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Title: GA Pre-Professional - Event Programming and Hospitality - EMDH - Fall 2025 - Spring 2026
Division Name: Student Affairs
Department: Event Management, Dining and Hospitality
Campus Location: Normal, IL

Job Summary

The Graduate Assistant for Event Programming and Hospitality supports the planning and execution of events that enhance student engagement and elevate the guest experience at the Bone Student Center and Braden Auditorium. This position offers valuable hands-on experience for students interested in entertainment, event management, hospitality, and facility operations. The experience includes advising students and supervising the successful operation of events. The role is designed to foster both academic and professional development through active involvement in event coordination, customer service, and venue operations.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Support event management and operations by assisting in the planning, coordination, and execution of programs and services that enhance the student and guest experience.


2. Actively attend and contribute to pre-event planning meetings and post-event review sessions for assigned events and activities.

3. Assist in the creation and implementation of feedback mechanisms to gather student input on programming and engagement efforts.

4. Provide supervision and mentorship to students responsible for developing and executing events that foster student engagement and build campus community at the Bone Student Center/Braden Auditorium.

5. Oversee event setup and equipment preparation. Coordinate ticketing, guest services, security protocols, and crowd management. Develop and implement event floor layouts and maps.

6. Learn the operations and perform duties in areas such as the Welcome Desk, Box Office, Building Operations, and other event areas as needed.


7. Work on various projects within the department utilizing time and resources efficiently.

8. Perform other duties and functions for Event Management, Dining, and Hospitality as assigned.

Additional Information

Graduate assistants in Event Management, Dining, and Hospitality must maintain good academic and disciplinary standing to retain their positions

Salary Rate / Pay Rate

$1510 for 0.5 FTE appointment

Required Qualifications

1. Eligible for appointment as per the requirements in the Graduate Assistant Handbook which can be found at http://hr.illinoisstate.edu/downloads/GA_Handbook.pdf
2. Must be a degree seeking graduate student at Illinois State University in one of the following areas: College Student Personnel Administration, Communication, Recreation Administration, MBA Traditional, Technology – Project Management.

Work Hours

Work hours will vary with general work hours between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.; Evening and weekend hours required and will vary based on assigned events and student programming. Hours will average at twenty hours per week throughout the academic year.

Proposed Starting Date

August 4, 2025

Required Applicant Documents

1. Resume

Please Note: These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"

Special Instructions for Applicants

This position may start as an hourly student worker position on August 4th, and then transition to a Graduate Assistantship on August 18th.

Benefits for Graduate Assistants can be found in the Graduate Assistant Handbook.

Note: If you have not yet been assigned a University ID, but are interested in applying for this graduate assistantship, please proceed with the graduate assistant application process. For the first question regarding your University ID, simply enter in nine (9) zeros (e.g., 000000000).

You must be eligible for employment in the United States and at Illinois State University and/or for the number of hours required for the position.

Illinois State University student employees are restricted to no more than 28 hours per week of on-campus employment for all positions held. International students are restricted by their visa status to no more than 20 hours per week of on-campus employment when the university is in session but may work up to 28 hours per week when the university is not in session. Please contact the Office of International Student and Scholar Services for guidance on visa restrictions on work hours. The University cannot grant exceptions to visa status rules/laws.

Contact Information for Applicants

Kacy Rader,
katudee1@ilstu.edu

Important Information for Applicants

This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309) 438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.

If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.