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Reshaping Ideas through Strategic Engagement
LSU AthleticsPURPOSE
To provide students from various backgrounds with an opportunity to gain experience across different fields within intercollegiate athletics. Our goal is to educate and prepare future athletics leaders to transition into professional roles.
We chart a path to greater opportunities by:
• Providing an invaluable experience which leads to opportunities in athletic administration.
• Creating a pipeline for Graduate Assistants to continue their careers in athletic administration.
• Broadening representation within the field of candidates in athletics administration.
• Cultivating a community of excellence by preparing future leaders to embrace principles of engagement within their work.QUALIFICATIONS
• Be accepted and enrolled full time (9 hours) in one of the LSU’s master’s programs beginning in the fall
• Requirement to work 20 hours per week
• Show a strong interest in a career in collegiate athletics
• Demonstrate a commitment to cultivating an engaging and supportive environmentSUBMISSION
• Complete and submit the application on the athletics department portal.
• Attach resume and cover letter.
• Attach responses to the application questions.Candidates will rank their top six areas of interest from the identified units. The selection committee will do its best to accommodate the desires of the candidates based on their identified interests and department availability.
SELECTION PROCESS
Applications will be reviewed by the RISE Selection Committee comprised of athletics department staff members. Selected applicants will participate in virtual interviews with the selection committee. Graduate Assistants will be selected based on their experience, extracurricular activities, application, interview, and commitment to cultivating a welcoming environment in athletic administration.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Graduate assistants:
• Will rotate through four units during their first year of graduate school. During their second year, graduate assistants will select one area of focus from the previous year and remain with that unit for the duration of the program.
• Will be responsible for submitting brief assessments at the end of each rotation.
• Will be evaluated at the end of their first year.
• Must receive a satisfactory evaluation to maintain their position within the department.
• Must be enrolled as full-time students throughout the graduate assistantship.
• Must remain in good academic standing and maintain a cumulative GPA of a 3.0.The graduate assistantship will cover tuition and fees and include a per semester stipend.
2026-27 CALENDAR
Rotation 1: August 24 – October 9, 2026
Rotation 2: October 12 – December 12, 2026
Rotation 3: January 11 – March 5, 2027
Rotation 4: March 8 – May 8, 2027If you have any questions, please contact Ashleigh Clare-Kearney Thigpen (ackthigpen@lsu.edu).
UNITS & RESPONSIBILITIES
The Communications Department provides publicity for our 21 sports through social media, the LSU Athletics website, press releases, and media relations.
– The graduate assistant will assist with day-to-day publicity for football and Olympic sports as needed; and participate in work events and practices.
The Compliance Department provides guidance to the entire LSU community with respect to the conference and NCAA rules, regulations, and standards, which mandate integrity and fairness in all we do. Above all else, this unit exists to promote and protect the safety, health, and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, and university.
– The graduate assistant will gain valuable experience in each compliance bylaw (bylaws 11-17).
The Culture and Engagement Unit is a part of our Human Resources Department and is committed to cultivating a healthy and respectful environment for our staff, student-athletes, and community. We are continuously working to increase engagement by creating programs and initiatives that promote and uplift those who have been and continue to be marginalized.
– The graduate assistant will assist in developing, coordinating, and implementing departmental programming, initiatives, and events; assist in the creation, development, and communication of educational materials to celebrate and bring awareness to history and heritage months; assist in data collection, entry, and analysis; attend meetings and serve on committees and working groups as needed; assist in the creation and consistent modification of educational resources; serve as a liaison to student organizations, campus groups, and community organizations seeking collaboration in programming; assist with community service opportunities; assist with the development of climate assessments; monitor trends and conduct research on best practices applicable to departmental culture; assist with administrative tasks; support campus efforts around culture and engagement; and support the departments commitment to cultivating an engaging and supportive environment.
The Health & Wellness Department focuses on the comprehensive health and wellness of LSU student athletes and departmental staff through thoughtful interventions across the full range of human needs: physical, nutritional, social, cognitive and developmental.
– The graduate assistant will be provided opportunities for hands-on administrative and policy-making experience, as well as exposure to human resources, finance and public relations work commiserate with any large state agency; assist in planning and coordinating all departmental events and initiatives related to comprehensive health education for student-athletes and staff; shadow team training sessions and principal educators in topics such as: Title IX, Hazing, and Mental Health; contribute to Healthy Tiger branded social media platforms by creating original content, scheduling and execution of targeted campaigns; establish key benchmarking metrics through review of current NCAA, SEC, and University policies/processes and developing unique and creative ways to disseminate best practices among all Athletics units; improve and streamline drug testing protocols by identifying and helping to implement standard practices across campus and around the country; assist in administration of the LSU Research Steering Committee (participate in coordination and documentation of Committee meetings, drafting and emailing memoranda, and documentation of Committee progress on group objectives); engage in events and initiatives related to Comprehensive Training & Education, Strength & Conditioning, Athletic Training/Sports Medicine, Performance Nutrition, Sport Psychology & Counseling, and the delivery of holistic approaches to health & wellness.
