Specialist - Advisor-Continuing

Position Summary

Our Unit:

The Michigan State University Office of Undergraduate Education oversees undergraduate academic policies and facilitates institutional wide initiatives focused on enhancing undergraduate learning. We engage in everything from the orientation and welcome of first-year students to the enhancement and oversight of selected academic programs and co-curricular initiatives. Focused around the five opportunity areas for student success https://undergrad.msu.edu/strategy-retention/sues, Undergrad Ed seeks to ensure every student MSU admits can learn, thrive, and graduate.

The Pathways Persistence Programs are an affirming, dynamic network of programs within the Office of Undergraduate Education dedicated to fostering student success by supporting persistence, academic excellence, and community. As part of MSU’s on-going effort to redesign the university to ensure that all students can learn, thrive, and graduate, these programs work to reduce barriers and create structures that enhance student success. Grounded in equity and social justice, we take meaningful action to reduce opportunity gaps and support students’ persistence toward graduation, recognizing that persistence—the commitment to stay the course despite challenges—is key to student achievement. Through evidence-based initiatives, largely funded by external sources, the Pathways Persistence Programs cultivate conditions that empower students to develop self-discovery of purpose, educational success, sense of belonging, empowered community, and well-being. This work directly supports the MSU’s Student Success Strategic Plan and the 2030 goal of reaching an 86% graduation rate by closing opportunity gaps. By building community, partnerships, and relationships, we advance holistic student success and ensure that all students have the support they need to persist and excel at MSU.

The Dow STEM Scholars Program (Dow STEM) sits within the Pathways Persistence Programs unit and reports to the Director of Pathways under the Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Student Success. The goal of Dow STEM is to increase the number of STEM graduates by supporting the academic, socio-emotional, and institutional navigational needs of students whose pre-college educational opportunities did not provide equitable access to rigorous STEM preparation. The program serves over 300 students annually. Key components of the program include:

• Mathematics Support: A specialized math “on ramp” course for admitted first-year students in the summer before they enter MSU, followed by a cohort-based math course during the student’s first fall semester
• Chemistry Support: A chemistry “on ramp” course, Chemistry 121 taken during the first semester
• Holistic Advising & Mentoring: Intensive, proactive advising, coaching, and peer mentoring throughout students’ tenure at MSU, addressing academic progress, career planning, and socio-emotional aspects of the transition to college and successful launch into a STEM major/career
• Student Success Programming: Academic, socio-emotional, wellbeing, and career-focused programming designed to build community, strengthen cohort identity, and enhance sense of belonging
• High-Impact Learning Experiences: Opportunities such as undergraduate research, mentoring, and internships to support student success and career readiness

Role Overview:

The Assistant Program Director (APD) will report to the Program Director (PD) of the Dow STEM Scholars Program and assist in overseeing all aspects of the program to support student success and retention in the STEM fields, particularly for students who place into developmental math.

This position will:

• Supervise the team of Undergraduate Dow STEM Peer Advisors, providing guidance and professional development. 
• Work alongside the other Pathway Persistence Programs to represent Dow STEM within the Pathways and Undergrad Ed units, as well as across campus. 
• Ensure achievement of program goals by strategically aligning program services and staff effort. 
• Work closely with advising staff, admissions, STEM faculty to enhance student support structures. 
• Serve as a leading contributor to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within STEM at MSU, working to address systemic barriers to student success. 
• Assist the PD in managing a large, complex budget funded through endowment and institutional funds, coordinating with multiple stakeholders.

This position requires occasional nights and weekends.

Primary Duties:

 Advising (50%)

• Advise first and second year DOW Scholars to address academic, career planning, and socio-emotional aspects of the transition to college and successful launch into a STEM major
• Develop, implement, and supervise a holistic peer mentoring program designed to address the five opportunity areas for student success with specific attention to the unique needs of students pursuing STEM majors.
• Serve as the program advising lead to STEM colleges and academic advising community

Outreach (15%)

• Assist PD in the annual recruitment and outreach for each new cohort of incoming students
• Report, document, and present as appropriate on Dow STEM Scholars Program and student success
• Represent the Pathways Persistence Programs at outreach and engagement events

Teaching (10%)

• Teach 1-2 sections of a first-year seminar on enhancing skills for student success (UGS 110-1 credit) required for all first-year Dow Scholars in their first fall semester at MSU

Other (25%)

• Coordinate enrollment in multiple sections of UGS 110
• Coordinate offerings of math and chemistry courses designed for Dow Students with academic departments and faculty
• Manage budget for all programming initiatives
• Plan, manage, and implement programming around the five opportunity areas of student success including overnight summer program orientations
• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate Dow STEM Student Staff; undergraduate Peer Mentors and Undergraduate Learning Assistants
• Coordinate academic support and potential tutoring services
• Serve as a member of the Pathways Persistence Program staff and participate in regular meetings, professional development, and other duties as identified

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Masters -Higher Ed, Student Affairs, Science, Mathematics, Engineering or other related field

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in higher education, student affairs, science, mathematics, engineering or other related field
• Three to five years of experience with intensive cohort-based student support programs and academic advising in higher education, preferably in the areas of academic development and advising for underserved students
• Demonstrated competency in workplace technologies including Microsoft Office Products and experience with student support technology systems
• Proven commitment to undergraduate student success
• Excellent communication skills; including an ability to work diplomatically and effectively with campus partners
• Demonstrated ability to work with students and colleagues from diverse backgrounds and evidence of promoting effective teamwork among faculty and staff.
• Ability and experience managing and supervising student staff towards program goals
• Ability to access, interpret, document, and track data from multiple sources to facilitate and promote student success through pro-active and innovative student services to promote student success

Desired Qualifications

• Knowledge of grant or endowment budget management.
• The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in academic advising within a college or university setting; knowledge of undergraduate student success concepts, theories, and/or practice; and experience teaching, advising, leading, and/or mentoring diverse undergraduate students.
• Candidate should demonstrate understanding of how pre-college educational experiences can result in inequitable access to rigorous STEM preparation.

Required Application Materials

Cover letter, CV, 3 references to the attention of Committee Chair

Remote Work Statement

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.

Website

https://undergrad.msu.edu/advising-transitions/dow-stem

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.