Director of First Year Experience

At Westminster College we believe in immersive and enriching experiences that inspire creative thinking and problem solving. We believe in creating opportunities for several different paths to success over a lifetime and the potential to make an impact from wherever you are. For our students we do this by providing real-world hands-on learning opportunities small class sizes and talented professors dedicated to the individual. Our employees often remark that our tight-knit community creates an atmosphere fostering campus involvement that adapts to all interests. As a result Westminster continues to be recognized for its excellence in higher education as one of the best small liberal arts colleges in the Midwest.

The Director of the First Year Experience (DFYE) is a Professional Staff position that is responsible for designing and coordinating the programs services and strategies that facilitates students transition to Westminster College and promotes students success within the sphere of the Concept for Student collaboration with most campus offices and departments the DFYE facilitates efforts to ensure first-year student enrollment persistence and engagement and promotes pathways toward degree completion. The DFYE is in charge with the coordination and effective delivery of the Westminster Seminar and The Leader Within which are two important pillars of the First-Year Experience. The DFYE works closely with the Student Success Center to promote persistence and retention of first-year students and with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness to assess the first-year student outcomes and formulate recommendations for constant improvement in the organization and offering of the program.

Essential Functions:

The statements below are intended to describe the principal duties of the person or persons assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties and responsibilities.

• Plan for the delivery of the Westminster Seminar and design appropriate faculty development activities and training associated with it. This responsibility involves close collaboration with the Office of Academic Affairs including Division and Department Chairs and the Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning
• Work with WSM faculty to develop topics course descriptions and syllabi for seminars to significantly increase the focus on study skills and promote a growth mindset and motivation in students through seminar activities
• Provide coordination and leadership for instructional and supporting activities through regular meetings with faculty offering the WSM
• Recruit and train mentors; work with WSM faculty who request assistance in the selection of mentors; teach the mentor-training classes (WSM 210) and the mentor course (LST 135)
• Encourage student agency and growth by integrating leadership competencies into the curriculum of first-year seminars and co-curricular programming
• Work with the Office of Student Life and other key offices on the planning and delivery of the New Student Week (Welcome)
• Ensure the planning and delivery of new student registration work closely with professional and faculty advisors to integrate academic advising into FYE programming and create a cohesive support network for new students.
• Prepare and oversee the budget of the First-Year Experience
• Ex officio member of the Admissions Committee Student Success Committee and Student Persistence Team
• Assist the Associate Dean of Student Success and Chief Student Retention Officer in the implementation of strategic initiatives and other duties as assigned to support a student-centered philosophy and student success
• Collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data related to first-year student engagement persistence and academic performance to inform continuous improvement of FYE initiatives
• Utilize institutional data from Navigate and Jenzabar as well as student surveys to evaluate program outcomes and provide recommendations to the Associate Dean of Student Success and other campus leaders for enhancing first-year experience
• Support Alpha Lambda Delta a national first-year honorary society through an advisory capacity
• Develop inclusive programs services and culturally responsive programming that support the needs of first-generation and underrepresented student populations to ensure equitable access to student success resources

Job Requirements:

Education: Masters Degree in Higher Education Administration Counseling Psychology Education English or related field from an accredited institution. Doctorate preferred.

Experience: Five years of demonstrated work experience in education with at least three years of experience in higher education; college-level teaching experience; experience supervising and mentoring staff.

Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Genuine interest and record of supporting and mentoring students
• Effective working in a team to achieve established goals
• Strong ability in reasoning and developing original ideas to solve problems
• Ability to collect and interpret data to improve programs and student experience
• Skills in conflict resolution exercising sound judgement tact cultural sensitivity and diplomacy
• Ability to identify and develop appropriate strategies in relation to specific student populations and meet the needs of various groups and individuals
• Proven tact and diplomacy in working with diverse populations including parents students faculty campus administrators and the public
• Ability to learn and use office computer technology proficiently (internet technology and web-based systems) and campus administrative computing systems and the ability to update and maintain those skills as required
• Skill in organizing work and prioritizing tasks to meet deadlines
• Ability to take appropriate initiative work independently and exercise professional judgment
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality

Benefits:

• Medical dental and vision options
• Health Savings Account and/or Flex Spending Account
• Supplemental options: Short-term disability Hospitalization Accident and Critical Illness
• Stand-alone EAP program
• Life AD&D and long-term disability
• Retirement 403(b) plan
• Tuition remission or exchange programs
• Sick and Vacation time
• Paid Holidays (15 each year)

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled or the search is closed.

Westminster College encourages and gives full consideration to all applicants for admission financial aid and employment. The College is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The College does not discriminate in access to treatment of or employment in its programs and activities on the basis of race color age religion sex gender sexual orientation gender identity or expression national or ethnic origin citizenship veteran status marital status disability or genetic information.

Inquiries about compliance with this prohibition should be directed to:

Associate Vice President & Chief HR Officer/Title IX Coordinator

501 Westminster Ave Washington West 2nd floor

Fulton MO 65251