Director of New Student Programs

About the position:

Join Our Team at Millersville University!

• Comprehensive Health Coverage – Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Group Life Insurance
• Retirement Plans – Choose from two excellent options
• Tuition Waiver – Invest in your education or your family’s
• Paid Time Off – Vacation, sick leave, and holidays to recharge
• Full Benefits Summary(PDF)

Why Millersville?

• Strong student-faculty connections
• 70+ undergraduate and 24 graduate programs
• A stunning campus and vibrant community
• Outstanding job placement for graduates

Our Mission & Values:

Equal Opportunity for All:

• Provide overall strategic vision, including identifying and setting short-and long-term goals that align programming with the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), the Association for Orientation, Transition & Retention in Higher Education (NODA), and divisional and institutional strategic plans.
• Direct the five-year program review process in accordance with guidelines identified by Middle States (if and or when appropriate), Pennsylvania State System for Higher Education (PASSHE) (when provided), and the Millersville University Division of Student Affairs (when requested).
• Develop and manage an annual operational, staff and programming budget.
• Recruit, hire, train, and supervise the graduate assistant for new student programs.
• Strategize cost savings initiatives to promote growth that would impact office budgets generated from the incoming student orientation fee and strategize and develop contingency plans related to the potential of unforeseen expenses that could impact this self-supported income budget.
• Evaluate and assess University for new student programs and use the data for program and process improvement by contributing assessment data to divisional and institutional research processes.
• Assess effectiveness of programming based on increased likelihood of participants to have more positive outcomes than those who do not participate (e.g. Less “melt,” deeper engagement with academic and co-curricular communities, stronger first semester grades, and stronger graduation rates). Seek continuous improvement measures to ensure the programs and services offered to students and their families meet identified needs.
• Collaborate with other University offices (e.g., academic departments, athletics, academic affairs, enrollment management, dining, housing, facilities, etc.) to develop appropriate content and foster positive relationships which facilitate the planning and implementation of new student programs.
• Serve as a campus resource for building understanding within the University community of the needs and expectations of the current generation of incoming students and how best to engage with them.
• Participate in University-wide committees and projects as required or requested from time to time.

• Design, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive, integrative, and informational on-boarding and new student program process which meets the needs and expectations of incoming new and transfer students.
• Assist with the implementation of new student program sessions for specific populations managed through other University departments (military veterans, international students, etc.).
  • Collaborate with staff across the division of student affairs (housing, dining, and campus life) and the office of admissions to provide coordinated arrival support for all new students.
• Coordinate summer new student program initiatives (i.e., Summer Welcomes and EPPIIC Weekend) programming as well as programming occurring prior to the start of the spring semester.
• Coordinate with enrollment management to provide onboarding communication to incoming students, parents and families.
• Coordinate regular updates with enrollment management to ensure the webpage remains current, accurate, and relevant.
• Manage the content and delivery of the online Millersville Arrival Program (MAP), seeking opportunities to increase its effectiveness with the incoming student population and their families.
• Recruit, hire, train, and develop student staff, fostering a strong sense of belonging, community and personal growth (New Student Planning Committee, Student Leaders).
• Oversee the schedules and payroll for student employees working with new student programs.
• Design and implement an appropriate training program which best equips student leaders for their leadership roles during and after the new student programs centered in both programmatic and University missions.
• Coordinate and lead the New Student Program Implementation Committee made up of university employees with events and responsibilities during new student programs and other student onboarding activities for new and transfer students to enhance communication and collaboration across campus.
• Benchmark local and national suggested/best practices that focus on serving the changing demographic of college-going students through focused new student programs and additional support.

• Design, implement, and evaluate an integrative and informational on-boarding and new student program process which meets the needs and expectations of the families of incoming new and transfer students.
• Coordinate with the Millersville Parents Council to design onboarding programs for family members.
• Collaborate with staff across the division of student affairs (housing, dining, and campus life) and the office of admissions to provide coordinated arrival support for the families of new students.
• Coordinate new student program communication to the families of incoming students including creation and dissemination of both printed and electronic materials.
• Coordinate and lead a Family Weekend Implementation Committee made up of university employees with events and responsibilities during Family Weekend each fall for family members to enhance communication and collaboration across campus.
• Benchmark local and national suggested/best practices that focus on serving the changing demographic of the parents of college-going students through focused new student programs and additional support.
• All other duties as assigned.

• Master’s degree.
• Three to five years of full-time professional experience in higher education with specific responsibility for new student programs (i.e., orientation).
• Experience developing, planning, and implementing large-scale, multifaceted programs that balance high academic expectations with students’ social and personal development needs.
• Demonstrated understanding of the transition needs of first-time and transfer students.
• Experience supervising graduate and undergraduate student staff.
• Proven ability to recruit, select, train, and supervise a large and diverse student workforce.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with faculty and staff across campus to implement programs and initiatives.
• Experience developing, assessing, and refining learning objectives for programs and staff training.
• Experience creating educational environments that support reflection, personal growth, and preparation for engagement in diverse communities.
• Experience managing, allocating, and monitoring large budgets.
• Commitment to inclusive practices and working with diverse populations.
• Successful completion of the interview process.
• Successful completion of required background checks.

• Experience coordinating new student programs/orientations, as well as first time and/or transfer experience programs.

• Ability to work in person on campus in an office setting.
• Work is normally performed in an interior/office work environment.
• Ability to stand for long periods of time.
• Ability to work individually and in a team environment.
• Fine motor skills, manual dexterity, set up/tear down elements and activities.
• Extensive writing and verbal communications skills.
• Basic and advanced math skills (add, subtract, multiply, divide, fractions, percentages, formulas, equations).
• Understanding of written directions.
• Must be able to lift/pull/push up to 25 pounds.
• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard and mouse.