STANFORD SPORTS PERFORMANCE GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP PROPOSAL
OVERVIEW:A Graduate Assistantship is an opportunity for graduate students to work in their field while pursuing an advanced degree. Generally, the university pays the student a small stipend in combination with the bonus of free tuition. Graduate Assistantships are quite competitive. For students who excel in their field, it can be an excellent way to garner experience while continuing their education. Sports Performance is offering a GA program with SJSU to attract recent undergraduates looking to obtain a Master’s Degree in kinesiology. Their GA hours would be spent assisting the Sports Performance coaches with the training of student-athletes.
Every year there is a spate of inquiries from students interested in Graduate Assistant positions within Sports Performance. These calls are undoubtedly a result of the reputation Stanford has built as a leader in both the academic and athletic arenas. Because of Stanford’s academic prowess and continued athletic excellence, it is believed that this GA program would be one of the most sought after positions in the country and potentially internationally. As a result, the applicant pool would be comprised of the upper echelon of students seeking to pursue a career in exercise physiology with an emphasis in sports performance.
Stanford does not currently have either an undergraduate or graduate program in exercise science, exercise physiology, kinesiology or related field. The colleges and universities that do have these programs as part of their curriculum often serve as a valuable resource for the sports performance department. By providing undergraduate volunteers and internship candidates, these departments often send an endless supply of individuals seeking to gain hands on experience resulting in a symbiotic relationship between athletics and academics.
DURATION OF GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP:
- Two-year appointment
- Ten months/year (mid August to mid June)
Individuals seeking admission to the GA Program must meet the academic requirements of San Jose State University and the SJSU Department of Kinesiology. When applying for the exercise physiology option, candidates would indicate their interest in the GA position within the Stanford Sports Performance Department. Once applications have been submitted, under agreement with SJSU, Stanford would hand select the most promising candidates to serve as GA’s.
JOB PLACEMENT:Stanford Sports Performance is beginning to garner the attention of many other college and university strength and conditioning programs as well as professional teams and the industries top private training centers. Many of these groups are not only looking to Stanford Sports Performance for guidance with training programs but have also contacted Stanford regarding potential candidates for positions with their respective organizations. All of these individuals specifically ask if any interns or GA’s might be looking for a full-time position. Some of these recent inquires have been from the San Jose Sharks, Google, US Special Forces, and Athletes’ Performance, to name a few. Placing quality people in the industry strengthens and expands Stanford’s existing network and reputation in the field of sports performance.
OVERLAP:Since the GA’s program is a 2-year program, an overlap in the selection process would be beneficial for a smooth transition between GA classes. The existing GA’s who would have had one year of experience within Stanford’s system could assist the newer class by orienting them to procedures, methodology, working with coaches, their programs and respective student-athletes.
Additional RemarksAs at other universities nationwide, Graduate Assistants at Stanford University function both as students and as professionals, enhancing their education by playing this important dual role. While studying to meet academic requirements for advanced degrees, Graduate Assistants would also complement their formal studies through various coaching duties under the supervision or tutelage of the sports performance staff. Graduate Assistants will have clear understanding of their dual status, being aware especially of the requirements, responsibilities, and privileges of their position as both student and professional.
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