Assistant Director, Scholars and Fellows Program (Center for Student Success)

Johns Hopkins University•Baltimore, MD

3d•$64,600 - $113,300•Hybrid

About The Position

The Scholars & Fellows Programs (SFP) team is seeking a creative, team-oriented Assistant Director, Scholars & Fellows Programs with excellent interpersonal skills to provide support for scholar development and nationally competitive fellowships advising within a complex office focused on academic and intellectual engagement for Johns Hopkins students. The establishment of the SFP team within the Center for Student Success (CSS) is designed to align fellowship advising with a mission of access and inclusion, and is part of a broad, ambitious initiative to support highly talented first-generation, limited-income (FLI) students, who make up ~ 30% of the undergraduate student population at Johns Hopkins University. The Assistant Director will contribute to the SFP mission of empowering students by conducting outreach to and advising for students in the fellowships programs (e.g. Fulbright, UK Scholarships, Truman, Goldwater, et al.), with a particular focus on engaging FLI students through early outreach initiatives and fellowships advising throughout their undergraduate career. The core work of SFP is to provide students with opportunities for self-reflection and to develop a strong understanding of their strengths, the multiple pathways and opportunities to realize their ambitious goals, and the value of a liberal arts education. Within the SFP team, advising focuses on students’ intellectual wayfinding and intense and iterative feedback meant to push applicants to high levels of reflection and expressive competence. The Assistant Director fosters academic engagement by supporting and guiding students as they prepare for national competitions for fellowships. The Assistant Director will work closely with the Associate Director, faculty, and administrators throughout the University to recruit a competitive and diversified pool of applicants for scholarships such as the Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, Truman, Goldwater, and Fulbright, among others, with special attention to first-generation and limited-income students. In collaboration with the Associate Director, the Assistant Director will manage a subset of these fellowship opportunities and serve as the liaison between Johns Hopkins University and the foundations awarding the scholarships. This role is expected to be a visible presence on campus and within the SFP/CSS team and highly visible among applicants, demonstrating an investment in knowing students directly, inviting them into conversation about their experiences, strengths, and aspirations. The Assistant Director reports directly to the Associate Director of Scholars & Fellows Programs.

Requirements

Master’s Degree required.
Three years of related experience required.
Strong writing and verbal communication skills.
Demonstrated experience working directly with first-generation and low-income students.
Demonstrated experience in establishing collaborative partnerships across the institution, particularly with faculty and academic departments and programs.
Demonstrated curiosity and ability to innovate within a complex, decentralized university environment.
Excellent interpersonal skills.
Ability to work effectively in a range of modalities (virtual, in-person) and locations across campus.
Strong organization, project management, problem-solving, and time management skills.
Must be available and willing to work some evenings/weekends as required for events and programming.
Ability and willingness to travel both domestically and internationally.
Knowledge of a wide variety of different academic fields and of research practices specific to different academic fields is needed.
Knowledge of strategic planning, counseling, and research needed to support students within historically underserved populations is essential.
The candidate should also demonstrate the ability to work effectively and collaboratively with individuals from all backgrounds.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of nationally competitive fellowships, either as an advisor, recipient or participant, is highly desired.
Terminal Degree preferred.
Experience advising students about national fellowships, teaching at the college level, and advising undergraduates, either academic or career, strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Develops collaborative partnerships with faculty, academic departments and programs, CSS partners, and campus partners to identify strong candidates for fellowships opportunities with a particular focus on early outreach to FLI students and first- and second-year students.
Develops and implements a communication plan to promote participation in nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships among all Johns Hopkins students. Partners with FLI Network and the Success Coaching in Academic Advising Program to amplify communications to FLI students.
In collaboration with other members of the SFP team, ensure that students in the university’s scholars cohort programs are introduced to fellowship opportunities early in their academic career and that program learning goals prepare scholars for the fellowship application process.
Develop partnerships with the Global Education Office (GEO) to support university efforts to increase awareness of and participation in international opportunities among FLI students. Collaborate with GEO in advertising and supporting applicants to national fellowships designed to support study abroad. (Critical Language Scholarship, Gilman, Boren, Fulbright UK, Freeman-Asia, etc.).
Invites and hosts national foundations on campus to raise campus awareness of fellowship opportunities.
In partnership with the Associate Director, prepares and disseminates publications of student finalist and award winners as needed.
Manage the creation and dissemination of the SFP newsletters and listserv. Manages the SFP social media channels.
Manages and updates the primary resources for fellowships applicants including databases and canvas course content.
Advises Johns Hopkins undergraduate and graduate students and young alumni on applying for nationally competitive scholarships. Manages a subset of these fellowship opportunities in coordination with the Associate Director.
Develops and conducts workshops to teach skills such as interviewing and personal statement writing to facilitate student self-presentation. Provide targeted workshops and presentations for FLI students via CSS partner programs including the Success Coaching Program in Academic Advising, FLI Network, and JUMP.
Creates and annually assesses an application process for advising students applying for fellowships.
Represents Johns Hopkins as an active member within the National Association of Fellowships Advisors.
Recruit faculty and staff members to serve on campus endorsement committees and practice interviews.
Serves as a point of contact with scholarship foundations, providing insights into the robust commitment to FLI initiatives at Johns Hopkins University.
Serve as a prominent voice on issues related to access and inclusion in fellowship advising in a range of forums (social media, conferences, academic journals, etc.).
Organizes scholarship endorsement interviews.
Schedules mock interviews and coordinates events.
Host and/or assist in delivering workshops for the Center for Student Success (SFP, FLI Network, Hop-In, JUMP) and campus partners.
Plans and executes celebrations for fellowship applicants and recipients.
Strategizes with the Associate Director on effective ways to collect, present, and assess SFP data.
Collaborates with the Office of Assessment and Analysis to prepare ad-hoc and annual reports of services.
Prepares and updates regular reporting on fellowships’ outcomes (quantitative and qualitative).
Tracks closely FLI student engagement in fellowships’ application processes closely from initial contact and throughout the application process. Develops assessment and reporting on FLI student satisfaction, academic belonging, and confidence from participating in programming in the National Fellowships Program.
Other duties as assigned.