The Division of Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success (SEMSS) is at the core of VCU’s new strategic plan – Quest 2028: Together We Transform. To ensure each VCU student finds success on their individualized path, it is imperative that we establish a campus environment that eliminates artificial barriers to degree progression/graduation, nurtures student engagement both with faculty and our community, develops cultural competency in our graduates, and creates opportunities to experiment and develop tangible and intangible skills related to their future career goals.
The Science Hub is a secondary location of the Campus Learning Center (CLC), developed with funding from the Hughes Medical Institute for Inclusive Excellence grant. Reporting to the Executive Director of the Campus Learning Center, the Science Hub Program Manager provides support to undergraduate students in STEM disciplines to build a support community at the University. The Program Manager will work with STEM departments’ faculty to facilitate programming across disciplines; specifically work with students to improve study skills, recruit and manage Student Hours, support study group behavior; and will manage the day-to-day operations of the Science Hub including overseeing student staff, programming, and space. We welcome candidates with diverse experiences and backgrounds who will contribute to an already diverse community of faculty, staff, and students.
Core Responsibilities:
Provide engaging programming targeted to STEM students. (45%)
Continually revise and implement programming with a focus on undergraduate research.
Continually revise and implement programming with a focus on connecting students with each other, faculty and alumni.
Maintain attendance and assessment records for all programs.
Actively market all programming both directly and through campus partners.
Teach UNIV 291: STEM Exploration and Professional Preparation.
Provide the administrative structure for Student Hours. (25%)
Recruit faculty to participate in Student Hours.
Maintain the Student Hours schedule and supervise the sessions.
Maintain attendance records for each session and assess the program each semester.
Provide support and outreach to STEM students through study groups. (20%)
Provide STEM specific workshops for students related to academic success.
Conduct outreach to students in STEM courses who are having academic difficulties.
Conduct outreach campaigns to students using the Study Buddy feature in Navigate.
Offer office hours to individually create support plans for STEM students.
Support CLC and SEMSS partnerships. (10%)
Foster partnerships with VCU departments that are critical to the support of underrepresented STEM students.
Represent and support the CLC and SEMSS as needed.
Other Position Details:
This position may be eligible for a hybrid schedule, some nights and weekends will be required.
This is a partially grant-funded restricted position with funding currently available for a period of one-year. Continued employment after that period is dependent upon continued funding.
Minimum Hiring Standards:
Master’s degree
Excellent written, interpersonal, and oral communication skills.
Previous experience with program management.
Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.
Preferred Qualifications:
Master’s degree in a science discipline, Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, or related field.
Experience working in a college or university learning center or other related support activity.
Previous experience working in science disciplines.
Experience working with faculty and university partners.
Demonstrated experience working with software to collect, analyze data and outcomes.
Experience teaching.
Personal experience overcoming barriers similar to those of VCU’s underrepresented STEM student population.
Virginia Commonwealth University and its academic health sciences center serve as one national urban public research institution dedicated to the success and well-being of our students, patients, faculty, staff and community through:
Real-world learning that furthers civic engagement, inquiry, discovery and innovation
Research that expands the boundaries of new knowledge and creative expression and promotes translational applications to improve the quality of human life
Interdisciplinary collaborations and community partnerships that advance innovation, enhance cultural and economic vitality, and solve society’s most complex challenges
Health sciences that preserve and restore health for all people, seek the cause and cure of diseases through groundbreaking research and educate those who serve humanity
Deeply ingrained core values of diversity, inclusion and equity that provide a safe, trusting and supportive environment to explore, create, learn and serve