Assistant Director of International Student Services

Maryville College Staff Position Description

Position Title: Assistant Director of International Student Services

Department: Center of Global Engagement

Title of Immediate Supervisor: Interim Director of Global Engagement

Expected Daily Work Hours: 40

Expected Weekly Work Schedule: 8:00a – 5:00p; Monday – Friday (occasional evening or weekend commitments may be required to support student programs and events.)

Pay Range: $42,366 - $50,840

About Maryville College

Maryville College is a nationally ranked institution of higher learning and one of America’s oldest colleges. For more than 200 years, we’ve educated students to be giving citizens and gifted leaders to study everything so that they are prepared for anything. Our graduates are equipped to address complex problems, engage with diverse communities, and launch meaningful careers.

Nestled in Maryville, Tennessee, between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the city of Knoxville, our campus combines the beauty of a rural setting with the advantages of an urban center. With a wide range of academic programs and a strong tradition of career preparation, our alumni live “strong of mind and brave of heart,” carrying forward our Presbyterian founder’s charge to do good on the largest possible scale.

Mission

As an employer, Maryville College offers more than a mission - it offers support. Our employees receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, a generous paid time off program, a retirement plan with an employer match of up to 5%, and the opportunity to grow in a collaborative community that values both professional excellence and personal well-being.

“Maryville College prepares students for lives of citizenship and leadership as we challenge each one to search for truth, grow in wisdom, work for justice and dedicate a life of creativity and service to the peoples of the world.”

Values

• Scholarship: We commit ourselves to lifelong curiosity and learning, to the search for knowledge, and to intellectual creativity.
• Respect: We commit ourselves to honor the worth, dignity, and freedom of ourselves and all creation, and to treat others as we wish to be treated.
• Integrity: We commit ourselves to truth, honesty, dependability, and responsibility in all our actions and relationships.
  
  

Summary

The Assistant Director of International Student Services will lead the Center for Global Engagement in its initiatives to maintain compliance with visa regulations, provide high-quality advising, programming and service to students, and support long-term strategies for retention of international students. The Assistant Director of International Student Services provides leadership and oversight for all aspects of international student support at Maryville College. This role is responsible for ensuring compliance with federal regulations governing F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrant programs and serves as the institution’s Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and Responsible Officer (RO) for the Exchange Visitor Program.

Education and Experience required to ensure success in this position:

Education Required To Ensure Success In This Position

• Master's degree in an appropriate area of specialization; or bachelor's degree in an appropriate area of specialization and two years of appropriate experience.
  
  

Experience Required To Ensure Success In This Position

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Prior significant intercultural experience or experience traveling, studying or working abroad.
• 8 C.F.R. 214.3(1)(i): must be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident per USCIS requirements. Knowledge of the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) guidelines relative to student Visa requirements and experience with the SEVIS program preferred.
• Experience in or familiarity with higher education in the private, liberal arts college setting is preferred.
  
  

Language Skills

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
• Competency in a second language is preferred.
  
  

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
  
  

Computer Skills

• Basic knowledge of computers required.
• Previous experience with MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) products.
• Capacity and willingness to learn enrollment software utilized by the College (currently Slate)
• Ability and willingness to learn office specific software applications
• Strong competency with social media, graphic design and email marketing tools. (including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Canva, Mailchimp,& Publisher)
  
  

Essential Functions

Leadership and Collaboration:

• Assesses the needs of the international student community on campus and works, and develops appropriate services, programs, and interventions, as necessary.
• Supervises student workers and student organizations connected to the Center for Global Engagement.
  
  

Data, Technology, And Compliance

• Immigration:
• Serves as the PDSO (primary designated school official) and RO for visitor exchange program.
• Oversee SEVIS reporting, DHS recertification, and Department of State re-designation processes to maintain institutional certification and program authorization.
• Ensures that all international students are in a valid immigration status and are pursuing their academic and professional objectives in compliance with federal immigration regulations.
• Maintains current and up-to date knowledge of immigration laws, regulations, and policies.
• Issues I-20’s for International Student Admissions.
  

Stakeholder And Institutional Support

• Advising:
• Builds strong, supportive relationships between the Center for Global Engagement and international students.
• Advise international students and exchange visitors on immigration regulations, visa compliance, employment options, and cultural adjustment.
• Assists international students with their adjustment and integration into the Maryville College community.
• Advises on immigration, social, personal, financial, cultural, employment, health and educational concerns.
• Responsible for on/off campus work authorization, including social security authorization and work-related forms.
• Responsible for communicating, alongside the onboarding student, with on-campus work supervisors to support students in the on-campus work authorization process.
• Responsible for maintaining and improving advising systems to include automated processing/other processes to facilitate efficient student advising and ensure we are in keeping with best practices.
• Connects international students to the vital and relevant resources needed to thrive at Maryville College. (e.g. banking, driver’s license, insurance, taxes, & medical care).
• Supervisors one student worker who aids International Student Services outreach, program planning, logistic capacity, and GCO support on campus.
  

