Abstract

Graduate assistantship is traditionally conceived as an apprenticeship model intended to foster academic growth through mentorship, research participation, and teaching exposure. In reality, however, the experience often deviates from this vision, especially in the Nigerian academic context where graduate assistants are belittled, excluded, and stigmatized as “incompetent” due to their lack of advanced qualifications. This paper interrogates the psychological, professional, and emotional challenges associated with graduate assistantship, drawing parallels with toxic trainee experiences in other professional fields. Graduate assistants commonly face stress, workplace bullying, and a hostile psychological climate, which undermine their confidence and development. Additionally, the lack of structured mentorship and recognition leaves many feeling unsafe and undervalued. Despite these challenges, the concept of graduate assistantship retains inherent nobility when executed as a supportive training framework that empowers young academics to serve as future leaders and change agents. This paper therefore argues that graduate assistantship should be reclaimed as a dignified stage of professional formation, requiring structural reform, cultural reorientation, and renewed emphasis on mentorship. By highlighting the “tears of the trainee,” the study seeks to expose the hidden struggles of graduate assistants while envisioning pathways for restoring the true meaning of the role.

Keywords: Graduate assistantship, mentorship, workplace bullying, academic identity, professional development

Graduate assistantship is often projected as a noble stage in academic growth, a transition from undergraduate study into the world of research, teaching, and professional development. In principle, it is meant to function as an apprenticeship system where a graduate assistant (GA) learns under the mentorship of senior academics, gradually cultivating competence in teaching, research, and service. This system should mirror other professional trainee programs where learning and skill acquisition are prioritized. However, the reality in many contexts, particularly in Nigeria, often distorts this vision. Instead of nurturing growth, graduate assistants frequently encounter belittlement, systemic neglect, and toxic environments that diminish their worth. The question then arises: is graduate assistantship truly a period of training or an era of mockery?

The defining role of a graduate assistant ought to balance between learning and contribution. Graduate assistants provide academic support in teaching, grading, research, and administrative duties, yet their identity is primarily that of learners-in-training rather than full-fledged staff. Literature on graduate assistantship underscores that it should operate as an apprenticeship model, where mentorship and guidance from experienced faculty are central to its success (Bruner, 2021). When properly structured, this stage serves as the foundation for professional academic identity, preparing trainees for higher responsibilities. Unfortunately, in some institutions, this apprenticeship vision is neglected, leaving graduate assistants stranded between expectation and exploitation.

One of the most pressing challenges in graduate assistantship is the psychological toll it exerts on young academics. Many graduate assistants find themselves isolated, undermined, or excluded from meaningful engagement, often because they lack advanced degrees such as a master’s. The resulting climate fosters insecurity and erodes confidence, pushing some into quiet depression. Research confirms that graduate assistants frequently experience stress and trauma when their working conditions fail to provide adequate support or recognition (Peter, 2025). This hidden emotional suffering underscores how far the practice has strayed from its intended nurturing role.

Toxicity in the workplace compounds these difficulties. Graduate assistants, like interns and young professionals in other sectors, are often subjected to bullying, condescension, and sometimes open hostility from senior colleagues. Such treatment mirrors wider toxic patterns observed in healthcare and other professions, where trainees are sometimes exploited, insulted, and reduced to mere instruments rather than treated as learners (Sierra et al., 2022). In these environments, the promise of training becomes overshadowed by abuse of power, leaving scars on the psychological and professional development of the trainee. The abuse is not only individual but structural, perpetuating a culture of silence around mistreatment.

The academic terrain in Nigeria demonstrates this toxicity vividly. Graduate assistants are routinely dismissed with phrases such as “He is just a graduate assistant,” a line that reduces their identity to insignificance. These dismissals stem less from actual incompetence than from entrenched hierarchies that equate age, position, and certificates with worth. Rather than serving as inclusive spaces of learning, some departments instead cultivate segregation, where younger academics are perceived as threats. This hostile climate discourages innovation and leadership potential among graduate assistants, reinforcing the toxic cycle. What should be mentorship becomes mockery.

Ironically, graduate assistants are often tasked with significant responsibilities without corresponding acknowledgment. They may be saddled with teaching, administrative work, or even research tasks, but when success is achieved, credit is rarely given. Instead, they are reminded of their “place,” while their errors are magnified disproportionately. Such contradictions highlight a troubling disconnect between expectation and recognition. As Egan (2025) argues, graduate assistants often feel mentally and professionally unsafe in their roles due to lack of training and support, which leaves them vulnerable to both student incivility and staff hostility. Thus, their potential contributions are undermined by the very system that should empower them.

Yet, graduate assistantship holds inherent nobility when viewed through its intended framework. It is designed to serve as a bridge into academia, where individuals acquire hands-on experience while contributing meaningfully to their institutions. With proper mentorship, graduate assistants can be agents of innovation and leadership, infusing fresh ideas into the academic space. Leavey (2023) stresses that graduate teaching assistants, when well-integrated, can act as change agents in higher education, promoting inclusivity and growth. Therefore, the problem is not with the concept itself but with its misapplication and abuse in certain contexts.

Addressing the toxicity requires systemic reform. Institutions must reframe graduate assistantship not as a hierarchy of oppression but as a collaborative apprenticeship model. Faculty members should recognize the humanity, ambition, and potential of graduate assistants, fostering environments where they feel safe to grow. Policies must protect GAs from exploitation while guaranteeing structured mentorship and fair recognition. Beyond institutional rules, there must be cultural reorientation to dismantle the stigma around being “just” a graduate assistant. Such reorientation restores dignity to the role.

The narrative of silent suffering among graduate assistants and interns calls for visibility. Too often, the psychological distress they endure is unspoken, dismissed as weakness, or rationalized as “part of the training process.” This dangerous normalization perpetuates abuse across generations of academics and professionals. By acknowledging the reality of tears behind the trainee’s journey, academia can begin to heal its toxic culture. It is only through speaking out that reforms gain momentum. Silence, on the other hand, entrenches pain as tradition.

In conclusion, graduate assistantship is not inherently degrading—it is a noble concept corrupted by systemic toxicity, poor mentorship, and entrenched hierarchies. It should be a period of guided training, growth, and identity formation for aspiring academics. The challenge lies in reclaiming its essence, reestablishing it as an apprenticeship rooted in respect, dignity, and inclusion. This paper therefore seeks to explore graduate assistantship not through its idealized lens but through the lived realities of trainees, exposing its tears while reimagining its nobility. To understand the graduate assistant is to confront both the pain and the promise of the role.

References

Bruner, M. (2021). Dying for Change: The Impact of Awareness Prevention and Intervention on Graduate Assistant Stress. Digital Commons, Georgia Southern University.

Egan, K. T. (2025). “I’ve never felt physically unsafe, but I’ve felt mentally and professionally unsafe”: Teaching Assistants’ Affective Experiences with Safety and Student Incivility. Western University Research Repository.

Leavey, A. (2023). Leadership in Higher Education: Graduate Teaching Assistants as the Agents of Change. Postgraduate Pedagogies, Student Engagement Journals.

Peter, D. T. (2025). I Can’t, I’m On-Call: The Psychological Effects of On-Call Duty on Graduate Assistants in Residence Life. The Keep, Eastern Illinois University.

Sierra, T., McCall, T. C., & Brown, H. (2022). The Role of Interpersonal Toxicity on Healthcare Students’ Well-being. Journal of Physician Assistant Education.