Assistant Director of Health Professions Advising and STEM Professions Specialist

Colby College•Waterville, ME

About The Position

Colby invites qualified student-centered professionals to apply for the newly-created Assistant Director of Health Professions Advising and STEM Professions Specialist opportunity, a highly-visible, collaborative and impactful student-centric role at the College. Housed within Colby’s nationally-recognized DavisConnects Office and reporting to the Director of Health Professions Advising, the Assistant Director will contribute to the impact and success of the health professions and STEM advising programs while also providing generalist, exploratory career advisement to a designated portfolio of students drawing from a broad range of career coaching and advising tools, and integrating curricular, co-curricular and transformative global experiences in the preparation of students to explore and thrive in their desired pathways. Together with the Director of Health Professions Advising and the Industry and Community Partnerships team, the Assistant Director will foster mentorship opportunities with the global Colby network and secure access to top-tier internships, research, employment, and graduate school opportunities that are well suited to the Advisor’s advising portfolio.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree plus at least two years of experience teaching, coaching, advising and/or mentoring individuals interested in health and STEM professions.
Ability to recognize strengths and clarify the interests and values of students while helping students make informed decisions about their post-graduate career options using assessment tools and career development theory or other relevant experience.
Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills
Commitment to developing innovative approaches to delivering excellent service
Experience in creating partnerships with and working creatively and effectively with broad constituencies
Team-orientation with an interest in collaborating with other members of DavisConnects in preparing students and graduates for success during and beyond college
Willingness to maintain a flexible schedule as needed, to accommodate evening and occasional weekend programs
Familiarity and experience using Microsoft Office and social media.

Nice To Haves

A graduate degree in a relevant field is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

STEM Professions Advising (40%) Serve as the primary DavisConnects advisor to students and alumni interested in STEM professions, helping them assess interests, explore opportunities, and refine a plan leading to post-graduate success
Provide guidance on industry-specific and geographically-specific approaches to the opportunity-seeking process, including advice on resumes, cover letters and interview technique as well as key strategies and considerations appropriate for particular countries and regions of the world
Facilitate workshops and manage programs for target populations, including domestic and international industry-focused alumni panels, industry immersion experiences (e.g. off-campus job treks and opportunities to explore career industries across the US), and topical workshops and industry forums
Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with internal partners (e.g. faculty, coaches, and professional staff) and external constituents (e.g. alumni, parents and career advising colleagues) to ensure inclusion and access to STEM processions preparation and recruiting at Colby
Collect and maintain data pertaining to the success of students and alumni in pursuing undergraduate and post-graduate opportunities and education in STEM and report the same to Colby stakeholders as requested
Design and execute marketing and communication campaigns in collaboration with the DavisConnects’ Administrative and Student Worker teams that promote the Advisor’s services, offerings and resources
If the Assistant Director is interested, qualified, and has capacity, advise and support the efforts of Colby’s student STEM and pre-health clubs and organizations.
Health Professions Advising (30%) In collaboration with and as assigned by the Director of Health Professions Advising: Advise a portfolio of students and graduates contemplating medical and other health professions (e.g. physician assistant, dentistry, veterinary, nursing and beyond) on the academic and experiential requirements to succeed in the pursuit of the same
Guide students and graduates through the professional school application process, including, without limitation, application materials, entrance examinations (e.g. MCAT, DAT, or GRE), personal statements and interviews, as well as guidance on professional school financing
Partner with faculty, and staff who are advising students on course selection and major declaration, about the unique academic requirements for the broad range of health professions Colby students and graduates are pursuing
Design and deliver programs and resources which support the Assistant Director and Director’s collaborative advising efforts, including on-campus workshops and online, on-demand resources. Remain flexible to lead evening and occasional weekend programs
Design and execute marketing and communication campaigns in collaboration with the Director of Health Professions Advising, and DavisConnects’ Administrative and Student Worker teams that promote the Advisor’s services, offerings and resources
Support the Director of Health Professions Advising in collecting and maintaining data pertaining to the admission of students and alumni to health professions programs, and report the same to Colby stakeholders as requested.
Career Design Advising (20%) Advise a designated portfolio of students on career-readiness, exposing them to potential career paths and helping them assess interests, identify and access experiential learning opportunities that translate their liberal arts education into tangible roles and responsibilities aligned with their evolving goals, interests and aspirations
Design and deliver effective career and professional development programming and resources responsive to student needs
Contribute to the content of the DavisConnects’ resource library, website, and on-demand resources
Stay informed on employment trends, industry standards, hiring practices, and career development strategies to effectively guide students
Maintain records of student advising and collaborate on metrics reflecting advising and programmatic outcomes
Collaborate with and support the efforts of the other members of DavisConnects in preparing students for success in their paths through and beyond college.
Global Connections (10%) Develop new relationships, nationally and internationally, to expand Colby’s global network of alumni, parents, and friends of the College. In collaboration with the Industry and Community Partnerships team and the Director of Health Professions Advising, secure access to academic year, summer, and post-graduate experiences (e.g. internship, externship, research, employment, and graduate school) relevant to health and STEM professions.
Engage new connections in the development of national and international programming and experiential opportunities, including “Jan-Plan” courses and mentorship.
Collaborate with the Directors of Fellowships and Global Education to expose students and alumni to nationally and globally-competitive fellowships and other experiences aligned with their goals, interests and aspirations.
Ensure that all members of Colby’s global alumni, parent, and employer network receive impeccable customer service in the execution of educational and recruiting events, both on and off campus (information sessions, interviews, job treks, etc.).
Consult with members of Colby’s global network about campus best practices to help them plan activities that build awareness and maximize turnout of the students they hope to attract, with an emphasis on creating equity and access for all Colby students.
Conduct quantitative and qualitative research to evaluate results and pursue continuous improvement.