General Summary

Housed in the College of Health and Human Services, this critical role supports the University by ensuring that the barriers students face do not prevent them from attending school and that they can focus on their educational endeavors.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

The primary role and responsibility of the Swoop’s Pantry Graduate Assistantship (GA) position
is to oversee the day-to-day activities of the pantry, such as being involved in hiring, training,
scheduling and delegating tasks to student employees, interns, and volunteers. The GA position
requires a high level of professional communication, including comfort with the public
speaking, complex problem-solving, and ethical practice skills.
The Swoop’s Pantry GA will work with the Swoop’s Pantry Administrative Team and Advisory Board to develop, evaluate, and revise Pantry Policy and Programs to ensure its sustainability through budgeting and fundraising. This position requires twenty hours per week while working on a Graduate Degree
at EMU.

Minimum Qualifications:

Working in tandem with a faculty advisor, the job responsibilities entail:
● collaborating with students from multiple disciplines on projects that advance the goals of
the Pantry
● organizing, analyzing, and evaluating research and outreach to identify student needs
● evaluating pantry service delivery
● utilizing pantry data to seek grants for financial sustainability
● collaborating with community partners to enhance services to students
● organizing and providing community education on food insecurity
● attending local and national food justice events and conferences
● daily supervision of team members and general operations
● maintaining confidentiality, respect, and privacy of shoppers and team members

Preferred Qualifications:

● Leadership and supervisory experience.
● Effective interpersonal skills, including verbal and written communication
● Knowledge and ability to use various technologies and computer programs
● Engagement skills to connect with students from diverse backgrounds and with various
community partners.
● Task management skills, including organization and prioritization of various tasks,
projects, and programs
● Ability to work independently in taking initiative, following through, and maintaining
several tasks at once.
● Ability to collaborate within a team setting, delegate tasks, problem solve, and oversee
daily operations of the pantry.
● Demonstrate knowledge and ability to think systematically and ensure the sustainability of
pantry
● Knowledge and ability to demonstrate conflict management and resolution skills for the team
members and shoppers
● Interviewing skills, including the ability to evaluate fit for the pantry team
● Creative thinking to strengthen and improve programs and service delivery

Special Instructions:

Swoop's Pantry, housed in the College of Health and Human Services at Eastern Michigan University, is looking for qualified applicants to fill one full-time graduate assistant position for the 2026/27 academic year that begins in Fall 2026