graduate assistant

graduate researcher

research assistant

teaching assistant

assistant professor

George Mason University

Working as a Learning Assistant was a wonderful experience as an undergraduate.  The professors and students with whom you work are great.  The professor I worked for personally was more than willing to help out if I hit any rough patches along the way, and the students were all there because they wanted to be there.  The environment was a respectful and genial one.  Everyone has a good sense of humor and if you need to cancel your hours for the day, no-one really gets up in arms about it.  No questions asked. Simply because I loved the job, I ended up working more hours than I was supposed to.  Plan your office hours carefully, and in the first few weeks it's best to shift hours around as much as you reasonably can to see which hours best suit the student body.

Many aspects of the job requirement are more optional than they would lead you to believe.  You are supposed to spend an hour with your faculty advisor every week and spend 4 hours on prep time.  As long as your faculty advisor is okay with it, neither is really required.  If you know what you're doing, you should never have to look at a book to teach your subject.

Bad news?  Sometimes staffing is... questionable.  I was told my paycheck was tax-free, since it was technically a scholarship.  The check said "Scholarship" right on it.  After a snafu the first semester, we got paid on time, but come the next tax season I got hit with a $400 bill from the IRS that no one told me was coming.  It took a complete overhaul of the compensation system for me to even get my money, because at first, not all the money was coming from the same places.  For example, I was in the Chemistry Dept, but was paid for by the Math Dept.  I had almost no oversight, because the Math Dept. wasn't really exchanging any information with the Chemistry Dept.  They just handed me my checks with no questions.  When I realized my first check was much later than the departmental emails said, I was sent around in circles to a bunch of different department offices, all of them saying it wasn't their department and I should try at so-and-so's office.  It took me a very long time to get it straightened out, and I wasn't the only one with problems.

Many of my LA coworkers had issues reporting the hours they worked in pre-arranged formats that seemed to change every few weeks.  Because I was technically contracted by the Math Department and not Chem or Bio, I didn't have to deal with any of that (hooray for no oversight?), but even in the last few weeks of school, there were still concerns over how any of it worked.

Some of it was fantastic.  Some of it was ridiculous.  Take what you will from this.

I am writing to express my utmost satisfaction and gratitude for the incredible experience I have had as a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) at George Mason University (GMU). My time in this position has been nothing short of enriching, both academically and professionally.

One of the key highlights of being a GRA at GMU is the supportive and collaborative research environment. The faculty members and fellow researchers create a conducive atmosphere for intellectual growth and innovation. The mentorship provided has been invaluable, allowing me to delve into challenging research projects and contribute meaningfully to the academic community.

The resources available to GRAs at GMU are commendable. The well-equipped laboratories, cutting-edge technology, and extensive library resources have played a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of my research. The university's commitment to fostering a research-intensive culture is evident through the continuous investment in state-of-the-art facilities.

Moreover, the interdisciplinary nature of the research projects has provided me with a holistic perspective on my field of study. Collaborating with experts from diverse backgrounds has not only expanded my knowledge base but also sharpened my critical thinking and problem-solving skills. GMU's emphasis on interdisciplinary research is truly a distinguishing factor that sets it apart.

The professional development opportunities offered to GRAs have been instrumental in preparing me for future career endeavors. Workshops, seminars, and conferences organized by the university have allowed me to network with experts in the field, presenting my research findings and receiving constructive feedback that has further shaped my work.

I would be remiss not to mention the inclusive and welcoming community at GMU. The encouragement and camaraderie among fellow GRAs foster a sense of belonging and make the research journey truly enjoyable. The open lines of communication with faculty members create an environment where ideas are exchanged freely, promoting a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

In conclusion, my experience as a GRA at GMU has exceeded my expectations in every aspect. The university's commitment to research excellence, coupled with the supportive community and abundant resources, has made this position an enriching and transformative chapter in my academic and professional journey. I wholeheartedly recommend the GRA position at GMU to any aspiring researcher looking for a stimulating and rewarding experience.

