Job Details

Director, Emory First
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Position Number: 5137446
Location: Atlanta, GA
Position Type: Student Affairs and Services

Emory University invites inquiries, nominations, and applications for its next Director of Emory First.

The Director of Emory First provides support for the first-generation and/or low-and-limited income community at Emory University. Through collaborations across the broader university, the Director of Emory First is tasked with the alignment of university efforts to assist with the matriculation of first-generation and low-and-limited income (FGLI) students. Reporting directly to the Associate Dean of Students, Dr. Ashley L. Brown, the Director of Emory First will serve as a key member of the Belonging and Community Justice (BCJ) leadership team within the broader context of Emory Campus Life. Belonging and Community Justice is comprised of six identity spaces at Emory that serve as a hub of support for students to matriculate to and through the university and includes the Asian Student Center; Centro Latinx; the Emory Black Student Union (EBSU); Emory First; the Center for Women at Emory; and LGBT Life. BCJ promotes dynamic and cohesive learning by creating space for individual, cultural, and communal development. Belonging and Community Justice's value of ensuring every student belongs and graduates is central to all programming, events, and initiatives within and across respective identity spaces.

The six BCJ Directors will work closely with one another and the Associate Dean of Students to facilitate the advancement of Emory's Student Flourishing Initiative, a commitment to purposefully integrate key elements of the Emory student experience (academic experience; community and well-being, purpose and meaning; and professional pathways) to intentionally prepare students for a lifetime of service, impact, and meaning. Having recently moved into the Belonging and Community Justice Identity Spaces after a multi-million dollar renovation, the Director of Emory First will be charged with developing and driving forward a strategic vision to continuously grow the FGLI community at Emory and be responsible for advancing the following priorities of: reimagining and integrating the 1915 Scholars program into Emory First; partnering with established programs and student organizations to include but not limited to Questbridge Scholars, First-Generation Low-Income Partnership (FLIP), Empowering First Living and Learning Community, and other individual college- and university-level FGLI initiatives; the development of a centralized resource hub to support the personal, professional, and academic progress for the FGLI community in partnership with a myriad of campus constituents; and extensive donor, alumni, foundation, and board engagement. Finally, the next Director of Emory First will be interested in high-impact program development that prioritizes collaboration with students, staff, and faculty members; high levels of student advising that bolsters student agency, empowerment, and holistic development; the personal and professional development of their students and staff alike; and supporting development and external engagement that bolsters the BCJ area.

The Director of Emory First will be well-practiced in evidence-based student-centered program development, highly collaborative, and have at least five (5) years of progressive leadership experience working with students from diverse backgrounds. Strong supervisory experience with a goal of engaging and creating purposeful teams is crucial for this role and the Director will have a deep understanding of the complexities and challenges in the daily lives of students and will be well-versed in national trends and the critical issues facing a broad range of identities and experiences, while applying this knowledge and expertise to the Emory context. The successful candidate will also have a master's degree in higher education administration or a related field as well as at least two (2) years supervising full-time or part-time professional staff and student staff.

Located in Atlanta, Georgia and founded in 1836, Emory University has an international reputation for world-renowned scholarship and research, unparalleled teaching, and a preeminent medical center that provides students with the access to, and opportunity for, hands-on learning experiences with researchers and scholars. A member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) since 1995, the university benefits from collaboration across its nine undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools. These schools include the Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Oxford College, Goizueta Business School, Laney Graduate School, School of Law, School of Medicine, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Rollins School of Public Health, and Candler School of Theology. With approximately 16,000 students, including more than 8,000 undergraduates and 7,000 graduate and professional students, Emory attracts students from every state and more than 100 countries. In collaboration with student affairs leads in the academic units, the Director of Emory First will serve all students from all academic disciplines.

Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume, and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile. WittKieffer is assisting Emory University with this search, which will remain open until an appointment is made. Expeditious application is encouraged for this role.

Nominations, inquiries, and application materials can be directed to Jen Meyers Pickard, Ph.D., Darrien Davenport, Ed.D., and Meredith Davis, Ph.D. at: Emory-EmoryFirstDirector@wittkieffer.com

Emory University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all applicable Federal and Georgia State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action in its programs and activities. Emory University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and veteran's status.

Inquiries should be directed to the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, 201 Dowman Drive, Administration Building, Atlanta, Georgia 30322. Telephone: 404.727.9867 (V) | 404.712.2049 (TDD).