University of Georgia
Graduate Assistant for Outdoor Recreation
and
Dawg Camp Adventure Orientation Program
POSITION DESCRIPTION
2015-2016
11-MONTH POSITION BEGINNING AUGUST 1, 2015
Employment beginning in June or July is an option and preferred
Responsibilities (75%):
1. Assist the Assistant Director for Outdoor Recreation in all aspects of the Outdoor Recreation program
including trips, clinics, and events, Outdoor Recreation Center (gear rental program), Climbing Wall,
and Challenge Course program. Particular emphasis will be on the trips, clinics, and events portion of
the program.
2. Recruit, interview, hire, develop and schedule staff for trips scheduled throughout the semester.
3. Conduct an ongoing trip leader meeting, training & evaluation program.
4. Oversee the Vehicle Manager and assist in scheduling all vans and equipment needed to conduct the
scheduled trips throughout the semester.
5. Work with Assistant Director to schedule semester non-outfitter trips and activities sponsored by the
program.
6. Prepare the program schedule (i.e. – trips, clinics, and events) and distribute advertising and program
information to the University community through printed advertising materials.
7. Prepare trip fact sheets and distribute.
8. Monitor the program website and recommend updates.
9. Monitor trip sign-ups and assist trip leaders in additional trip advertising as needed.
10. Monitor and assist the trip leader during trip planning and pre-trip meetings as needed.
11. Manage information dissemination to trip leaders and participants through pre-trip emails and
maintaining regular contact with trip leaders.
12. Prepare trips for departure and manage return while being available via phone to assist with incident
management during a trip.
13. Monitor trip leaders making sure all paper work is complete and filed including: payroll information,
staff certifications, trip itineraries, trip evaluations and equipment checkout/return.
14. Conduct an ongoing evaluation of all aspects of the program (prior to, during, and after trip each trip).
15. Assist in developing and monitoring the program budget.
Dawg Camp Adventure Responsibilities (25%):
1. Assist the Assistant Director for Outdoor Recreation in implementation of all aspects of the Dawg Camp
Adventure Program (DCA) co-sponsored by the Department of Recreational Sports and the Center for
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Leadership and Service (CLS), to include scheduling of program events, making reservations, planning
and executing training sessions, ordering supplies and reserving equipment.
Understand and evaluate effectiveness of DCA curriculum as it relates to outcomes of community
building and institutional connectedness.
Assist in selecting, training, monitoring and evaluating Outdoor Rec and CLS student staff for DCA.
Assist the student staff in conducting equipment safety inspection, inventory and updating/ordering
equipment used for DCA.
Manage communication with DCA participants for registration and trip preparation.
Assist the DCA staff in leading specific activities.
Attend all DCA staff meetings and assist with feedback to make program improvements
Qualifications:
1. Standard first-aid and CPR certification required.
2. Trip leader experience necessary.
3. Wilderness First-Aid or Wilderness First Responder certifications preferred or the ability/desire to
obtain within the first semester of hire.
4. Must be a motivated individual having a strong interest and knowledge in outdoor recreation and
outdoor education.
5. NOLS or Outward Bound experience helpful.
6. Earned Bachelor’s degree in Recreation or closely related field preferred.
7. Serious candidates must be prepared to apply to the Graduate School immediately.
8. Acceptance into the Graduate School and degree program (common Rec Sports Graduate Assistant
programs listed below) at the University of Georgia.
9. Would prefer ability to start on July 1, 2015.
Thank you for your interest in being a graduate assistant in the Department of Recreational Sports at the
University of Georgia. Please make sure that you send us an updated resume, cover letter, and list of three
professional references to recsports@uga.edu. You must send in these required materials in addition to the
required online application in order to be considered for one of our graduate assistantships. Thanks and Go
Dawgs!
Please be aware that offers for assistantship positions are contingent upon acceptance into the University
Graduate School and the specific degree program you are applying for. Varying deadlines exist for all
applications and it is the responsibility of the applicant to beware of these and apply accordingly.
Deadline to apply to the Graduate School is July 1, 2015 for domestic applicants to start classes for the Fall
2015 semester. However, specific graduate programs have separate deadlines (see example below).
Applicants MUST be accepted into the Graduate School before they can be accepted into the degree program
of their choice. http://grad.uga.edu/
Common graduate programs that other Rec Sports graduate assistants have been enrolled in and updated
application deadline dates
- Foods and Nutrition in the College of Family and Consumer Science: deadline to apply is December 5, 2014
http://www.fcs.uga.edu/college/ms-programs
- Natural Resources, Recreation, and Tourism in the Warnell School of Forestry: deadline to apply is January 1,
2015 http://warnell.uga.edu/grad/index.php
- Exercise Science, Sport Management and Policy, or Physical Education in the Department of Kinesiology:
January 10, 2015 for thesis or June 1, 2015 for non-thesis
http://www.coe.uga.edu/academics/degrees/ms/kinesiology
- Higher Education Administration in the Institute for Higher Education: March 15, 2015
http://ihe.uga.edu/graduate-programs/med
- Master of Public Health in the College of Public Health: Early deadline is January 2, 2015, regular deadline
April 1, 2015 http://www.publichealth.uga.edu/academics/mph
There are many graduate degree programs offered at the University of Georgia. If you have questions, please
feel free to contact us at recsports@uga.edu.
For further information contact
Lance Haynie, Associate Director for Programs
Department of Recreational Sports
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602.
Email: lhaynie@uga.edu
Phone: (706) 542-5060
Applications and instructions available online: www.uga.edu/recsports