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Campus Recreation

Graduate Assistantships

Campus Recreation at ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ Illinois University offers graduate assistantships to WIU graduate students. The opportunity to pursue a Master's degree in a strong academic program, combined with the practical learning experience of a graduate assistantship, provides applicants with a comprehensive graduate education. Graduate degree programs that would be enhanced by an assistantship in Campus Recreation include: College Student Personnel, Public Health, Public Safety Administration, RPTA (Recreation, Park, & Tourism Administration), Sport ´ºÓêÖ±²¥.

Requirements

Students must meet all of the conditions listed below in order to hold an assistantship position:

1. Must have a graduate assistantship application on file in Human Resources. Please note that individual hiring areas may require additional application materials or processes.
2. Must be a degree-seeking graduate student regularly accepted into a master’s, specialist, or doctoral program. Probationary, non-degree, post-baccalaureate certificate, and second bachelor’s degree students are not eligible to hold assistantship positions.
3. Must maintain a 3.0 or higher graduate GPA once graduate-level courses have been completed.
4. Master's level students must be enrolled in at least nine semester hours of graduate coursework or undergraduate deficiencies if holding a graduate, teaching support, or research assistant position for fall/spring; or at least six semester hours if holding a teaching assistant position for fall/spring. Doctoral students must be enrolled in at least six semester hours of graduate coursework to hold any classification of assistantship position for fall/spring.Ìý Contracts (for any position) that fall within the regular summer session dates require enrollment in a minimum of three semester hours of coursework in the summer session. If it is the assistant's last semester of coursework (as verified by the degree plan), it is acceptable to be registered for only the remaining required courses.
5. Sign an assistantship contract and complete all required employment paperwork including a background check.

All graduate assistants will work a minimum of 20 hours per week, which could include weekends. Customizing and combining positions to meet your personal goals is common. Early application is strongly encouraged.

**Note: Graduate Assistantship positions are highly competitive and merit based. As a result, not every graduate student will be awarded an assistantship position and application to a particular position(s) does not guarantee an interview or employment.

Visit the School of Graduate Studies for detailed information.

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At the current time, we DO NOT anticipate having any openings for the Fall 2026 semester.

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Assistantship Opportunities

Facility ´ºÓêÖ±²¥

The Facility ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ Graduate Assistant oversees various operations within the Spencer Student Recreation Center and performs duties associated with the maintenance, coordination, and management of the facility.

Responsibilities include assisting with facility management and scheduling, providing exceptional customer service, utilizing conflict resolution skills, responding to injuries, supervising students, implementing risk management procedures, enforcing policies, and hiring, training, and supervising student employees.

Programming

The Programming Graduate Assistant performs duties related to both the Fitness Services and Intramural Sports areas.

For Fitness Services, Graduate Assistants plan, market/promote and organize fitness-related programs and competitons; assist with the scheduling of instructors/trainers; assist with teaching group fitness instructor/personal trainer courses, teach group fitness classes, and provide students and staff with healthy lifestyle information. Background in Exercise Science, Health/Wellness, Nutrition, or Strength and Conditioning preferred.

For Intramural Sports, Graduate Assistants plan, organize, administer, and evaluate over all intramural event; recruit, train, schedule, supervise, and evaluate officials; directly supervise intramural activities, and facilitate marketing/promotion. Officiating experience preferred.Ìý

Application Process

All application requirements must be met before an assistantship interview may be granted.

IMPORTANT: You must be a currently-enrolled and degree-seeking graduate student of ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ Illinois University to be eligible to receive an offer of employment for a Graduate Assistant position. If you have not already done so, you must submit the online Application for Admission to the School of Graduate Studies. Once this is completed, then you must complete the steps below to apply for a position in Campus Recreation:

  1. Apply for an open Campus Recreation Graduate Assistantship position via Ìýusing your ECom user name and password (same as your WIU email). You may search by clicking on "jobs" then filter by clicking "on campus" and searching for "campus recreation."

    Please note that Campus Recreation assistantship postings indicate "Apply Externally", meaning you must complete the additional process outlined below to be considered for an assistantship.ÌýÌý

  2. Submit the following to the Director of Campus Recreation, Brian Thomas:
    • Campus Recreation Graduate Assistantship Application (pdf)
    • ¸é±ð²õ³Ü³¾Ã©/°ä³Õ
    • Personal Goals StatementÌýoutlining your academic and professional goals and how an assistantship with Campus Recreation would support those goals
    • Three (3) Letters of Recommendation (academic or professional, no personal recommendations will be considered)
  3. Application materials can be submitted on paper to the Campus Recreation Office or digitally by emailing copies to the Director of Campus Recreation, Brian Thomas atÌýBM-Thomas2@wiu.edu .