On September 15, Georgia State University’s (GSU) Student Recreation Center closed to accommodate the department of Recreational Services’ first All Student Staff Training. For the afternoon and early evening, student and professional staff members came together to review policies, procedures and expectations. As such, staff were informed of the same important information and were able to build connections with each other.
“Now that we’re fully staffed, we wanted to have a post-COVID-19 pandemic reset to help create a sense of belonging among our student staff and to help them better understand the importance of their role in the university,” explained Talyn Sands, the associate director of programs at GSU. “We also wanted to create excitement for the new school year and build community among the new and returning staff.”
Coordinating All Student Staff Training
The planning committee for All Student Staff Training was made up of professional staff who supervise students. Kacy Toberg, the interim associate director of operations at GSU, explained how this group was tasked with integrating the school’s pillars and overarching mission into the meat of the sessions. Specifically, they wanted to help students grow in the pillars of identity, placemaking and belonging, and beyond college to career.
To do this, the itinerary consisted of icebreakers, educational sessions — including a gamified lesson on policies and procedures, a department overview, and professional development through hypothetical scenarios — and social time.
“Students got the opportunity to further develop transferable skills and see the value of what they’re learning and how it translates to the skills they’ll need once they graduate,” explained Toberg. “Our hope is this helps student staff feel more confident in their roles and more committed to their current positions. We believe this will lead to more consistency and retention. So far, students are more willing to pick up shifts, eager to assist with special events or projects, and interact with each other more.”
Planning for the Future
Looking forward, GSU plans to make All Student Staff Training take place each fall semester with a similar format. They plan to continue closing the rec center and create a tradition returning employees will look forward coming back to.
Students were engaged and receptive to the information shared at this year’s event. Conversational feedback they heard was positive. Ultimately, they were grateful for the chance to connect with other students and professional staff, learn more about the department, and have fun as a team.
Other key considerations Sands and Toberg recommended include:
- Involving graduate assistants in more active or training roles rather than as participants.
- Start planning early. Set up a timeline to follow. For the training in September, the team started planning in June.
- Send an RSVP email to help estimate the number of attendees, dietary restrictions, shirt sizes, etc. Also send a post-event survey to get feedback from participants to help with future trainings.
- Solicit support from senior leadership to create buy-in from everyone.
- When budgeting, allocate funds for incentives (food, uniform shirts, etc.) if possible.
By having a successful All Student Staff training, the department is able to set the tone for the year ahead. Students not only gained the tools needed to succeed, but they immersed themselves in an environment that fosters connection, growth and belonging.
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