Overview: 

Reporting to the Vice President for College and Community Engagement, the Program Administrator for the Abele Scholars Program is a full-time, 12-month professional staff member with primary responsibilities for managing the Abele Scholars Program and developing/coordinating activities to support the Abele Scholars. The Program Administrator will work with campus partners to assist Abele Scholars in taking advantage of existing support structures, and where appropriate, serve as a resource and partner to other scholarship programs on campus. Support for professional development will be funded by the Abele Foundation as part of the grant that supports the Scholars program. 

Responsibilities:

Scholar Advocate  

· Help students navigate the institution by directing them to resources that will aid in their success. 

· Develop a comprehensive menu of programs to support Scholar success academically, personally and professionally. 

· Collaborate with faculty as needed. 

· Build partnerships with key offices such as Enrollment/Admission/Financial Aid to build external relationships with College Access Organizations and other organizations to strengthen ties with academically qualified but under-resourced and under-represented students who are pursuing a liberal arts education. 

· Implement a peer and alumni mentoring program to build a sense of community between and among the first-year cohort and the senior Scholars and establish connections with alumni. 

· Act as a first-year advisor for incoming Scholars, as well as coach and direct students to available resources, as needed. 

· Engage in regular one-on-one meetings with Scholars, and facilitate group meetings when appropriate. 

· Participate in regular assessment of all aspects of the program. 

· Participate in professional development activities to stay current with best practices. 

Administrative 

· Coordinate and be present for events and activities both on and off-campus that enhance opportunities for student success. Availability on evenings or weekends will be occasionally necessary for specific events.  

· Monitor the grades of Abele Scholars and keep track of academic performance.  

· Assessment and dissemination of the Abeles Scholars program and events. 

· Manage the Abele Scholars budget and programs (throughout the academic year and summer) for Scholars in their first-year and up through the fourth year, and attend to development of the necessary skills and knowledge that are pertinent to students’ needs as they progress at the institution. 

· Work closely with Advancement to gather necessary data for use in preparing required reports to the Abele Foundation. 

· Establish goals for student success and implement strategies to measure progress toward those goals. 

· Collaborate with the Office of Admissions and engage in the recruitment process where appropriate, including but not limited to establishing partnerships with regional high schools and college access organizations. 

· Manage and update the Abele Scholars website. 

Foundation Relations  

· Act as a liaison to the Abele Family Foundation. 

· Partner with the Admissions Office in the design and implementation of the Scholar selection process annually. 

· Develop 2-3 events for the Abele Scholars in collaboration with the Abele Family Foundation.  

· Communicate goals and objectives with the Executive Director of the Abele Foundation and prepare/file reports when needed. 

Additional Responsibilities  

· Serve as a resource and partner to other scholarship and special programs on campus such as the Crigler Institute, Supporting Inclusive Excellence (SIE), Fellowships in the Ursinus Transition to an Undergraduate Research Experience (FUTURE), Ursinus Readiness STEM Award for Baccalaureate Leadership Education (URSA), and Ursinus Science Scholars (USS) by serving as a secondary point of contact for students where necessary and appropriate.  

· Assist with event planning and programming that are of mutual
benefit to scholars in these programs, as well as to those in the Abele program.

Qualifications:

· Master’s degree, or equivalent experience, in Counseling, Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, or related field. 

· 3-5 years of experience working directly with students in an academic or student affairs capacity.  

· Demonstrated success working on programs that support retention and academic success of students. 

· Familiarity or experience with the financial aid/renewal process. 

· Commitment to a residential liberal arts education and demonstrated education,experience and skills in the areas of advising and counseling, career readiness/preparedness, residence life/student affairs, and/or enrollment and retention management. 

· Familiarity with designing a short-term curriculum and programs to introduce students to residential, liberal arts setting. 

· Demonstrated skills in managing administrative and related functions. 

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 

· Ability to work independently yet work collaboratively with students, faculty, and staff. 

Applications: 

Interested candidates should hit the apply button. Once you create an applicant account, you will be prompted to upload your cover letter, resume, and a list with contact information for three references to the applicant database.  

Ursinus is an EO/AA employer. Ursinus College does not discriminate on grounds of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, age, creed, ancestry, veteran status, marital status, disability, or other classification protected by applicable law in the administration of any of its educational programs or activities or with respect to employment.