As a graduate student at this school, you may have a lot of issues getting a degree and working here. Below I'll elaborate on some of the issues and benefits of getting a degree here while working as a research assistant (GRA) or teaching assistant (GTA).

The school has great academic programs and some great professors. However, the administration of the overall university and even the departments seem to have little to know consideration and respect for their graduate students. The living environment around the area has a high cost of living and significant transportation issues. However, the pay considered fair for a research assistant is awful! For a graduate teaching assistant, it's even worse ($12,500.) It is near impossible to live comfortably around here without living with 3-4 other people. No healthcare unless you get a GRA or GTA position. TA positions alone will not get you this benefit.

Each department is different, but expect to do lots of work for your advisors and professors, while focusing on your degree in the off time. As a teacher assistant expect to create lesson plans, grade, and teach for 20+ hours a week. Lesson plans are almost never passed between professors and students, but you may be able to get old lessons from previous students. For research assistant positions students sometimes work together, but there is usually little collaboration in large projects as teams. Most work is directly between yourself and your advisor.

Once you're done with a degree here, I believe you will have learned a lot. This will definitely help you once you have finished the degree, but might not get you a job right away. Being so close to DC you would think there are a lot of internships and connections, but this is not always the case. Overall, the university is great for academics and interesting research areas. As a place to work I would hate to be here for more than the time it takes to get a degree.

I was grateful to land a job at Mason through an existing network outside of a recession and in the middle of a career transition. Work/life balance and benefits were the redeeming qualities of employment at Mason, in addition to a truly beautiful main campus. However, the university was (and remains) rife with poor and ineffective leaders like most institutions of higher education. Politics were so corrosive that many of my colleagues had health ailments induced from the stress, myself included. Ethical and legal violations reported to HR never went anywhere, while toxic and abusive leaders received protection from middle aged male academics with questionable standards and great privilege. Additionally, it was demoralizing to have sound improvement initiatives and creative ideas continually ignored, while colleagues with less experience were hired above the pay grade of those of us with years more experience and service. Never in my life have I felt valued so little by an employer, and never in my life have I felt so helpless while I watched my capable and wise colleagues suffer from bullying and abuse in the workplace. I was fortunate to leave at the time I did, which was when the university started restructuring. Be sure to investigate a department or college as thoroughly as possible. Some of the newer deans are downright terrifying to hear about and many colleges have a long string of ineffective leadership hires.

My time here was purely stressful. As a former employee working in the housing department, it's sad that the management is poor. The people are absolutely great humans, but the people who carry the department are not treated fairly nor are they given the proper recognition they deserve. You work over 40 hours a week doing what seems like everyone's busy work and if you voice your concerns, leadership either shuts it down or gaslights you. The lack of organization and structure is kind of sad and should not be tolerated but it is (Mason's entire UL leadership is pretty poor). There's very little room for advancement unless you're leadership's "fave". Duty was always horrible. Everything falls on the Hall Director. Everything. By the end of year one, I was already burnt out. I really hope this department can recognize that it has so much potential to do great things but the egos, lack of communication, lack of trust, lack of organization and vision, and the comfortability in being mediocre is holding this department back. They also need new leadership from the TOP down! Some of these folxs in leadership have been there over 7 years and still have poor leadership skills which doesn't help anything. People are constantly leaving or unhappy with their positions and leadership acts like they do not know why. The students recognize this as well and that is truly the sad part. Please do better! 

For having worked in many offices throughout George Mason University, there was a distinct coherence in the offices. Coworkers were very friendly and obliging. However, the management of several departments on campus led to ineffectual application of budgets, time wasted in project timeliness, and a general disassociation between the higher management and the application of funds/direction to improve office efficiency. This is a systemic issue throughout multiple departments distracting from the tasks at hand and creating a general sense of unrest amongst both the part-time and full-time employees. The pay is not competitive and the hours are minimal sometimes with arbitrary judgments being made regarding local weather hindrances. For all that being said, the people who work there are truly what the job is about. When one is uncertain of job security or a competitive pay check, you cling to what you have and that is the people who're in the same situation. As employees, we even have to pay for parking out of the money we've earned which is a vicious cycle that hinders the employees ability to feel any affection for the employer. Truly, of all this, the people were the only part that matters or has mattered.

