Graduate Student Assistantships, Internships, & Opportunities

SMU strongly encourages graduate students to participate in leadership and processional development opportunities within areas of Residence Life & Student Housing (RLSH).

Discover your fit within one of these on-campus graduate student opportunities. Please note that some graduate assistantships are already filled for the upcoming year. Please visit Handshake to learn more about current vacancies.

During the summer, RLSH hires ACUHO-I interns to assist with three different functional areas – student leader training, conferences, and summer school housing. In addition to gaining practical experience, all interns participate in professional opportunities, meet and network with other Division of Student Affairs (DSA) professionals and summer interns, and visit a regional university with interns and professional staff. The full job descriptions will be posted to the ACUHO-I Internship website in January of every year. Candidates must register through the ACUHO-I program to view the job descriptions and apply. Also, review our former intern testimonials as you consider opportunities at SMU.

How to apply: Candidates must register through the ACUHO-I Internship Program to apply

Contact: Kiel King (kielk@smu.edu), Assistant Director for Housing Operations


The FHD position is a live-in graduate student worker role. Organizationally, FHDs are student staff members of the Office of Residence Life. FHDs may be assigned to oversee up to two fraternity houses. The primary function of the role is to provide leadership in community standards, Residence Life & Student Housing (RLSH) administration, and facilities operations. Administrative requirements include submitting work orders, participating an on-call duty rotation, attending weekly team and one-on-one meetings, and reporting alleged violations of laws and/or university policy. FHDs additionally assist with facilitating resident check-in, check-out, and room inspections.

How to apply: At the beginning of March, vacant positions are open to graduate students across SMU; applications can be submitted through Handshake.

Contact: Alexander Jennings-Rentz (arentz@smu.edu), Associate Director of Residence Life

The Graduate Assistant for Engage Dallas within Residence Life & Student Housing (RLSH) is a live-on position reporting to the Engage Dallas Coordinator. Engage Dallas is a place-based community engagement initiative via SMU’s Residential Commons to address community needs focusing on South and West Dallas. The initiative is a long-term, university-wide commitment led by students to partner with local residents, organizations, and other leaders to positively impact the community. As a member of the Academic Initiatives team and co-supervisor of the Engage Dallas Student Directors, the GA champions a culture of community engagement and improvement within the department in support of student learning, development, and success.  

How to apply: At the beginning of March, vacant positions are open to graduate students across SMU; applications can be submitted through Handshake.

Contact: Audryanna Reed (audryannar@smu.edu), Associate Director for High-Impact Practices

The Graduate Assistant for The HUB will serve as a co-advisor for the organization. The Housing Unification Board (the HUB) is charged with representing all on-campus students (over 3,000 students) to the office of Residence Life and Student Housing. The HUB is focused on supporting the Residential Commons when appropriate, programming for on-campus students, and allocating additional programming and improvement fund. This graduate assistant will gain experience in advising and planning large-scale programs.

How to apply: At the beginning of March, vacant positions are open to graduate students across SMU; applications can be submitted through Handshake.

Contact: Eleanor Luna (eeford@smu.edu), Associate Director of Residence Life

The Graduate Assistant for Assessment within Residence Life & Student Housing (RLSH) is a position reporting to the Director of Academic Initiatives. As a member of the Academic Initiatives team, the GA champions a culture of evidence and improvement within the department in support of student learning, development, and success. The GA provides leadership to increase the department’s knowledge about residents, the educational residential college environment, and institutional effectiveness to continuously improve student programs and services and does so through service in support of outcomes-based assessment, data informed decision-making, strategic planning, student-focused research, and professional education. 

 

How to applyAt the beginning of March, vacant positions are open to graduate students across SMU; applications can be submitted through Handshake.

Contact: Brittany Billar (bbillar@smu.edu), Director of Academic Initiatives

Spiritual Life Mentors provide a listening presence to fellow students struggling with academic pressure, relationships, homesickness or other stressors through programming, 1-1 meetings, and small group settings. Supervised by the Office of the Chaplin and Religious Life, the aim of the Spiritual Life Mentors is to help connect a peer’s personal experience to their purpose in life so that they find meaning not only in what they do but in who they are.