Join Our Team

Graduate Fellows work as part of the Grad Center team to develop programs and resources that enhance the quality of personal development, social and cultural life, and to foster the graduate and professional student community at Penn. Fellows contribute to the Grad Center’s role as the central hub of graduate student life at Penn, supporting and bringing together students from across the many disciplines, backgrounds, and cultures at Penn. 

Participation as a Graduate Center Fellow is a terrific way to meet new people, gain useful professional and leadership experience, and explore topics of interests, and contribute to the broader Penn graduate & professional student experience. Fellows work closely with Grad Center staff and fellows, and collaborate with other offices and groups across Penn. We welcome your application.

Please review the position description and eligibility criteria below before applying for the role(s) for which you are most interested and qualified: 

In addition to proving a welcoming and helpful presence at the first floor Information Desk, Fellows work with Grad Center professional staff in programming or operational roles, and collaborate with other staff and campus centers as appropriate. While broadly focused on supporting graduate student community at Penn, the ideas and initiative of the Fellows themselves define the range of activities and programs they implement. 

Programming Fellows work closely with a member of the professional staff as part of a program team in one of two broad programming areas:

• Graduate Life Programs
  Plan programs and events that promote a vibrant, engaged, and supportive graduate and professional student community at Penn. Fellows work closely with an Associate Director to plan regular programs like our Fourth Fridays @ Five, and other activities to help foster a well-rounded graduate experience, including programs on maintaining a healthy school-life balance, personal development, social events, and building a sense of community.
   
• Academic & Intellectual Programs
  Plan programs to help graduate students be successful in all aspects of their academic work, with focuses on skill building, intellectual engagement, professional development, and a better understanding of the graduate experience. This includes the “Navigating the Academy” programs currently sponsored in part by GAPSA. Fellows work closely with an Associate Director to develop new programs, as well as to facilitate existing programs, such as our Dissertation Boot Camp.

Operations Fellows work with members of the Grad Center professional staff and fellows to advance one or more essential functions of the Center:     

• Operations & Outreach
  Assists the Associate Director for Operations with the daily operations of a busting student center, serving over 17,000 graduate and professional students, including scheduling bi-monthly fellows meetings, inventory, special projects & events. This fellow also works with the Program Coordinator to support the Center's communications, including our weekly newsletter, printed materials, and social media. Fellows must be detail-oriented, organized, and enjoy working with others. Experience with customer service and creating visually appealing publicity materials strongly preferred.

Graduate Fellows contribute to the Grad Center’s role as the central hub of graduate student life at Penn, supporting and bringing together students from across the many disciplines, backgrounds, and cultures at Penn. All fellows are expected to work an average of 8-12 hours per week, including programming and staffing the first floor Information desk. The time commitment is generally flexible enough to accommodate various lab, coursework, clinical, research, and teaching schedules. However, some evening and weekend hours may be required, depending on the programming area and Center needs.

Each Fellow is appointed to a specific program area. In addition to the specific program area requirements, all fellows share a set of common responsibilities:

• Planning and evaluating programming or materials in your program or operational area, including collaborating with various Penn departments and organizations 
   
• Attending in-person weekly meetings with your supervisor(s) and/or programming team during regular business hours (M-F, 9-5). 
   
• Staffing the first floor information desk when the Grad Center is open, including answering calls and questions from guests. Information desk shifts are scheduled on a semesterly basis based on fellow availability and preferences.
   
• Serving as a resource for other graduate & professional students
   
• Managing the first floor Common Room space, including making coffee, updating resource table and bulletin board, and ensuring the space remains tidy and welcoming to visitors. 

• Assisting with events or operations within the first floor space, as needed. 

• Assist with passive programming and outreach within the Grad Center first floor area, as needed 
   
• Assisting with large-scale events and programs, including New Student Orientation, graduation, and Dissertation Boot Camp, as needed.

Compensation
Fellows are paid on an hourly basis. Our current pay rate is $20/hour. 

• All full-time, degree-seeking Penn graduate & professional students, registered and in good standing for the 2024-25 academic year, are eligible to apply.

• Students must have completed at least one full semester at Penn at the time of application.

• Graduate Fellows may serve multiple years, subject to renewal of position each spring. 

• Students must reside within 90 miles of Penn's campus throughout the period of employment. 

• 2024-25 AY Fellows must be available for training and planning in August. Required training and team orientation activities will take place the week of August 14th. 

• All fellows should be detail-oriented, organized, and enjoy working with others. 

Please be aware that full-time students cannot work more than 20 hours per week in total when they are enrolled in classes, per University policy.

The Graduate Student Center typically hires fellows on an annual basis, though we occasionally have positions open during the academic year. Open positions are announced in our newsletter and on social media.

Penn students who are currently and will continue to be registered throughout the upcoming academic year in a degree-bearing graduate or professional program are welcome to apply for a Graduate Fellow position. 

On the basis of the completed application and supporting documents, a select number of applicants will be invited to interview.

Apply to be a Graduate Fellow