Epic Scholars Program Manager

Position Summary

The Program Manager for the Epic Scholars Program provides proactive, comprehensive student support services that promote academic success, professional development, and a sense of belonging and connection among independent students to increase their retention and graduation from the Metropolitan State University of Denver. The Epic Scholars Program provides wrap-around student support services for students who experienced foster care, kinship care, emancipation, homelessness as defined by the McKinney Vento Act, or court-appointed guardianship. The program also supports students with extenuating circumstances that qualify them as independent students. In collaboration with the Associate Dean/Director of TRIO Student Support Services, the Epic Scholars Program Manager will plan, direct, administer, and evaluate the program.

This role promotes a supportive, affirming, and inclusive environment that strengthens students' academic, professional, and personal experiences. The role also creates a sense of belonging and promotes student engagement. The position is responsible for developing and delivering a range of support services, including educational case management, trauma-informed advising and coaching, peer and graduate student mentoring, and learning opportunities that foster academic achievement, career readiness, graduate school preparedness, financial literacy, and personal well-being, all designed to promote student success, retention, and persistence to graduation.

This position reports to the Associate Dean/Director of TRIO Student Support Services and is an integral part of the Equity & Student Engagement area in the Division of Student Affairs.

Metropolitan State University of Denver is a unique, access-oriented campus community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms. We are a designated Hispanic Serving Institutions. Our student population comprises 58% of first-generation students and over 50% of students of color.

The Metropolitan State University of Denver is an equal-opportunity employer.

IND208

Duties/Responsibilities

Program Management

• Create, plan, coordinate, and implement curriculum for learning and development in academic success, career readiness, graduate school preparation, financial literacy, and wellness and well-being.
• Manage mentorship peer and graduate student mentorship programs, including recruiting, training, supervising, and evaluating performance.
• Recruit and train campus community members to assist students with professional development and career readiness.
• Oversee programmatic assessment and evaluation.
• Managing a scholarship program includes creating a systematic approach to connect students to scholarship opportunities and awarding scholarships.
• Oversee budget and track expenditures.
• Partner with University Advancement to identify potential donors.

Engagement, Advocacy, and Outreach

• Develop strategies and incentives to increase student achievement and success. Outreach to students by creating and implementing student-centered programs, events, and activities targeted toward first-generation and/or low-income students.
• Develop & sustain strategic partnerships across campus for effective program service delivery, including collaboration with University Advancement, Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, Care Center, Counseling Center, the Classroom to Career Hub, TRIO Student Support Services, Immigrant Services Program, and other student retention programs and services.
• Build relationships with the region's business community, non-profit organizations, and public agencies to develop a network of support for participants' educational and social advancement.
• Conduct outreach and recruitment of participants in collaboration with Admissions, Financial Aid, and Registrar to ensure that all students know the program's objectives, services offered, and eligibility requirements.
• Foster a sense of belonging for students by creating welcoming spaces and initiatives that promote positive identity development and academic success.
• Develop pathways and initiatives connecting students to high-impact practices that increase retention and graduation.
• Academic Success Advising and Coaching
• Provide individualized and strengths-based coaching to program participants; initiate pro-active, regular, and consistent contact with students (in person, by phone, email, text, and social media); serve as students' success coach over their academic life cycle.
• Advocate for all students, providing targeted and tailored support and services based on identified risk factors, including academic, financial, and psychosocial factors.
• Work with individual students to develop realistic goals to contribute to academic and personal success; develop relationships that foster developmental conversations; motivate students to achieve educational goals.
• Utilize student success and advising platforms (e.g., Navigate) to proactively track academic progress, identify students at risk of not being retained, as well as "off-path" to graduation, and implement timely interventions; regularly analyze data to measure retention and graduation outcomes ensuring a strategic, data-driven approach to improving student success.
• Refer and connect students with relevant college and community resources; coordinate with college and other stakeholders regarding additional outreach, support, and follow-up.

Administration, Research, and Assessment

• Maintain accurate, organized, and detailed case management processes and procedures, including notetaking and student records; develop and maintain reports as assigned; and maintain appropriate filing and documentation per FERPA guidelines.
• Design, develop, deliver, and evaluate strategies to promote success and retention among student participants in collaboration with Institutional Research. Implement and manage accountability standards for student services to ensure student success.
• Serve on college committees as recommended to advance the university's service of independent students from challenging backgrounds.
• Represent program at college meetings, task forces and committees, and community functions.
• Promote strengths-based resilience thinking with all aspects of the Epic Scholars Program.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree
• Three years of professional experience providing comprehensive support services to diverse populations in at least two of the following areas: case management, academic coaching and advising, career readiness, or financial aid counseling.
• Two years of demonstrated experience working with populations who need additional academic and personal support.

Important Note: Successful applicants will ensure their resumes clearly demonstrate that their work experience describes how they meetALLrequired qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree
• Experience providing support or services to underrepresented populations in academic advising, career exploration, goal setting, graduate school planning, and financial aid in higher education.
• Knowledge, understanding, or experience providing support services to foster care youth, homeless youth, youth who experienced foster care, homelessness, court-appointed guardianship, kinship care, or students without a support system.
• Experience with budget management and making data-informed budget decisions.
• Experience with program assessment and evaluation or a desire to learn.
• Experience with supervising professional and/or student staff.
• Excellent interpersonal communication and presentation skills.
• Experience working collaboratively with other administrators, faculty, staff, and students in a higher education setting.
• Knowledge of student development theories and best practices for underrepresented students.

Work Hours

• Full-time, 40 hours per week, Exempt
• Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00 pm
• Evening and Weekend Work: Rarely
• This is a 100% In-person position
• Travel: N/A

Salary for Announcement

We anticipate the qualified candidate to be placed between $47,300 - $68,000. The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training. Additionally, Student Affairs has committed to tying our salaries to an understanding of a living wage. To that end, we will not pay less than $47,300.

The above salary range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Instructions to Apply

For full consideration, please submit the following documents:

• Resume
• Cover letter describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the position

3 professional references will be required of the finalist. One reference must be a prior supervisor.

Official transcripts will be required of the candidate selected for hire.

If you are an Internal applicant, please apply via the Career tab within the WorkDay Menu

Important Note: Successful applicants will ensure their resumes clearly demonstrate that their work experience describes how they meetALLrequired qualifications.

Open Until Filled

The University's benefits package is comprehensive and offers medical, vision and dental, free RTD pass, tuition reimbursement, as well as a life and supplemental insurance plans, retirement plans and other programs, such as accessto a long-term disability (LTD) plan.Visit MSU Denver'sbenefits websiteto learn more.

For a brief overview, please see: https://www.msudenver.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MSU-Benefit-Summary.pdf.

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at totalrewards@msudenver.edu.

Background Checks

Metropolitan State University of Denver is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students, and visitors. To Assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background checks on all finalists for positions at the University prior to employment.

Metropolitan State University of Denver is a unique, access-oriented campus community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms. Our student population consists of nearly 58% first generation students and over 50% students of color. We are a designated Hispanic Serving Institution located in downtown Denver.

We create an equitable learning and working environment in concert with individuals who consistently demonstrate commitment to equity and inclusion. We greatly value the diverse identities and perspectives of our students, faculty, and staff and recognize that in order to achieve a just and equitable society, diversity must go beyond simple representation. It requires critical inquiry and dialogue and a commitment to action. We strive to provide a culture of belonging for all community members to achieve personal and professional success.