Director of International Student Engagement.

About Alvernia University

Alvernia University was founded in 1958 by the Bernardine Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. Through its main campus in Reading and locations in Philadelphia and Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, the university serves 3,000 students of diverse backgrounds from around the country.

Alvernia offers a unique blend of rigorous liberal arts core education for the development of the mind, strong technical training in many high-demand majors, experiential learning through study abroad and internship experiences, and engagement with the community through our Franciscan-based community service model. We call our model of transformational education the Alvernia Advantage, and we believe this style of education transforms students into ethical leaders with moral courage.

Alvernia University ranks in the top 100 among 2021 Best Regional Universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report, and we are recognized as a College of Distinction for our commitment to engaged experiential education.

Job Summary:

The Director of International Student Engagement reports to the Executive Director of Student Engagement & Leadership and oversees the outside of the classroom student experience of all international students. This includes helping international students transition to Alvernia University after their enrollment process, ongoing support with campus life and outside of the classroom involvement, and working with other Alvernia staff to prepare graduating students for their post-graduation experience.

Essential Functions:

• Promote Franciscan ideals and adherence to the Mission of the University as demonstrated by the University's Ideal Characteristics. As we are an equal opportunity employer committed to Franciscan values, all employees share responsibility for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the performance of their roles while demonstrating: service orientation, respect for all, intellectual curiosity, solution focus and innovation, and mutual accountability.
• Design and implement an intentional co-curricular experience that supports international students.
• Serve as a mentor/ advisor / guiding professional for international students.
• Collaborate with International Admissions in promoting and recruiting for Alvernia, promoting its services and holistic experience for international students.
• Coordinate new international student onboarding process including a. Pre-arrival orientation (including health requirement compliance b. Arrival to campus c. On-campus orientation prior to the start of classes.
• Coordinate on and off-campus programming for international students.
• Collaborate with campus partners in developing and publishing the annual international student handbook.
• Develop a peer mentorship/peer welcome group focused on helping international students transition to Alvernia.
• In collaboration with Residence Life, promote on-campus housing to international students.
• In collaboration with Student Activities, promote on-campus engagement opportunities for international students.
• Coordinate with Financial Services, Health Services, Residential Life in resolving ongoing personal situations of our international students.
• Work closely with navigators and academic staff to evaluate and assess the foundational needs of students of concern.
• Coordinate campus-wide International Education Week.
• Advise the International Student Organization (ISO).
• Develop social media outlets, promoting university life for international students.
• Development and modifications of the International Student Website Portal.
• Serve as a contributing member of the Justice Equity Inclusion Counsel.
• Develop community partnerships with local immigrant communities to offer connections to international students.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Serve on University-wide committees as needed.
• Be certified by the US Department of State as a Designated School Official (DSO) or Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) for international student immigration purposes, as needed.

Special Requirements:

• Experience working with international students in a higher education setting for 3 -5 years.
• Demonstrated experience in intercultural competency within a diverse population.
• Experience in faculty, staff, and student cultural competency training.
• Demonstrated proficiency using the US Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
• Eligibility for certification by DHS as a Designated School Official (DSO) and certification by the US Department of State as an Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO).
• Demonstrated aptitude for learning, interpreting, and disseminating highly technical information, regulations, and procedures.
• Experience living or studying abroad.

Qualifications/Education:

• Master’s degree (or Bachelor’s degree and equivalent experience in lieu of a Master’s degree).
• Must be a US citizen or US lawful permanent resident.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and deliver professional presentations.
• Experience in international student retention, student success, and programming for international students.
• Demonstrated collaboration across academic disciplines, university offices and services to coordinate in and out of classroom success of international students.
• Strong interpersonal skills; a team player with a strong work ethic.
• Commitment to the mission statement, core values, and goals of Alvernia University.
• Previous admissions experience.
• Commitment to the mission statement, core values, and goals of Alvernia University.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.
• Occasional evening and weekend work and travel to other campuses is necessary.