Academic Program Coordinator

Position OverviewThe Academic Program Coordinator for faculty engagement establishes, implements, and administers faculty development, mentorship, and recognition efforts under the umbrella of and in alignment with the Self Graduate Fellowship and Self Memorial Scholarship for the Self Graduate Programs department. This is a newly created position for the unit. The faculty engagement work supports recruitment, retention, and professional development training of the graduate student participants.

The Academic Program Coordinator serves as one of five full-time staff members with responsibility for implementing the Self Graduate Fellowship and Self Memorial Scholarship as specified by Gift Letters and a set of donor-driven Guidelines. This work is accomplished in collaboration with the Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs (the Managing Trustee), the Self Graduate Fellowship Board of Trustees, and Self Memorial Scholarship Advisory Board.

Department Overview

The Madison and Lila Self Graduate Programs department provides financial support and professional development opportunities for promising graduate student leaders at the University of Kansas. Madison and Lila Self were deeply motivated by the idea that developing and investing in young leaders was vital for a successful future. In 1989, the Self’s launched and permanently endowed the flagship program, the Self Graduate Fellowship. With the addition of a scholarship in 2014, the department now administers two distinct programs: the Self Graduate Fellowship (SGF) and the Self Memorial Scholarship (SMS). Both programs support graduate students at KU and follow the Self’s mission to “identify, recruit, and provide development opportunities for exceptional students who demonstrate the promise to make significant contributions to their fields of study and society as a whole.” Job Description50% Development and Mentorship

• Coordinate faculty engagement for Self Graduate Programs.
• Create and host SGF faculty mentor programming, workshops, and learning communities; research session topics and facilitators appropriate for the faculty audience.
• Develop a mentor training package in alignment with university priorities.
• Hold annual orientation and onboarding for new SGF faculty mentors.
• Coordinate with the Assistant Director in faculty mentor and Self Graduate Fellow joint programming.
• Develop, establish, and maintain a Faculty Fellow initiative with an annual project focus for Self Graduate Programs.
• Draft and maintain a faculty mentor agreement that is signed annually for SGF.
• Write and build strategic timeline for SGF faculty mentor communications.
• Visit departmental faculty meetings to promote the Self Graduate Programs and engage with faculty.
• Meet with new to KU faculty from 22 SGF eligible fields to establish an initial connection and future faculty mentor pipeline.
• Connect with Chairs and Directors of Graduate Studies from the departments with Self Memorial Scholars each academic year.
• Pilot a peer faculty mentor program, in collaboration with the Office of Faculty Affairs.
• Serve as staff liaison to the Office of Faculty Affairs, Office of Research, and Center for Teaching Excellence.
  
  

40% Recognition and Administration

• Develop and establish faculty awards that align with donor guidelines; oversee a SGF faculty mentor award, contributing faculty member award, and KU faculty achievement award; implement nomination process, review committee, award ceremony during the SGF Symposium, and financial distribution; maintain record of awards.
• Evaluate and initiate additional faculty recognition efforts.
• In support of recruitment, help connect prospective fellows to KU faculty based on indicated research interests; create a database of research interests expressed by prospective students.
• Maintain record of SGF faculty mentors and Self Graduate Fellows.
• Spotlight SGF faculty mentors on Self Graduate Programs social media platforms.
• Maintain record of research areas sought by prospective students who declined KU admission. Work with KU stakeholders to identify these research gaps/opportunities.
• Maintain record of faculty involvement across unit, including payment and role.
• Support faculty communication and process templates for faculty in SGF nomination and selection processes.
• Support Assistant Director with faculty logistics in SGF Fellow Development Programs and SMS Scholar Development Programs, including researching faculty content and expertise.
• Support Director with SGF Board of Trustees and SMS Advisory Board faculty terms.
  
  

10% Joint Activities

• Joint activities for all staff include the following: support current fellows and scholars; work and attend all fellow and scholar development programs and alumni events; promote the SGF and SMS; communicate with KU stakeholders; participate in meetings of the SGF Board of Trustees and SMS Advisory Board; and follow the donor-driven Guidelines and Gift Letters.
• Assume related responsibilities as designated by the Director of Self Graduate Programs.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED equivalency and five (5) years of related experience OR Bachelor’s degree plus one (1) years related experience.
• One (1) year experience working with faculty, students, and staff in a higher education setting as evidenced by application materials.
• Experience in program planning, development, implementation, and evaluation in a higher education setting as evidenced in application materials.
• Strong written communication skills demonstrated by application materials.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in related field.
• Three (3) years of related work experience.
• Experience working with graduate students in a higher education setting as evidenced in application materials.
• Experience working with academic departments as evidenced in application materials.
• Experience that required being innovative and/or establishing something new as evidenced by application materials.
• Experience with award processes as evidenced in application materials.
• Experience with budget management, especially Endowment funds as evidenced in application materials.
• Experience with higher education policies, including state and Endowment policies as shown in application materials.
• Experience at the University of Kansas as shown in application materials.
• Experience using Canva, InDesign, Illustrator, LinkedIn, social media platforms, and/or Qualtrics as evidenced in application materials.
  
  

Additional Candidate InstructionsIn addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

• Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
• Resume.
• List of three (3) professional references.
  
  

Only complete applications will be considered.

Application review begins Monday, March 30, 2026 and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants is identified.Contact Information to ApplicantsStefani Buchwitz

Director, Self Graduate Programs

buchwitz@ku.eduApplication Review BeginsMonday March 30, 2026Anticipated Start DateSunday April 26, 2026Apply to Job