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Student Affairs and Academic Support

Fellowship

The Division of Student Affairs and Academic Supports fellowship program provides an opportunity for employees to gain experience outside of their current department and job duties to enhance their skills, expand their expertise, and build connections.

Expectations

Over the duration of the year-long fellowship, which will take place July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027, fellows should expect the following:

  • Meet with the Director of Professional Development to discuss and prepare for fellowship
  • Complete fellowship agreement with the fellowship host unit
  • Participate in a mid-year and end of year evaluation with fellowship host unit point of contact
  • Dedicate 4 hours/week toward fellowship responsibilities (a consistent schedule with the fellowship unit is required)
  • Gain a year-long shadowing experience in a new unit within the division
  • Attend Student Affairs and Academic Support Director’s meetings
  • Meet with the Vice President of Student Affairs and Academic Support to discuss fellowship
  • Serve as a mentor for future fellowship participants

Required Qualifications

  • Have at least 2 years of full-time work experience within the Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support at the University of South Carolina
  • Meet at least successful and/or satisfactory rating on most recent performance assessment/review
  • Complete an application, which does include a letter of support from supervisor

Next Steps

  • Review the available fellowship opportunities below
  • Apply by Friday, March 27th
Host Unit/Department Summary of Duties Point of Contact
Communications & Marketing The fellow creates a twice-monthly in-depth column for the Spur of the Moment newsletter and SAAS LinkedIn page. This role transforms research and curiosity into engaging, personality-driven stories that inform, entertain, and strengthen audience engagement. The fellow collaborates closely with content, social media, and communications teams to develop, refine, and amplify compelling stories across platforms.
  • Content Creation - Write and publish a twice-monthly feature column for newsletter and LinkedIn audiences.
  • Story Development - Pitch original ideas, craft engaging hooks, and incorporate student-interest angles.
  • Collaboration & Editing - Partner with content and communications teams to refine stories for clarity, accuracy, tone, and length.
  • Audience Engagement - Adapt content for LinkedIn and contribute ideas to increase visibility and engagement.
 Shonta Sellers -  Executive Director, Communications & Marketing
Gamecock CommUnity Shop The fellow supports daily operations, student development, and sustainability initiatives within the Unity Shop and food pantry. This role ensures a welcoming and dignified client experience, mentors student volunteers, manages inventory and sustainability practices, and participates in regular team and collaborative meetings to strengthen partnerships and program impact.
  • Operational Support & Client Services - Provide daily operational coverage of the Unity Shop, ensuring a welcoming and inclusive environment. Assist clients with accessing food, clothing, and essential goods, and provide informed referrals to campus and community resources.
  • Student Development & Volunteer Leadership - Mentor student volunteers and leaders during service shifts, model professional conduct, and support leadership development. Collaborate with student leaders to strengthen volunteer operations and program effectiveness.
  • Inventory Management & Sustainability - Oversee clothing donation inventory through organization, tracking, and visual merchandising to ensure accessibility and dignity. Analyze usage trends to inform restocking and procurement strategies. Implement sustainable recycling and redistribution practices and contribute to periodic stakeholder reports.
  • Food Pantry Operations & Sustainability Practices - Manage daily food pantry operations, including stocking, quality control, and cleanliness. Support food recovery, composting, and waste-reduction efforts in partnership with the Office of Sustainability.
  • Meetings & Campus Collaboration - Participate in weekly Care Team meetings and/or CommUnity Shop Executive Board meetings as available. Attend additional ad hoc meetings with campus and community partners as available to support collaboration and program initiatives.
 Jennifer Jackson - Assistant Director for Basic Needs, CARE Team
Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life The fellow supports leadership development and student engagement initiatives within the fraternity and sorority community. This role primarily focuses on designing and facilitating educational workshops aligned with unit goals, while actively participating in staff collaboration, recruitment support, and onboarding to understand the community’s administrative and financial structure.
  • Workshop Development - Develop, design, plan, and host educational workshops for chapter and council leaders during the Spring 2027 semester, focusing on leadership development and harm reduction initiatives aligned with unit goals.