Operations And Technical Oversight

• Global Engagement & International Student Retention:
• Contributes meaningfully to the development, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive and intentional programming targeted at enhancing the international student experience. (such services may include, but are not limited to, orientation, workshops to promote learning/study skills, acculturation, academic and career planning advising, intercultural educational events/activities, host family, mentoring and scholarship programs, etc.)
• Develop and implement programs, workshops, and services that promote international student success, retention, and integration into campus and community life.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, and administrators to support institutional initiatives related to intercultural learning, global engagement, and student support services.
• Designs and supports international student cultural learning programs.
• Lead international student orientation programming, to include cultural programming, immigration information sessions, and other needed sessions.
• Work with the International Admissions/Recruitment counselor to communicate with new and incoming students to ensure a successful transition from new admit to first year student.
• Builds, strengthens, and retains a community of international students on campus.
• Sustains and strengthens the Global Connections Host Family program implemented to support international student retention, including semester long communications and event programming for the global connections community, as well as outreach for new host families.
• Manages iMentors in the iMentor program, dedicated to matching first year international students to current students at Maryville to help support their transition into campus life.
• Creates programming that promotes learning about U.S. American and East Tennessee culture.
• Supports the integration of international students into the campus and community.
• Contributes to the achievement of educational goals of the College related to intercultural understanding/global competency for all Maryville College students. Offer a wide range of social, cultural, and educational events throughout the academic year that provide opportunities for cross-cultural exchange. (Including, but not limited to International Education Month)
• Coordinates evening & weekend social, cultural and event programming, promotion, and publicity for international students, including events sponsored by the Global Citizenship Organization (GCO). Acts as a GCO advisor.
  

Fiscal Oversight

• Financial Reporting:
• Responsible for tracking spending in coordination with the International Education Advisor, Administrative Assistant, and the Director to ensure all spending is accounted for and funds are used appropriately.
• Oversees financial tracking for GCO (the Global Citizenship Organization) and supports the GCO treasurer with their duties.
  

Strategic Planning And Sustainability

• Assessment:
• In addition to above engagement focus, collects, reviews and reports data pertaining to assessment and retention, including Open Doors, programming surveys and overall retention of international students.
• International Student Advocacy:
• Represent and advocate for the needs of international students across campus on committees and other leadership opportunities to ensure students’ needs and well-being are being protected across campus.
• Identify gaps throughout the university where international students’ needs and priorities are not being met and seek to rectify those gaps.
• Create connections and opportunities for community, staff, and faculty members to support international student needs (virtually or in-person).
• Establishes connections and partnerships with the local community, state and federal agencies that provide services to foreign students and works cooperatively with them to develop effective working relationships.
• Professional Development:
• Participates in at least one local, regional, or national conference per academic year.
• Dedicates 10-15% of time each week to professional development opportunities (ex. Online courses, in-person courses, training and certificate programs, etc.) that can be used to inform their work and better the Maryville College campus and international student support environment.
• When interested and qualified, pursues adjunct teaching opportunities at the school for coursework supporting International Students (ex. International Student Transitions Class, Area Studies courses, cultural adjustment, and/or beginner English language learning courses)
• Communications/Marketing:
• Leads communication initiatives to current international students.
• Manages the MC Global Scots WhatsApp group to communicate and post important updates, events, and remind students of deadlines and changes promptly.
• Oversees and monitors the GCO GroupMe chat, deleting spam and allowing new GCO members to join the channel.
• Competency/general familiarity with Canva in order to make marketing and communications materials.
• Works with the Director or International Admissions/Recruitment Advisor to act as a secondary contact (when needed) to respond to International Student Inquiries.
• Monitors the maryville international inbox, responds when able, and directs communications (such as international admissions) to the interim director when needed.
• Ensure institutional policies and practices remain up-to-date and aligned with federal requirements and best practices in international education.
  

Other Duties As Assigned

• Perform other duties as assigned within the scope of the role.
• Regular on-campus attendance is required.
• Ability to work well with others.
  
  

NOTE: Other roles/duties will be assigned as necessary to assist the College in the attainment of the goals set forth and the enhancement of a positive, respectful learning environment for all staff, faculty, and students.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and communicate effectively with people from diverse cultural backgrounds
• Demonstrated attention to detail and time management skills.
• Knowledge or ability to quickly learn College-specific programs, offices and functions.
• Ability to work efficiently, with limited supervision
• Strong presentation skills
• Must demonstrate competence to work in a team environment to attain departmental goals and deadlines. Experience working collaboratively with others and/or departments
• Ability to travel domestically; ability to work weekends and/or holidays; ability to work overtime when needed.
• Ability to multi-task and balance competing priorities
  

Mathematical Skills

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
  
  

License, Certification, Or Registration Necessary

• 8 C.F.R. 214.3(1)(i): Must be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident per USCIS requirements to become a Designated School Official.
  
  

Work Environment And Physical Requirements

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works in outside weather conditions.
• The worker is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions (such as typical in office or administrative work.)
• The noise level in the work environment is usually low.
• Light work. Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work.
• Occasional Medium work. Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally
  
  

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds without assistance. The work is primarily light work.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
  
  

Ability To Operate The Following Vehicles Or Equipment

• Able to be certified to drive a College 15-passenger vehicle. (must have a valid driver’s license and clean driving record)
  
  

Other

• Perform other responsibilities and special projects as assigned to advance the College’s mission and maintain a respectful, collaborative learning environment.