Coordinator for First Year Programs Job Opening

Assists in the delivery of all retention and student-success based initiatives in New Student and Retention Programs with a special focus on programs related to the first year experience for new freshman students. Works with the Assistant Director for First Year programs to develop and oversee first year programs, including living learning communities, Academic Coaching, and Jump Scholars.

Primary Job Duties and Responsibilities

1. Serves as the primary administrator of the Academic Coaching program in New Student and Retention Programs. Collaborates with the Assistant Director of First Year Programs to develop Academic Coaching training, marketing materials, and recruits both professional and student participants.

2. Develops and supports all first year freshman initiatives in support of the Assistant Director of First Year Programs, specifically recruiting and program execution for the ACES Living Learning Communities and Jump Scholars.

3. Supports first year outreach initiatives including weekly email outreach, regular meetings with students to assess strengths and develop learning strategies to enhance their success as a student, and assists students with holistic problem solving approaches and refers to campus resources when appropriate.

4. Works with the Assistant Director of First Year Programs, to develop and execute effective, office-wide assessments of all student support and retention services carried out by the office of New Student and Retention Programs. Specifically works to ensure the collection of data related to all first year, freshman programs.

5. Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
A bachelor’s degree and one year experience working in a higher education setting.

Preferred Qualifications
A master’s degree in higher education, public relations, communication studies, marketing, or another communication related field. One year of experience working in first year programs.

Supervisory Responsibilities
Shares the daily supervisory responsibilities of student workers and graduate assistants in the office of New Student and Retention Programs.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.

Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.

Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Ability to work occasional evening events or overnight travel related to the execution of office initiatives.

About The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is a comprehensive public research institution delivering transformative programs on campuses in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites in central and southern Mississippi, as well as online. Founded in 1910, USM is one of only 130 universities in the nation to earn the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education's "R1: Doctoral Universities - Very high research activity" designation, and its robust research enterprise includes experts in ocean science and engineering, polymer science and engineering, and sport venue safety and security, among others. USM is also one of only 40 institutions in the nation accredited in theatre, art and design, dance and music. As an economic driver, USM generates an annual economic impact of more than $600 million across the state. USM welcomes a diverse student body of approximately 15,000, representing 71 countries, all 50 states, and every county in Mississippi. USM students have collected four Truman Scholarships and 36 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, while also leading Mississippi with 24 Goldwater Scholarships, an honor that recognizes the next generation of great research scientists. Home to the Golden Eagles, USM competes in 17 Division I sports sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). For more information, visit www.usm.edu.

As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer/Americans with Disabilities Act institution, The University of Southern Mississippi encourages minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities to apply.