Mason is a high stress environment with low pay for the work required.  Over the course of an 8-year period, the increase was less than a total of a 2 percent increase. The only way to get a real increase is to get an offer outside Mason, which means many folks are more worried about what they can put on their resume vs. getting work done that advances the department. There is constant turnover and no value placed on establishing strong working relations and trust between colleges/departments.  The workload is so large, little time or effort is made for documentation.  Systems, processes and procedures change often and there is little reward for becoming proficient or the resident expert in understanding systems, processes and procedures.  It's all about managing up -- no concern for employee collegiality or well being.  If your boss is happy it doesn't matter what your interaction is with your colleagues or even with those you supervise. Your supervisor and/or job description can change without your input or even a meeting to let you know.  And employees get no input into evaluation of their supervisors ability to supervise them. Employees don't have much engagement since upper management makes almost all decisions usually without taking into account how changes will impact employees, their workflow or their customers.   

The place is honestly a joy to work at when working there as a student work I loved it. When I was give the role of graphic design it was a great learning experience. The only issue I ran into were 2 things. Due to it being a university everything is very restrictive so you have to be creative in a space that can’t be very creative because it has to meet brand guidelines.  2 as a student worker the pay is fine but when I was give more important and intensive work after our main graphic designer left and I basically took up the role and work load I didn’t get a pay raise despite my work load and importance grew. Over all the people are great, the environment is great, but after a few years working there as much I love the work space and environment the work felt the same. After awhile the work repeats and I felt like I wasn’t  learning anything new or really growing in my field. I think this place is a great place to work at if you have the opportunity but will say after awhile in this position like mine where you want to be creative it can kind stagnant and repetitive. Though I think as a starting graphic designer I do implore you to work here you will learn a lot but just know eventually after a few years you will fine that the work might be stagnant and the learning opportunities dry up.

Worked here for 10 years and have appreciated the camaraderie and willingness to collaborate with staff across units. 

The biggest positive of working here are the benefits. In addition to the regular insurance, there's tuition remission, which I've taken advantage of to pay for classes toward a doctorate. 

Something that I wish would be better and would entice more people to stay would be livable and equitable wage for our positions. I'm doing the same amount of work and oversight on projects/programs for someone in a different part of the university and being paid $10-15k less than them. Each college has its pros/cons and some just have more money to pay their staff. 

In the 2010s there was more opportunity for professional development and the university has unfortunately changed/cut that back and transformed it into more specialized trainings/workshops/certificates. They're slowly bringing back overall professional development, but HR needs more support to make it happen. 

Capable of creating innovative long-term strategic plans while maintaining short-term goals and objectives. Additionally, making sure a good idea becomes reality, as opposed to a fantasy. My ideal jobs utilize my enjoyment of complex problems. Professional in the development of the visual technology as a way of increasing management performance.

Ability to rational conduct, ensuring the highest standards of quality in managing and administrating, and creative solution for complex problems. Understanding the importance of the relationship between the organization and the customers, and the importance of developing the relationship to build trust between the organization and customers.

Leadership experience in various courses that develop the concept of cooperate with team members, sharing ideas to provide best solutions, critical thinking, communication, group collaboration, global understanding, digital literacy, civic engagement, aesthetic awareness and well-being.

Multiple languages. English, Arabic, and American Sign Language (ASL).

Interested in working as a management assistant or admin assistant specialist in business field, creative companies, or any other organization.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Graduate assistant 9 salaries reported	$31,333 per year
Graduate researcher 6 salaries reported	$34,986 per year
Research assistant 4 salaries reported	$48,500 per year
Teaching assistant 6 salaries reported	$16.17 per hour
Assistant professor 3 salaries reported	$72,333 per year

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