Coordinator, Student Center for Belonging & Communities

The Program Coordinator for the Student Center for Belonging and Communities (SCBC) in the Student Affairs division at Vanderbilt University is a key contributor to serving, advising, and supporting international, multicultural, and underrepresented students through the student engagement and leadership model and structures relevant to the office's mission and the University's strategic plan. The Program Coordinator will work to develop programming and provide support for international and multicultural student leaders and organizations. More specifically, the Program Coordinator will advise a portfolio of multicultural student organizations as well as provide support for first-generation, low-income, Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA), Native American, and Indigenous, Latinx, and international students on the Vanderbilt campus. Additional responsibilities include but are not limited to: program planning and execution, facilitation of social justice/intercultural competence trainings for the Vanderbilt community, departmental collaborations and the completion of administrative tasks. 

About the Work Unit:

The Student Center for Belonging and Communities is an office within the Belonging and Communities area of the Student Affairs division. The mission of SCBC is to promote an environment of cultural competency and awareness within the student population on the Vanderbilt campus. Its vision is to provide comprehensive advising and training services to ensure culturally engaged student leaders and organizations dedicated to all forms of self-expression. SCBC seeks to do this by equipping the Vanderbilt student community with the tools necessary to be to effective agents of social change in an increasingly broad world.

About Student Affairs at Vanderbilt:

Student Affairs serves a central role in student learning and development at Vanderbilt, advancing the University's mission of teaching, research, and service. Student Affairs at Vanderbilt cultivates vibrant communities that foster a student's sense of belonging and wellbeing through collaborative partnerships, transformative learning experiences, and an accessible and holistic network of resources. We value connection, belonging, compassion, development, and innovation. Our staff are committed to continued growth in knowledge, awareness, skills, and experience engaging with these priorities in a higher education environment. 

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

The Program Coordinator's Key Functions and Expected Performance include, but are not limited to, the following:

Student Organizations

• Assist international and multicultural students with the organization and planning of major student organization events to ensure the successful execution of events that support and celebrate student experiences and adhere to university policies.
• Advise SCBC student organizations using our advising pedagogy, creating more meaningful experiences for their members and leaders.
• Advise SCBC student organizations on developing, maintaining, and conducting effective and culturally relevant assessment activities.
• Attend SCBC student organization executive board meetings and general body meetings, as needed, to demonstrate support for student leaders.
• Support student organization initiatives with regards to advocacy education to improve the experience for international and multicultural students.
• Inform students of changes to student organization policies and procedures that enable them to manage their organization more effectively.
• Assist with maintaining SCBC and student organization records and documents on Anchor Link to support organizational continuity.
• Utilize budgeting skills to support successful financial management and use of Oracle by student leaders and organizations.

Community Development & Programming

• Develop and implement programming for all relevant student populations, including first- generation, low-income, Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA), Native American, and Indigenous, Latinx, and international students and student organizations.
• Utilize and enhance knowledge and skills working with multicultural/multiethnic populations, students that are historically under-represented, underprepared, low-income, and first-generation college students to design accessible programming and appropriate resources.
• Orient students to the culture of the institution and provide support services to help students achieve their personal, academic, and professional goals.
• Facilitate training programs for the Vanderbilt community that support personal and organizational development around issues, including intercultural competence, social justice, social identities, liberation, and creating welcoming group environments.
• Facilitate culturally relevant educational and social programs to meet the needs and honor the experiences of international and multicultural students in the student leadership and organizational contexts.
• Coordinate signature programming initiatives and planning for each academic year, including but not limited to social identity student support initiatives, multicultural wellness and mental health initiatives.
• Facilitate the Center's large-scale cultural programming. In the past, this has included but is not limited to: Cultural Heritage Months, Senior Week, iDialogues, Cultural Showcase Advising, and Graduation Recognition Celebrations.

Administrative

• Maintain strategic relationships with campus and community partners across campus to support the SCBC mission, programming, and goals.
• Supervise student assistant(s) and intern(s) by providing clear performance expectations, effective and ongoing feedback, regular and annual evaluations, and professional development opportunities.
• Execute the daily needs of the Multicultural Lounge and Multicultural Community Space in coordination with the direction of the Assistant Directors.
• Create and maintain social media platforms for SCBC in addition to sharing relevant content with international and multicultural student organizations through social media that will inform more students about engagement opportunities.
• Work with the Assistant Directors to create and implement pre- and post-test assessment tools to measure participant learning and programmatic goal.
• Complete and maintain records of program reviews and evaluations to support and enhance organizational effectiveness.
• Facilitate agreements and contracts for speakers, performers, and approved vendors in a timely manner.
• Serve on divisional committees and working groups to enrich the experience and resources available to staff across the division.
• Participate in division-wide events, as needed, to support colleagues and ensure these events run smoothly.
• Maintain an understanding of institutional and departmental financial policies related to areas such as travel, procurement, expense, and time reporting to ensure compliance and proper stewardship of university resources.
• Demonstrate a willingness to support colleagues across the division in order to encourage the implementation or fulfillment of divisional goals and strategic priorities.
• Perform other work-related duties as assigned.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position supervises student assistant(s) and/or intern(s). This position reports administratively and functionally to an Assistant Director of the Student Center for Social Justice and Identity (SCBC).

Education and Certifications:

• A bachelor's degree is necessary.
• A master's degree is preferred.