Did you know that whether you’re studying social sciences, music, history, teaching or any other discipline, a graduate assistantship with WVU Libraries prepares you with useful skills and a well-rounded experience that goes beyond coursework and into your future.
While most students know the Libraries to be a place to fuel their academic success, only few know it offers many opportunities to grow their professional career. From coding to writing or researching to cataloging, Libraries GAs take these skills, make them their own and hone a path toward their passion and career.
We sat down with some of our graduate assistants (GAs) during Graduate Student Appreciation Week and talked to them about their experiences working with the Libraries during their assistantships. Each had a unique story to tell about the skills and knowledge they gained to help them achieve their career paths and goals.
Supporting job seekers
By working as a Libraries GA, students leave the experience with confidence in their people and communication skills, proficiency with research and information finding and knowledge of how to work with archives and metadata. From learning commonly used software and increasing technical knowledge to leading projects and navigating complex challenges, the combination of soft and hard skills acquired with Libraries assistantships prepares students for critical opportunities like interviews and ultimately, jobs.
Ashley Sellars, West Virginia & Regional History Center (WVHRC), master's student in public history.
“My assistantship with WVU Libraries is a big part of why I got my internship for the summer. I’m going to be working at the State Museum of Pennsylvania with their registrar team doing collections management,” said Ashley Sellars, a master’s student in public history. “I was able to demonstrate in the interview my administrative understanding of the work. And also, being a researcher at the same institution and seeing what it looks like on the other side, was a huge help for me getting that position.”
Opening possibilities
Working with Libraries gives students the opportunity to explore complex and diverse career paths. Many GAs find that their assistantship within Libraries offers flexibility in their choices and learning opportunities to forge new and individual paths.
Nate Penven, Knowledge Access & Resource Management (KARM), master’s graduate in music performance .
“My idea going into my degree was to finish and then go active duty with the Army bands. It was always my goal, but then once I started working in the Libraries, I realized there were a lot more options available to me and it didn’t have to be one particular way,” said Nate Penven, a master’s graduate in music performance. “The joy I found in library work, and the flexibility in it, whether academic, public or school librarianship, has inspired me to explore the field further and to pursue a career in it.”
Merging student interests
Our GAs each bring a unique set of interests, passions and goals with them that help shape their roles at the Libraries, and assistantships give them the opportunity to work directly with those interests.
Silpa
Beegala
Dean's Office
Master's Student in Human and Community Development
WVU Libraries worked with me to add a teaching component to my assistantship to help me gain important experience for my goals. I needed the research skills to help me as a student and in my future career, but I am grateful for the opportunity to now have experience teaching new age groups for my future community development work.
Ainsley McHugh
Research Support & Engagement Master's Student in Public History
The Libraries has been a very supportive environment with great staff who have allowed me to look into different projects that align with my own interests. For example, I was able to set up a literature display on Irish history and culture for St. Patrick's Day in the Evansdale Library guided by my own familiarity with modern Irish historiography!
Damon Navaroli
Research Support & Engagement Master's Student in Public History
Growing up in Warren, Pennsylvania, which is located in the heart of the Allegheny National Forest, shaped and inspired my love of history from a young age,” said Damon Navaroli, a master’s student in public history. “Since learning there were opportunities to pursue a career in history through the National Park Service and Forest Service, my career goal has been to work as a public historian for one of those organizations, and my Libraries assistantship is helping me do that.
Thank you to all of our GAs
Our GAs work hard every day to make an impact on the WVU community and strive to meet not only their own goals, but the Libraries’ goals as well. Their fresh ideas and perspectives are important for helping us understand the best ways to help students succeed, empower academic research and work toward the University’s land-grant mission.
Thank you to all of our GAs, past and present!
Academic Year 2024-25 GAs
- Nana Sewaa Amoaten, RSE, master’s student in agriculture, natural resources and design
- Silpa Beegala, Dean’s Office, master’s student in human and community development
- Ziv Carmi-Museum, WVHRC, master’s student in public history
- Madisyn Magers, WVRHC, master's student in history
- Ainsley McHugh, RSE, master’s student in public history
- Damon Navaroli, RSE, master’s student in public history
- Nate Penven, KARM, master’s graduate in music performance
- Matthew Powell, WVRHC, master's student in history
- Samantha Ryder, WVRHC, master's student in public history
- Ashley Sellars, WVRHC, master's student in public history
- Madelyn Wilson, RSE, master’s student in social work
- Bethany Winters, WVHRC, master’s student in public history