  • Staff Engagement - Attend and actively participate in weekly staff meetings, project meetings, and signature office events for students. as available.
  • Recruitment Support - Assist staff and student leaders with recruitment and intake events, including preparing educational materials, completing administrative tasks, and promoting the fraternity/sorority experience.
  • Community & Systems Onboarding - Learn the structure of the fraternity and sorority community and staff, including administrative and financial systems.
 Carli Mercer - Assistant Dean, Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life
National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition The fellow supports the NRC’s strategic transfer agenda following its acquisition of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS). This role conducts practitioner-focused research that advances scholarly knowledge while generating practical insights for transfer professionals. The fellow will select a targeted research focus, lead field research, and disseminate findings to strengthen the field of transfer student success.
  • Orientation & Research Focus Selection - Develop a foundational understanding of NRC and NISTS transfer initiatives and the broader field context. Review 2–3 targeted research topics identified by NRC leadership, select a focus area, refine research questions in collaboration with the research team, and explore potential funding opportunities related to the selected topic.
  • Practitoner-Focused Field Research - Design and conduct focus groups and/or interviews with transfer professionals to examine practitioner perspectives, challenges, needs, and promising practices related to the selected topic. Manage research planning, participant recruitment, facilitation, and qualitative analysis. Determine geographic scope (national, regional, or state) in alignment with NRC priorities and professional development goals.
  • Knowledge Dissemination & Field Engagement - Synthesize research findings into accessible formats for higher education practitioners, such as blog posts, reports, webinars, conference presentations, or scholarly publications. Collaborate with NRC team to determine dissemination strategy, ensuring practical application and field impact.
 Dr. Jarrett Warshaw - Assistant Director for Research & Grants & Emily Kittrell - Transfer Expert-in-Residence, National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
Residence Life The fellow coordinates the planning of residential move-in logistics, while gaining comprehensive exposure to residence life operations. In addition to coordinating move-in logistics, the fellow participates in key committees and meetings to develop a broad understanding of professional staff and/or student employee training, operational coordination, and area-level leadership within University Housing.
  • Move-In Logistics Leadership - Lead end-to-end coordination of residential move-in logistics, including supply management, preparation, ordering, and delivery.
  • Training & Staff Development - Contribute to the design and planning of residence life professional staff and/or student employee training initiatives, gaining insight into staff development strategy and learning outcomes.
  • Operational Planning & Cross-Functional Collaboration - Participate in a logistics working group to support coordinated operational planning, enhancing collaboration across functional areas within University Housing.
  • Area-Level Leadership Exposure - Engage in area meetings to understand day-to-day management, decision-making processes, and leadership structures, building a comprehensive view of residence life operations.
 Dr. Dan Colascione - Director of Residence Life, University Housing
Student Success Department

The fellow gains broad exposure to units within the Student Success department, including the Career Center, Student Success Center, Carolina Experience, and University 101 Programs/NRC, while contributing to meaningful, time-bound projects aligned with departmental priorities and the fellows personal professional interests. The role combines project-based work, scholarly engagement, and reflective practice to support program improvement, innovation, and data-informed decision-making.

  • Departmental Exposure & Project Work - Learn about the various Student Success units and complete assigned projects within specific departments. Projects will be time-bound and aligned with both departmental needs and the fellow’s professional interests whenever possible.
  • Scholarly Engagement & Data Analysis - Engage in scholarly activities such as data analysis, light research, and connecting data insights to program impact and student outcomes.
  • Meetings & Leadership Engagement - Participate in leadership and departmental meetings as schedules permit to gain broader organizational insight.
  • Reflection & Program Innovation - Reflect on fellowship experiences and provide feedback and recommendations to support continuous improvement and innovation within Student Success.
 Dr. Silvia Patricia Rios Husain - Associate Vice President, Student Success

 

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