Graduate Assistant: Barbie Talk Video Podcast Series
Graduate Assistant Opportunity: Barbie Talk Video Podcast Series
Academic Year: 2025–2026
Open to graduate students from any department in the College of Arts and Humanities
Compensation: 3 credits in Fall 2025 and 3 credits in Spring 2026
Are you interested in media, pop culture, and public-facing scholarship? Do you want hands-on experience in digital content creation and podcast production? We’re looking for a motivated and creative Graduate Assistant to join the team behind Barbie Talk, a biweekly video podcast hosted by Dr. Emily Aguiló-Pérez (WCU, English) and Dr. Rebecca C. Hains (Salem State University).
About the Project:
Barbie Talk is a limited-series video podcast that extends the conversations from two forthcoming books—Barbie in the Media: The Transmedia Presence of Mattel’s Celebrity Doll and #Barbie and Social Media: Digital Discourses and Mattel’s Celebrity Doll (Palgrave Macmillan). Each 30–45-minute episode features engaging conversations with chapter contributors and explores Barbie’s role in media, digital culture, and society. The podcast will be hosted on the Academic Barbies YouTube channel and promoted across social media platforms.
Graduate Assistant Responsibilities:
As GA, you’ll be a key part of the production and promotional team, helping bring academic discussions about Barbie to a broader audience. Your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Assisting with audio and video editing (e.g., Adobe Premiere, Audacity, or similar tools)
- Managing social media promotion and community engagement
- Coordinating guest appearances, including scheduling and outreach
- Uploading and formatting episodes for YouTube
- Writing episode descriptions, captions, and promotional content
- Researching media clips and materials to support episode discussions
- Supporting technical aspects of remote recordings (Zoom setup, troubleshooting, etc.)
Preferred Skills & Qualifications:
- Interest in podcasting, media production, and digital storytelling
- Familiarity with audio/video editing software
- Strong communication and organizational skills
- Ability to work independently, remotely, and meet project deadlines
- Experience with YouTube, WordPress, and other platforms is a plus, but not required
Compensation:
This graduate assistantship offers 3 credits in Fall 2025 and 3 credits in Spring 2026. It provides valuable experience in digital content creation, academic-public engagement, and media promotion. You’ll gain insight into podcast production, scholarly publishing, and strategies for making research accessible to wider audiences.
To Apply:
Interested students should submit a brief statement of interest, a résumé, and (if available) a sample of relevant work (e.g., digital media, writing, or editing) to eaguilo@wcupa.edu.