Executive Director of First-Year Studies and Experiences 

Position Summary:

Mary Baldwin University seeks an Executive Director of First-Year Studies and Experiences to lead an integrated, institution-wide student success initiatives spanning the undergraduate experience, from entry through degree completion.  This is a full-time, 12-month staff position (Faculty rank retained, if applicable).  

Reporting to the VP for Academic Affairs, this role serves as the university’s central leader for the first-year studies and experiences, ensuring that all incoming students encounter a coherent, equitable, and intentionally designed transition into the university. In parallel, the Executive Director will also serve as a leading contributor to the Advising Redesign Initiative, helping to guide a comprehensive transformation of advising structures, policies, and practices to better support students in achieving their academic and professional goals.

Together, these responsibilities position the Executive Director as a key architect of Mary Baldwin’s Legacy commitment, advancing retention, belonging, and equitable outcomes through aligned academic, advising, and co-curricular experiences.

Institutional Context

This position responds to findings from the Gardner Institute’s Foundations of Excellence (FOE) and the university’s participation in the Advising Redesign Initiative, both of which identified opportunities to strengthen coordination, clarity, and equity in student support.

Key institutional priorities include:

• Establishing a cohesive and clearly articulated first-year experience 
• Aligning curricular and co-curricular first year learning goals 
• Strengthening advising as a teaching and learning process 
• Improving retention, belonging, and student success outcomes across all populations 

The Executive Director will lead efforts to address these priorities through integrated program design, cross-campus collaboration, and data-informed decision-making.

Primary Responsibilities:

First-Year Experience Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for all first-year academic and co-curricular programming, ensuring alignment, consistency, and a high-quality student experience.
• Partner with academic and student engagement leaders to integrate belonging, engagement, and academic success into the first-year experience
• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the First-Year Experience (FYE) and Academic Neighborhoods model 
• Convene and chair the First-Year Council to coordinate cross-divisional efforts 
• Establish and operationalize a university-wide philosophy and learning goals for the first year 
• Oversee MBU 101 course structure, delivery, and alignment with institutional priorities 

Program Development and Student Transitions

• Design and implement programs that support student transition, engagement, and success from recruitment through the end of the first year.
• Provide support for onboarding, orientation alignment, and summer transition initiatives 
• Support the development of peer advising and mentoring structures within Academic Neighborhoods 
• Coordinate co-curricular programming, including signature events and Neighborhood experiences 
• Support inclusive programming for commuter, online, and diverse student populations 
• Partner with Enrollment Management and Student Engagement to align communications and student experience

Advising Redesign

• Serve as a lead contributor of the institution-wide advising transformation in partnership with campus leadership.
• Co-lead a subcommittee for the Gardner Institute Advising Redesign process, through the planning, assessment, and implementation phases 
• Facilitate committee meetings to evaluate advising practices and develop recommendations 
• Align advising redesign efforts with first-year experience programming and institutional strategy 
• Support the development of advising as a teaching and learning practice across the institution

Assessment and Data-Informed Practice

• Advance a culture of evidence-based decision-making to improve student outcomes.
• Partner with Institutional Effectiveness to develop dashboards tracking retention, DFW rates, and student engagement 
• Establish baseline metrics and monitor progress across student populations 
• Lead assessment of first-year learning goals and program effectiveness 
• Coordinate early alert systems and cross-campus intervention strategies

Faculty and Staff Development

• Support faculty and staff in delivering high-quality first-year and advising experiences.
• Collaborate with the Center for Teaching & Learning to provide professional development on first-year pedagogy and advising 
• Recruit, train, and support Neighborhood Leaders and faculty advisors 
• Promote culturally responsive and equity-centered advising practices 
• Develop recognition and support structures for faculty engaged in first-year teaching and mentoring

Equity and Student Success

• Ensure all programs are designed to support equitable access and outcomes for all students.
• Embed equity and inclusion into all aspects of the first-year experience 
• Monitor and address gaps in retention, belonging, and academic success 
• Partner with campus leaders to support diverse student populations, including first-generation, commuter, online, and underrepresented students

Qualifications: 

Required

• Master’s degree in higher education, a related field, or discipline-specific area 
• 5–7 years of progressive experience in student success, teaching, advising, or first-year programming 
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional initiatives 
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills 
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and student-centered practice

Preferred

• Doctoral degree 
• Familiarity with Gardner Institute frameworks 
• Experience with first-year seminars, advising redesign, or institutional assessment 
• Experience in faculty development or academic leadership

Key Performance Indicators:

• Success in this role will be measured by progress in the following areas:
• Implementation of a unified First-Year Experience framework and learning goals 
• Establishment of coordinated governance structures (e.g., First-Year Council) 
• Development of data systems to track student success and equity outcomes 
• Measurable improvements in retention, belonging, and academic performance 
• Successful advancement of Advising Redesign milestones and institutional alignment 
• Increased faculty and staff engagement in first-year experiences, Neighborhoods, and advising initiatives

To Apply:

Interested candidates may apply by sending a cover letter and resume to Dr. Paul Deeble, VP for Academic Affairs, at pdeeble@marybaldwin.edu. 

#LI-DNI