Coordinator, Community Belonging

The Community Belonging Coordinator reports to the Director for Community Belonging and plays a vital role in advancing Austin Peay State University’s commitment to fostering a campus environment where every student feels connected, supported, and positioned for success. This role contributes to a comprehensive, student-centered strategy that strengthens students’ sense of belonging, engagement, and academic achievement
Characteristics of a successful candidate:
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Demonstrates kindness, integrity, empathy, and sound judgment.
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Brings creativity and initiative to program development
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Motivation to create a caring and safe student experience.
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Ability to serve with agility; important to lead, listen, and serve with empathy.
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A commitment to practicing open communication and inspiring trust.
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Desire to collaborate with colleagues.
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Demonstrated sincere enjoyment from working with students.
Key Focus Areas of the Role
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Strengthening student sense of belonging and connection.
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Enhancing academic belonging through collaboration and partnership with preexisting services.
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Creating integrated co-curricular experiences that support creating a campus that celebrates its uniqueness and student populations.
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Building campus partnerships that support student belonging to the APSU campus community.
Responsibilities include:
Community Building and Engagement
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Develop and coordinate programs and initiatives that strengthen students’ sense of
belonging and connection to the university.
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Plan and implement campus events that foster engagement, community, and shared experiences.
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Create opportunities for peer connection, student involvement, and meaningful participation in campus life.
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Advise and support student organizations that contribute to campus engagement and belonging.
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Partner with campus departments to deliver collaborative programs that enhance student experience.
Academic Belonging and Student Success
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Design and implement initiatives that support students’ academic engagement,
persistence, and success.
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Collaborate with academic affairs, advising, and student support services to connect students with resources that promote achievement.
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Support programs that reinforce the connection between student engagement and academic outcomes.
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Utilize data and assessment to identify trends, inform strategies, and improve student success initiatives.
Department and Division
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Maintain open communications with the Director for Community Belonging to share information and engage in issue-spotting and creative problem-solving to benefit the University community.
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Work with the Director to coordinate the management of resources of the Center.
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Under the direction of the Director, assist in the coordination and stewardship of departmental resources and budgets in alignment with university policies.
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Collaborate with campus and community partners to expand opportunities and support for students.
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Prepare reports and contribute to assessment efforts that demonstrate program effectiveness and student impact.
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Stay informed and educate the University community and stakeholders as needed regarding issues, trends, and regulations impacting student belongingness.
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Engage in ongoing professional development and remain informed of emerging trends in student engagement and success.
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Other duties as assigned.
Required Skills and Qualifications:
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Bachelor’s degree and related experience.
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Knowledge of best practices to support students in the university setting
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Demonstrated ability to develop and implement student programs and initiatives.
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Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
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Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
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Experience using data to inform decision-making and program improvement.
Preferred Skills and Qualifications:
Complementing the required skills and qualifications:
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Master's degree, and at least 2 years of related experience as a full-time professional or graduate assistant.
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Experience supporting student engagement, retention, or success initiatives.
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Demonstrated ability to lead collaborative efforts across departments.
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Excellent presentation skills.
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Excellent writing skills.
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Experience with leading special initiatives, programs, and strategic planning.
Physical Requirements:
-Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.