The marketing and broadcast operations team is responsible for promoting athletic events, enhancing the in-venue fan experience, and coordinating live game productions across digital and television platforms. They develop marketing campaigns, manage sponsorship and promotional elements, and oversee broadcast and video board execution to elevate the athletics brand and drive fan engagement.
– The graduate assistant will assist with the promotion and execution of athletic events through in-venue entertainment, fan engagement initiatives, and live broadcast coordination. They assist with game day operations, sponsorship activations, video board content, and coordination with production crews to ensure a seamless and engaging experience for fans in attendance and viewers watching remotely. The graduate assistant also collaborates with communications, creative, and operations teams to align marketing campaigns and broadcast elements with departmental branding and strategic goals.
Name, Image & Likeness, also known as NIL, is the ability for student-athletes to profit off of their name, image and likeness for personal gain in ways permitted by institutional, state and NCAA legislation. The NIL Department is responsible for NIL related education and management for our student-athletes, staff, coaches and community members.
– The graduate assistant will assist with presentations for recruits, student-athletes, and coaches; conduct research on NIL trends across the country; assist with all NILSU educational events; assist with brand development for student-athletes.
National L Club – The L Club is an organization for former LSU Letterwinners. The L Club provides engagement opportunities for all former athletes, celebrates their accomplishments and welcomes them back to campus.
– The graduate assistant will provide support for the annual Mikey Awards and National L-Club events including, but not limited to, pregame tailgates, Hall of Fame induction ceremony, reunions and other special events; develop and maintain a comprehensive database of contacts for former student-athletes to include names, physical addresses, business affiliations, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and family information; assist in coordination of programs for consistent and effective communication with former student-athletes including e-mail marketing campaigns and social media efforts; coordinate the L Club Tailgate, Tribute Ceremony and sport specific reunions including catering, décor and day of set up; and provide instruction and direction to event student workers.
The Operations Department is responsible for the management of all athletics related events & maintenance of athletics facilities.
– The graduate assistant will assist in event/game management and operational duties for assigned sport(s) including regular season, post-season, university and external events including camps; aid in planning and preparing guest services and security needs for events; help oversee the day-to-day operations of assigned staff and sports within the Athletic Department including but not limited to; maintenance, upkeep, planning, and implementation of maintenance projects for the Athletic Department and its buildings; assist in proposed work including alterations and improvement projects for the buildings and grounds within the Athletic Department; aid in conducting sport meetings and communicates with coaches and support staff; and aids with event and facility management duties as assigned for football game day, which may include any of the following: management and coordination of special events, stadium and parking operations, guest service support.
The Performance Nutrition Department aims to develop our student-athletes in order to reach optimal athletic performance and health through research, education, lab assessments, and food service.
– The graduate assistant will participate in the development of inventory and auditing systems for all food and food products used in fuel stations, game day, and supplements; work jointly with performance nutrition chef, team dietitians, and physicians on tracking student-athlete allergies/intolerances and preferences for menu planning purposes; learn the intricacies of day-to-day fueling station product selection, student-athlete caloric needs, and gameday nutrition; keep in direct communication with team dietitians and performance nutrition food service staff, to improve product logistics; learn how to appropriately communicate with multidisciplinary teams, including team physicians, dietitians, strength coaches, student workers; develop an awareness for creating efficiency within fuel station operations, procurement systems, deliveries, and maintaining facilities; gain exposure to financial and budgetary techniques used for the monthly and annual Performance Nutrition food operations budget under the stewardship of the Director of Performance Nutrition & Assistant AD for Sports Nutrition; assist the Assistant AD for Sports Nutrition or Director of Performance Nutrition with Performance Nutrition Department development tasks as assigned.
The social media team is responsible for managing and growing the athletics department’s digital presence by creating engaging content that promotes teams, student-athletes, and departmental initiatives across platforms. They develop strategic messaging, provide real-time coverage of events and competitions, and use analytics to strengthen fan engagement, brand visibility, and storytelling.
– The graduate assistant will assist with the planning, creation, and execution of digital content that promotes teams, student-athletes, and departmental initiatives across multiple platforms. They will also assist with game day coverage, graphic and video coordination, analytics tracking, and real-time engagement to enhance brand visibility and fan interaction.
LSU Sports Properties is the exclusive Marketing & Multimedia Rights Holder of LSU Athletics and is responsible for corporate partnership sales and marketing.
– The graduate assistant will provide sales support with proposal; participate in Gameday operations and set up; and assist with day-to-day office duties.