is subject to change if stipends, fringe benefits, and/or tuition/fees change. Every effort has been made to ensure that these figures reflect current costs.

CGRAs may be funded with a one-time gift, in two pledge payments, or monthly.

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