First-Year Advisor

Location: Hickory, North Carolina

The first-year advisor is a professional advising position within BEAR Central, our student success department on campus. First-year advisors work in a team committed to building collaborative, student-centered relationships that support achievement of academic success, personal and professional development and foster a sense of belonging. First-year advisors educate the whole student through a developmental, student-focused approach and are charged with developing and implementing advising strategies and interventions to enhance the performance and persistence of students throughout their first year until they declare their major. This is a position that focuses on exploration, discovery and supportive connection with students, which requires a specialized knowledge base across many disciplines and an understanding of related areas including academic records, multicultural affairs, general education, student life, academic support and health services.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral to the university’s commitment to excellence in engagement and education. We are particularly interested in candidates who have demonstrated experience engaging with diversity and equity through activities such as fostering an inclusive environment, working with faculty and/or students from diverse backgrounds and/or incorporating diverse perspectives in their current or previous positions.

Description of Advisor Responsibilities, Duties and Tasks

Partner with the director of admissions, enrollment counselors and the director of BEAR Central (the student success unit on campus) to become as familiar as possible with the entering first-year students to ensure a seamless student experience.
Stay updated on LR’s policies and procedures and program and curriculum changes regarding first-year students, in collaboration with the college deans and the registrar’s office.
Advise first-year and undeclared students in partnership with the college deans before orientation and throughout advising periods.
Advise and support undeclared students until they declare an academic major.
Oversee efforts to ensure regular communication with all first-year and undeclared students following their registration and continuing through the completion of the first year.
Meet face-to-face with each first-year and undeclared student utilizing LR’s priority-based model. Connect students to any engagement and/or developmental support they may need. Continue to monitor students, following up as needed to address issues as they arise.
Initiate and assume a leadership role in building programming for new first-year and undeclared students in partnering with other departments on campus.
Work with the Office of Student Outreach and Support and the director of BEAR Central to manage referred students. Meet individually with all referrals assigned and triage to evaluate needs and connect with resources to support those struggling with coursework, study skills and time management.
Review all mid-term grades and prioritize and contact students in their caseload at risk status in order of established priority.
Identify students facing academic challenges and work collaboratively to develop personalized recovery plans. Collaborate with faculty, academic departments and other campus resources to coordinate support services for students in need of academic recovery.
Implement and monitor academic intervention strategies to enhance student success for continuing academic recovery students.
Other duties as assigned by the director of BEAR Central.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution is required. Master’s degree preferred.
Experience with and knowledge of higher education, especially academic affairs and enrollment management, is strongly preferred.
Advising experience preferred.
Higher education experience preferred.
Exceptional computer skills are required.
Exceptional written and oral communication skills, dealing with a wide variety of constituents, are required.
Excellent planning and organizational skills are required.

Application Process

The review of applications will begin on July 22nd, 2024, and continue until the position is filled.

Letter of application specifically addressing the position description, qualifications, leadership experience and how you have supported diversity, equity and inclusion in your current and previous positions and/or how you plan to in your work at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
A resume.
A list of three professional references, including name, current position, email, address and phone number.

The university’s mission, vision and values statements may be reviewed on the About page. Any questions regarding the position or the search process should be submitted electronically to the search committee chair, Jake Graffagnino at jake.graffagnino@lr.edu.

About Lenoir-Rhyne University

Lenoir-Rhyne University is a co-educational, private masters comprehensive liberal arts institution founded in 1891, with its traditional campus located in Hickory, North Carolina, a town of more than 40,000. The university has instructional sites in Asheville, NC, and Columbia, SC, which include the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS). Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lenoir-Rhyne is less than an hour’s drive from Charlotte, and the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of about 365,000. The university now offers more than 50 undergraduate and 30 graduate degree programs to approximately 2400 students. Lenoir-Rhyne University seeks to liberate mind and spirit, clarify personal faith, foster physical wholeness, build community and promote responsible leadership for service worldwide. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Lenoir-Rhyne promotes diverse campuses open to people from all religious and non-religious backgrounds. Please visit our About page to learn more.

Notice of Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment

Lenoir-Rhyne University does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, political affiliation, age, marital status, sex/gender, physical or mental disability, genetic information, pregnancy or veteran status in any educational programs and activities, including admissions. Lenoir-Rhyne’s policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity extends to all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, reassignment, demotion, discipline, discharge, performance evaluation, compensation and benefits. Lenoir-Rhyne is committed to providing an environment that promotes nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and inclusion for faculty, staff, students, contractors, volunteers and visitors.

First-Year Advisor

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