Director of the Center for Humanities in Action

Ursinus College • Collegeville, PA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Ursinus College has recently implemented APEX: Applied. Professional. Experiential, a learning initiative designed to equip students with the skills and experiences needed for success in a changing world. As part of this initiative, the College has received a 3-year grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to establish The Center for Humanities in Action (CHIA). The Director of CHIA will provide vision and leadership for an interdisciplinary center focused on curricular development, co-curricular programming, and community-engaged learning. The center aims to help students explore social justice and human flourishing through humanistic inquiry. The Director will establish CHIA as a leading institution for humanistic thinking while empowering students to use human ingenuity to address global and local challenges and develop career-ready skills. The Director will foster interdisciplinary collaboration, integrate CHIA into APEX experiences, and build external partnerships, positioning the Center as a national model for educating community leaders and ethically responsible professionals.

Requirements

• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in a relevant humanistic field
• Demonstrated expertise in interdisciplinary approaches to social justice, community engagement, and programming
• Strong record of student engagement, scholarship, public advocacy, teaching, and/or professional leadership across relevant fields
• Proven commitment to supporting and mentoring individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to build partnerships and external collaborations that expand student opportunities
• Strong leadership and evidence of organizational change management, financial acumen, and communication skills

Responsibilities

• Work with the grant team to enact a strategic vision for CHIA, an interdisciplinary innovation center that integrates humanistic inquiry, community-engaged learning, and innovation across the liberal arts.
• Align CHIA programs with APEX goals in experiential learning, career readiness, and interdisciplinary problem-solving.
• Integrate existing APEX hubs that center humanistic and interdisciplinary thinking into the structure of CHIA.
• Foster campus-wide dialogue about and engagement with the role of humanistic inquiry in analyzing and advocating for social and restorative justice.
• Foster campus-wide interdisciplinary engagement with CHIA.
• Collaborate with the Mellon grant PI and implementation team to establish CHIA.
• Develop, support, and oversee CHIA campus and community events, including existing projects such as the Welcome Home Project.
• Support faculty and staff in developing new interdisciplinary courses, workshops, and experiential projects connected to APEX, including first-year seminar sections.
• Support, advocate for, and facilitate the development of new humanistic coursework in the college’s core curriculum.
• Develop signature experiential opportunities such as community-engaged learning projects and cross-disciplinary projects and research that build on existing initiatives.
• Partner with academic departments to support humanistic programming and advising.
• Mentor and advise students pursuing careers and pathways relevant to humanistic inquiry, social justice, and community engagement.
• Support first-year programming, including via collaboration with academic and career coaches and mentoring.
• Support students in developing professional portfolios that integrate advocacy, community engagement, and interdisciplinary problem-solving.
• Collaborate with APEX career coaches, Career and Professional Development (CPD) staff, and faculty mentors to connect students with internships, fellowships, and postgraduate opportunities.
• Assist with recruitment and retention of humanities majors to and at the college.
• Embed global-local perspectives into student experiences, including opportunities for international and domestic career exploration that link humanistic inquiry, justice, and innovation.
• Convene interdisciplinary faculty teams to create courses and projects addressing societal problems.
• Collaborate with campus partners to integrate responsible innovation and community engagement into APEX career communities and experiential learning week.
• Build partnerships with community-based organizations, arts collaboratives, research institutes, regional humanities institutions, and policy organizations.
• Represent CHIA in regional and national networks on humanities, justice, innovation, and liberal arts education.
• Partner with the grant PI to manage CHIA’s budget and day-to-day operations.
• Work with Advancement to secure funding for interdisciplinary projects, student fellowships, and innovation initiatives.
• Partner with the CHIA Advisory Council and grant team to strengthen external visibility and support.
• Promote CHIA through storytelling, marketing, and public engagement activities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director