Asst. Director of Student Experiential Learning - Alvernia University : Job Details

About Alvernia University Alvernia University was founded in 1958 by the Bernardine Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. Through its main campus in Reading and locations in Philadelphia and Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, the university serves 3,000 students of diverse backgrounds from around the country. Alvernia offers a unique blend of rigorous liberal arts core education for the development of the mind, strong technical training in many high-demand majors, experiential learning through study abroad and internship experiences, and engagement with the community through our Franciscan-based community service model. We call our model of transformational education the Alvernia Advantage, and we believe this style of education transforms students into ethical leaders with moral courage. Alvernia University ranks in the top 100 among 2021 Best Regional Universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report, and we are recognized as a College of Distinction for our commitment to engaged experiential education. Job Summary:The O'Pake Assistant Director of Student Experiential Learning will report directly to the Director of Student and Client Services of the O'Pake Institute for Economic Development & Entrepreneurship. The Assistant Director of Student Experiential Learning will serve as member of the O'Pake leadership team and will have responsibilities including managing the O'Pake Institute's EmpowerED Program and High-School Internship Program, building, and maintaining K-12 partnerships, designing, and overseeing customized career pathway programs. The Assistant Director of Student Experiential Learning is responsible for managing this activity across Alvernia University's community-based campus offices.The Assistant Director of Student Experiential Learning at O'Pake is tasked with collaborating with K-12 institutions to deliver programs aligned with the Title 22 Chapter 339 Career and Technical Education Standards. They will be responsible for working with Alvernia University's Director of Grants to identify grant opportunities to support related activities.Essential Functions:Promote Franciscan ideals and adherence to the Mission of the University as demonstrated by the University's Ideal Characteristics. As we are an equal opportunity employer committed to Franciscan values, all employees share responsibility for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the performance of their roles while demonstrating service orientation, respect for all, intellectual curiosity, solution focus and innovation, and mutual accountability.Leadership of the Office of Student Experiential Learning at CBCs

• Design and oversee customized Career Pathways programs for O'Pake interns, fellows, and graduate assistants that allow students to acquire professional, entrepreneurial, and intercultural skills that align with their individual academic and career goals and that prepare them for future opportunities in a 21st-century global context
• Build a network of on and off-campus opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning to complement their career goals in accordance with their Pathway
• Offer curriculum to bridge students' classroom pedagogy with experiential learning opportunities
• Partner with the Office of Career Development, the Holleran Center, the Study Abroad Coordinator, the SURF Program, and other campus partners to support experiential learning across our learning community
• Provide support in delivering O'Pake's Professionals-in-Training and Executives-Training programs

Leadership and Management of the EmpowerED Program

• Direct the activities of the EmpowerED program
• Recruit, manage, and grow the High School Intern program
• Deliver the NextGen Career Connections program
• Provide mentorship, career, and community connections to high school interns and participants in the EmpowerED program
• Build and execute Entrepreneurship in Motion presentations and workshops in K-12 schools (goal of 1 per week during the semester) with O'Pake Fellow and GA assistance
• Manage O'Pake attendance at regional career and professional fairs
• Plan and provide support for K-12 visits and workshops at Reading CollegeTowne
• Establish and build partnerships between Alvernia and secondary schools in our region and at our community-based campuses
• Hire, train and manage the EmpowerED Graduate Assistant
• Continue to connect the EmpowerED program to the overall O'Pake Institute's economic development and community development goals
• Complete yearly program review and improvements

Management of O'Pake International Programs

• Provide strategic guidance on planning and executing an international growth strategy with O'Pake that complements other international university activity
• Build and manage the International Fellow program with the goal of having 1 international GA on staff and international Fellows on staff at all times
• Plan and execute signature O'Pake international programming including short-term study abroad programs, internship programs, and programming that connects O'Pake with international clients in Reading and Berks

Qualifications/Education:

• Commitment to the mission statement, core values and goals of Alvernia University.
• Requires a master's degree in Education, or related field.
• Requires proven experience in student-experiential learning, career readiness and student programming.
• 4. Requires strong management, organizational and project management skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Requires the ability to develop, maintain and track student programs.
• Requires proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and related office management software along with the ability to gain in-depth knowledge of the University including its critical systems, software and culture.
• Requires excellent communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills.
• Requires the ability to work independently and proactively with minimal supervision, to multitask, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Requires experience in budget management and financial reporting.
• Requires some minor flexibility in work scheduling/hours because our events and activities sometimes occur outside normal work hours
• Requires travel for K-12 Institution visits, career fairs and related activities.