Career Specialist for Science and Health/Co-Chair for Pre-Health Advising

SUMMARY:

The Aspire Program is a comprehensive 4-year career development program that integrates entrepreneurship, creativity, and leadership to prepare students for the careers of today and of the future. The Aspire Center is the hub of activity for The Aspire Program with a scope of work that extends well beyond the work of a traditional career center. Carthage's location in the Milwaukee to Chicago corridor provides students access to a wide range of experiential learning and post-graduate opportunities, and its unique J-term and off-campus study programs provide global options to expand students' perspectives on the world.

Each Career Specialist in The Aspire Center is an integrated member of the campus holistic advising team/model, working with faculty, student success advisors, and other colleagues, to provide added support to students in order to support their success during and after Carthage. This specialist will serve as a liaison to a set of academic departments, including the following: Athletic Training, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Exercise and Sport Science, Neuroscience, Nursing, Physics and Astronomy; collaborate, as needed, with other related departments.

Every student is assigned to a Career Specialist based upon a combination of career interests and areas of study, so there are opportunities to support students more effectively for their specific interests, which might not perfectly align with their major.

Last year, the College began implementing a revised model for supporting health/pre-health students as a custom path within The Aspire Program, which positions a faculty member and Aspire Career Specialist as co-chairs and facilitators of a broader network of faculty/staff, students, and other partners committed to providing holistic support to students through their journey toward admittance into graduate/professional school and success in science and health care careers in alignment with the Aspire 4-year plan.

Beyond health/pre-health, faculty actively guide and mentor students across the sciences, so the Career Specialist will work closely with many science faculty to develop initiatives that extend the support for students and align existing and new efforts more closely with The Aspire Program and students' My Aspire Plans (MAPs). MAP, powered by technology provided by Suitable, is Carthage's primary tool for helping students to engage in micro-learning experiences and to develop a developmental ePortfolio containing their personal and professional development activities.

The Science and Health Career Specialist/Co-Chair for Pre-Health Advising needs to be a proactive collaborator and consensus-focused leader, who is skilled at leading and listening to stakeholders to develop experiences that support students' engagement in The Aspire Program and students' successful preparation for life after graduation.

In order to successfully satisfy the goals of the role, the Science and Health Career Specialist will engage in activities like the following:

• Organize contributors, gather feedback, and co-lead the pre-health advising team, establishing and reinforcing the structures, programs, and on-going professional development for students and contributors to provide a unified, satisfying experience for students and contributors.
• Collaborate with partners/contributors (ex. faculty, alumni, employers, graduate/professional school representatives) to plan formal and informal learning opportunities aligned with The Aspire Program competencies to help students design and fulfill expectations for their My Aspire Plans (MAPs). Contribute to relationship development and donor stewardship activities; support and promote individual and group experiences to help students build necessary skills/networks for success, which may include assisting with job shadowing, networking/mentoring events, site visits, and professional skill-building workshops.
• Advise students (individually and in small groups) on the full range of career development tasks such as recognizing personal capabilities; defining career plans; understanding expectations for their field(s) of interest; networking with mentors, graduate/professional school representatives, and employers; obtaining experiential learning, and securing post-graduate opportunities consistent with their personal and professional development goals.
• Identify, use, and develop resources to support students' competency development; utilize internal and external resources and Carthage subscription services (such as Jobscan, PathwayU, Handshake, and others).
• Promote The Aspire Program and Carthage College to prospective and current students, as well as other key audiences.
• Participate in data collection and assessment efforts in alignment with departmental- and campus-wide goals and measures. Coordinate and contribute to data collection and assessment specific to understanding progress and outcomes for science and health/pre-health students.
• Career Specialists often teach as part of their normal responsibilities; the most common courses are a College Success Seminar for new students or an Aspire-related course.
• Complete other duties as assigned or as opportunities emerge.

EDUCATIONS REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduate degree preferred; bachelor's degree required.
• All areas of study are invited to apply.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong appreciation for science and/or healthcare.
• Enjoy creating new programs/initiatives by working both independently and with others as part of a team; ability to build consensus with experienced colleagues.
• Ability to work effectively within a culturally diverse community of students/alumni, faculty, and staff along with external stakeholders from a variety of industries.
• Experience in advising, teaching, or counseling; experience with high school or college-aged students or other related experience preferred.
• Skilled with using technology required for the role, such as Google Workspace/GSuite, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, social media (such as LinkedIn and Instagram), and similar productivity, reporting and communication tools.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills across mediums with attentiveness to detail, tone, audience, etc.
• Candidate must be able to work with some interruptions and be able to prioritize immediate and longer term work; experience planning multiple events or initiatives at the same time.
• Available to work some evenings and weekends; valid driver's license and willingness to travel (primarily in Kenosha, Racine, Milwaukee, and Chicagoland area).

REQUIRED MINDSETS FOR SUCCESS:

• Commitment to improving equity and inclusion.
• Optimistic and team-oriented; able to keep team goals in mind, even when working independently.
• Works well with ambiguity and is able to make decisions without always having all of the information.
• Thinks strategically and is able to prioritize.
• Adaptable and able to handle unforeseen events/requests with ease and cheerfulness.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Please submit a cover letter and resume/CV online. Materials can be addressed to:

Ms. Lisa Hinkley

Associate Vice President for Career & Professional Development

Carthage College

2001 Alford Park Drive

Kenosha, WI 53140

All candidate applications for the Science and Health Career Specialist/Pre-Health Advising Co-Chair must be submitted through the official application portal for Carthage College. Review of applications will continue until a successful candidate is found. Applications from traditionally under-represented groups are actively encouraged. Any correspondence related to this search should be directed to aspiresearch@carthage.edu.

Institutional Information

Founded in 1847, Carthage College combines an environment of reflection and self-discovery with a culture of high expectation, so that our students uncover and ignite their true potential. As a four-year private liberal arts college with roots in the Lutheran tradition, we place a strong emphasis on both moral and intellectual values. Our prime location in Kenosha, Wisconsin, midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, allows students the opportunity to learn in a professional context. Our beautiful campus, an 80-acre arboretum on the shore of Lake Michigan is home to 150 scholars, 2,600 full-time students, and 400 part-time students. Our rich academic experience equips students with foundational knowledge and skills, preparing graduates to be lifelong learners and to lead meaningful, productive lives.

Carthage College is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse community. We welcome applications from a broad spectrum of people, including members of ethnic minorities, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status or status as an individual with a disability.