University Honors Program
Assistant Director & Academic Advisor- Position Description
**To apply, visit jobs.uc.edu or click here.
The University Honors Program (UHP) is committed to helping students maximize their educational opportunities at UC while discovering and pursuing their passions in life and using their gifts and talents to make meaningful contributions to society. Our vision is that students are transformed through their University Honors experience. The UHP comprises students in the top 7% of UC’s undergraduates from across colleges and disciplines. University Honors students are challenged through honors seminars and experiential learning projects focused on the thematic areas of community engagement, global studies, leadership and research/creative arts.
Overview of Primary Functions
Advisor/Mentor/Coach – 50%
Serve as an advisor/mentor/coach for University Honors students in specific disciplines (subject to change based on enrollment). Coach students through the process of crafting an individualized UHP and UC experience that aligns with their personal, academic and professional goals. Coach students through the process of identifying their interests and passions and help students consider how they will use their gifts and talents while at UC and beyond. Connect students with opportunities that align with their passions and interests. Encourage students to consider opportunities in undergraduate research, community engagement, global studies and leadership. Provide students with feedback on their progress toward their goals and provide students the support to begin following internal decision-making formulas. Help students develop resiliency and the reflective capacity to make sense of their growth and learning.
Mentor students through the development and completion of honors experiential learning project proposals, execution of the projects, reflective essays, and learning portfolios. Provide written and verbal feedback on proposals and reflective essays, coach students through development, revision and reflection processes. Provide qualitative feedback on learning portfolios throughout the year and conduct a holistic review of each student’s portfolio in the summer. Coach and support students in developing and honingreflective and integrative learning skills.
Facilitate mandatory advising with first, second and third year students (individual and group sessions). Meet with students individually on an as-needed basis. Conduct phone and skype appointments with students who are unable to come into the office. Conduct annual UHP status checks (a holistic review of students’ progress toward the UHP requirements). Maintain accurate advising notes in the UHP database and UniverSIS. Keep detailed records of communication with students.
Develop relationships with stakeholders from the various colleges and units across campus to increase collaboration and, ultimately, enhance the student experience. Engage in focused effort to increase honors opportunities for students in assigned colleges and to increase honors retention and graduation of students in those colleges. Notify students of specific honors opportunities related to their colleges/majors. Facilitate professional and academic connections for students across campus and in the community.
Prepare students to articulate their experiences and goals (in writing and verbally) for competitive application processes (e.g., graduate school, nationally competitive awards, Teach For America). Write letters of recommendation for students applying for scholarships, volunteer placements, prestigious awards, internships and employment.
Teaching – 20%
Teach Gateway to University Honors course. Teach two sections in fall semester; additional sections when needed in fall, spring and/or summer semesters. Each class enrolls approximately 30 students and meets for 55 minutes once-a-week for the entire semester.
Provide intensive, qualitative feedback on assignments. Coach students through the process of developing reflective writing and integrative thinking skills.
Develop relationships with individual students in the class as means to understand their interests, passions and goals. Modify information presented in the class to the students’ interests, passions and goals.
Participate in weekly instructor meetings to discuss lesson plans, brainstorm ideas, share best practices and engage in an on-going feedback process to evaluate the course objectives.
Oversee Individual Projects– 20%
Manage short-term and long-term projects, as assigned. The responsibility and time commitment of each project varies based on the nature of the project and the time of the year. Project work is subject to change; projects are assigned based on departmental needs and individual interests.
Each project further advances the UHP mission and vision. Projects require independence, initiative and creativity. The skill sets needed to execute projects include, but are not limited to: strategic thinking, attention to detail, event planning, program development, and developing partnerships with stakeholders across campus and in the community.
Sample individual projects include coordinating the followingUHP initiatives: the UHP welcome retreat, a 6-day intensive national leadership retreat, the Gateway to University Honors seminar, the Biomedical Research and Mentoring Program andthe Honors Ambassadors.
Support UHP Initiatives; Participate in Service & Scholarship – 10%
Support UHP alignment with Presidential and Provostal goals and university strategic plan. Participate in programmatic assessment and evaluation.
Participate in departmental staff meetings, advising team meetings, and Honors Council meetings. Participate in committees related to other UHP processes, as needed (e.g., UHP seminar proposal review committee).
Support UHP programs and special events. Participate in freshman retreat and stay overnight at retreat facility during retreat. Participate inexperiences alongside students (LeaderShape, study tours and alternative break programs, as interested and able). Engage with students and guests at the UHP speaker series events. Attend student presentations and performances.
Review admission applications for incoming UC students to make recommendation for acceptance into the University Honors Program. Review applications for students applying to join the University Honors Program as a transition student each spring semester.Meet with prospective students/families. Attend admission/recruitment events organized by the Office of Admissions.
Lead presentations for incoming first-year students during Bearcats Bound Orientation.
Participate in the university-wide advising community. Attend UC Undergraduate Academic Advising Association (UCUAADA) meetings. Attend the annual UC Advising Conference and the UC Diversity Conference.
Serve on university-wide committees related to individual project work and/or interest. Represent the UHP perspective and our student needs. Learn personally and professionally.
Engage in local, regional and national conferences and professional organizations (presenting at conferences, serving on committees/commissions, writing and publishing).
Minimum Qualifications
Master’s degree required. Experience working directly with students in a student learning capacity required (experiential learning, academic advising, academic support or other student affairs or student learning capacity). The ideal candidate will have a Master’s degree in college student personnel, higher education/student affairs, counseling or related field and three or more years higher education experience.
Candidates should exhibit strong communication and coaching skills (essential to the honors experiential learning project development process). Candidates should also exhibit a strong collaborative and team orientation as well as the ability to work productively with those who are different from themselves. Candidate must have highly developed organizational skills with the ability to manage a significant workload while juggling multiple tasks and processes. Candidates should possess high level critical thinking and decision making skills, excellent written and interpersonal communication skills, be adaptive and flexible, handle ambiguity and change well and possess attention to detail (while able to also see the big picture). Additional skills/characteristics include: teaching/training, conflict resolution, time management and ability to use and learn a variety of software products (MS Office, BlackBoard, web-based systems, etc.).