Calvin University invites applications for a full-time Visiting Professor position in the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program, beginning in August 2022. This is a one-year appointment to a non-tenure-track position.

REQUIREMENTS

The university seeks applicants with vibrant Christian faith who are dedicated to integration of that faith with their field of study. 

Applicants must have a Masters in Social Work (MSW) degree with a minimum of two years of practice experience. Applicants with a doctoral degree in Social Work are preferred.

Candidates are expected to demonstrate excellence in teaching a range of courses at the undergraduate level, with a commitment to teaching excellence and innovation, active-learning and student engagement of students with diverse backgrounds. Applicants are required to have excellent interpersonal and English communication skills—in the classroom, with colleagues, in written work, and in listening.

The university will prioritize candidates with broad interdisciplinary interests, demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, ability to integrate questions of meaning, significance, and ethics into all course content, and deep commitment to engaging students beyond the classroom.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The primary responsibility of this position will be teaching a wide range of undergraduate courses in the Social Work program. The teaching load will be 0.75 FTE assigned to teaching responsibilities (21-24 credit hours), and 0.25 FTE assigned to field director responsibilities during the 2022-2023 academic year. There are no expectations of serving on university-wide committees, but active participation in the program’s faculty activities such as faculty meetings and committees is expected.

Candidates will be asked to affirm their commitment to the educational mission of Calvin University as a Christian liberal arts university in the Reformed tradition, affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church. (See Educating for Shalom and Faculty Expectations.) Calvin University provides numerous faculty development opportunities to foster growth in these commitments

ABOUT THE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is part of the Department of Sociology & Social Work and has been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) since 1992. The mission of the BSW program is to “participate in God’s work of renewal by preparing students who embrace the purpose and values of the social work profession and demonstrate competence for generalist practice at the BSW level.” Calvin’s BSW curriculum integrates a Christian perspective grounded in Scripture with the knowledge, skills, and values of the social work profession to best prepare graduates for competent practice and service in a variety of settings.

ABOUT CALVIN UNIVERSITY

Calvin University is a top-ranked national university that equips students to think deeply, to act justly, and to live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world. Approximately 3,000 Calvin students study the liberal arts and select from a broad range of majors and professional programs. The university is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in a thriving metropolitan region of approximately one million people situated equidistant from Chicago and Detroit. Furthermore, the West Michigan region is ranked by Forbes as the #1 place to raise a family.

Calvin is building a tradition of diversity and accessibility and welcomes applications from persons whose personal characteristics will further that commitment. Calvin does not discriminate in the employment of individuals on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, disability, sex, or age. Calvin University is an educational agency of the Christian Reformed Church and, in compliance with Title VII and other applicable law, reserves the right to give preference in employment based upon religion.

TO APPLY

Applicants must submit through the online submission website a complete electronic file of interest including the following:

• Letter of application that addresses the requirements and responsibilities of the position, including your interest in teaching at a Reformed Christian University

• Full curriculum vitae

• Statement of teaching philosophy

• Names and contact information of three professional references

If invited to interview, official transcripts must be provided.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Feel free to send questions to Stacia Hoeksema (slh22@calvin.edu).

FAITH and EDUCATIONAL COMMITMENT

1. Commitment to the educational mission of Calvin as a Christian liberal arts college affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church.  

2. A commitment to the Christian faith and to the integration of faith, learning, and student development.

DIVERSITY COMMITMENT

Demonstrated awareness and commitment to effectively establishing relationships and positive communication across multiple dimensions of diversity including, but not limited to, race, gender, physical limitations, class, or religious perspectives.