Dear Professors Schrag and Kierner,

Thank you in advance for your assistance to identify an excellent graduate student to fill the part-time, project-based position described in the attached announcement. I am writing to you jointly because I know the MA and PhD programs at Mason both attract students who might be a good fit.

The Council of Independent Colleges is the leading national association of smaller private colleges and universities. Recently, we launched an initiative to help our member institutions promote a deeper understanding of the multiple legacies of American slavery through research, teaching, and community engagement. Now we are looking for a graduate assistant who combines an understanding of the substantive issues, a facility with digital tools, and a demonstrated interest in community engagement to help strengthen internal and external communications around the project. Strong writing skills and independent judgment are essential.

This is a one-year position as an independent contractor with the possibility of at least one and perhaps two additional years. Although it is not detailed in the announcement, we anticipate a monthly payment of $1,200 for approximately 10-15 hours of work per week (depending on the schedule and experience of the person we engage). Our goal is to identify a small pool of strong candidates quickly, so I would appreciate if you shared this selectively with likely students (or faculty colleagues who advise likely students) and not distribute the position announcement widely.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best wishes,

Phil

Philip M. Katz
Director of Projects
Council of Independent Colleges
One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 320
Washington, DC 20036-1142
Tel: (202) 466-7230 x233 / Fax: (202) 552-8988
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