Associate Director of Black/African Student Engagement

Metropolitan State University of Denver • Denver, CO

1d • $67,000 - $76,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director of Black/African Student Engagement is responsible for assisting students who identify as Black or with the African/African American culture as they transition to and enroll at Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver). As part of the Center for Multicultural Engagement and Inclusion (CMEI), the Associate Director plays a key role in fostering a sense of belonging, providing comprehensive support and encouragement, and guiding students to utilize academic, cultural, and personal resources to achieve success. This is accomplished through initiatives focused on student engagement, academic success, cultural pride, empowerment, volunteerism, and leadership development. The role will follow the four tenants used to build this new identity program, which are: Student Engagement and Programming, Support and Resources, Academic Collaboration, and External Partnership This role is a front line, student-facing position that promotes a supportive, affirming, and inclusive environment, concentrating on awareness and understanding, and strengthening the co-curricular, personal, and cultural experiences of students. The position is responsible for creating and delivering a range of support services, including workshops, leadership development, peer and professional mentoring, and cultural awareness and social programs, all designed to contribute to student success, retention, and persistence to graduation.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum of three years (3) experience creating, coordinating, or leading student engagement, involvement, or community‑building initiatives in a higher education or similar student‑centered setting.
• Experience in program and event creation, management and implementation
• Previous experience supervising professional staff and student teams
• Experience developing and delivering programs, services, or student‑support initiatives for Black/African American communities, including culturally responsive advising, mentorship, advocacy, or community‑building.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree
• Demonstrated experience advancing student success initiatives for historically underrepresented populations, particularly Black/African first-generation college students.
• Experience developing partnerships across campus and external community organizations to support student engagement and success.
• Experience designing and facilitating social justice education, leadership development, or culturally responsive programming.
• Experience collaborating with alumni networks, community partners, or advancement teams to support student initiatives or program funding.
• Demonstrated experience facilitating and leading cross-functional working groups to collaboratively develop and implement strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment and fostering trust among departments and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Host a variety of social programming designed to create community and cultivate a sense of belonging for Black and African-identifying students. These programs include, but are not limited to welcome socials, monthly community-building activities.
• Lead all Black History Heritage month program design, roll-out, and collaboration, along with other culturally-focused programs as determined throughout the course of the year creating a sense of belonging.
• Responsible for hosting biannual graduate recognition programming for fall and spring graduates through the annual Spring Black/African Graduation Celebration, as well as a smaller fall program.
• Participate with CMEI leadership in the development, planning and evaluation of the department’s new Critical Discussion Series, a social justice-based topical event series featuring the “Critical Discussion on Race” fall program, as well as coordinating with other CMEI and university staff for integration of other programming into the series.
• Develop transitional programming and leverage existing campus positions and initiatives in support of transfer and incoming first year students including, but not limited to, orientation programming, mentorship programs, and other functions held during signature events such as Rowdy Rally and Ready, Set, ROWDY! Welcome month.
• Host periodic meet and greets with students, as well as support meetings for students needing advocacy and resource support
• In partnership with relevant units (Care Center, Academic Advising, etc..) develop an early alert system that uses data to identify students who may be at risk of attrition proactively to provide direct support-related services and programmatic functions from across the institution.
• Serve as a key member of the CMEI leadership team, contributing to the creation, development and implementation of the BSSI's/BASE’s vision and mission, ensuring alignment with CMEI and the University's overall goals.
• Supervise, support, develop, and evaluate 1 full-time staff member, while overseeing a shared team of student staff, interns, and graduate students.
• Convene campus and external partners to collaboratively design, deliver, and review comprehensive services that support Black student success, ensuring a holistic approach by leveraging expertise from various departments, division and community organizations to create integrated and robust programs tailored to meet the needs of Black-identifying students.
• Lead with a lens that centers on Black, African-American, and multiracial students, advocating for equity, inclusion, and social justice on campus.
• Lead the build out of mentoring and leadership development opportunities for Black/African-identifying students, including collaborations with student organizations and campus partners such as our Black Student Association, African Student Association, and others.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Director to manage the Brother-to-Brother program and assist in the leadership and program development of this initiative, collaborating with the professional and student staff.
• Act as a key advocate for Black/African American students, addressing their concerns both inside and outside of the classroom and liaising with faculty and staff in support of student concerns.
• Establish a network of faculty members across various departments who can serve as key connections for black-identifying students, fostering mentorship, academic support, and facilitating intentional conversations to promote student engagement and success
• Regularly collaborate with the MSU Denver Campus to Career Hub for identifying speakers, internships and opportunities to introduce and develop entrepreneurial experiences to our Black/African American identifying students
• Utilize student success and advising platforms (e.g.: Navigate360) to proactively track academic progress, identify students at risk of not being retained, as well as “off-path” to graduation, and implement timely interventions.
• Schedule meetings with students to provide advisement and support that strengthens their academic persistence.
• Actively participate in advising system discussions to advocate for the inclusion of culturally responsive advising practices to enhance the overall support structure for Black-identifying students
• Partner with external community leaders, organizations, and alumni to create support networks, programming and mentorship for Black/African-Identifying students.
• Partner with our Enrollment Management team, as well as various academic and concurrent enrollment programs to assist in raising awareness with local schools and community organizations about the BSSI/BASE initiatives and support at MSU Denver.
• Collaborate with departments, academic programs and colleges/schools on campus (e.g.: Africana Studies Program, Academic Advising, etc.) to provide, but not limited to, key points of engagement, support, and major/minor selection for students, as well as fostering an understanding of the unique challenges and needs of this population.
• Partner with university advancement to identify and secure funding through grants and partnerships to support the BSSI/BASE's initiatives.
• Responsible for regularly scheduled communications such as newsletters, marketing, and outreach to the Black and African Student community.
• Develop and manage the BSSI/BASE budget, in coordination with the Executive Director of Student Life and Belonging.
• Ensure proper allocation of resources to support programming and operations.
• Conduct ongoing assessment of BSSI/BASE initiatives to measure impact and effectiveness.
• Regularly analyze data to measure retention and graduation outcomes enduring a strategic, data driven approach to improving Black-identifying student success.
• Provide staff and event support for broader departments events and functions as needed.
• Other department and branch duties as needed.

Benefits

• 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 access to a long-term disability (LTD) plan.
• Visit MSU Denver’s benefits website to learn more.
• For a brief overview, please see: https://www.msudenver.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MSU-Benefit-Summary.pdf.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director