Director of Experiential Learning

Morningside University is accepting applications for the position of Director of Experiential Learning. The Director of Experiential Learning provides leadership, coordination, and strategic support for employer-engaged learning opportunities within professionally-focused programs such as Agriculture, Aviation, Business, and Computer Science. The Director develops and maintains relationships with employers, industry leaders, alumni, and community partners to create meaningful experiential learning opportunities that enhance student success, career readiness, and workforce development.

The Director serves as the primary liaison between the University and employer partners and works collaboratively with faculty, staff, Career Services, Admissions, and Advancement to ensure that internships, externships, job shadowing experiences, undergraduate research opportunities, industry projects, and employment pathways align with academic programs and institutional goals.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Employer Partnership Development

• Develop and implement employer engagement strategies that support professionally focused programs such as Agriculture, Aviation, Business, and Computer Science.

• Identify, cultivate, and maintain relationships with local, regional, and national employers, industry organizations, alumni, and community partners.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for employer relations within the assigned academic units.

• Expand employer participation in internships, externships, job shadowing, mentorships, applied learning projects, undergraduate research opportunities, and graduate employment pathways.

• Coordinate employer visits, networking events, industry advisory board engagement, guest speakers, and site visits.

Experiential Learning Coordination

• Coordinate internship, externship, job shadowing, and other experiential learning opportunities for students.

• Assist students in preparing for, securing, and successfully completing experiential learning experiences.

• Collaborate with faculty to ensure experiential learning opportunities align with program outcomes and accreditation requirements where applicable.

• Support the development, implementation, and assessment of experiential learning experiences across multiple disciplines.

• Coordinate communication among students, faculty supervisors, and employer partners throughout experiential learning placements.

Student Career and Professional Development

• Collaborate with Career Services and faculty to support student career readiness initiatives.

• Assist students in connecting classroom learning to career pathways through experiential learning opportunities.

• Support student participation in employer engagement events, networking activities, career fairs, and professional development programs.

• Promote experiential learning opportunities to prospective and current students.

Recruitment and External Relations

• Collaborate with Admissions and academic leadership to communicate the value of experiential learning opportunities to prospective students and families.

• Represent the University at industry events, professional meetings, recruitment functions, and community outreach activities.

• Assist academic programs in building partnerships that support enrollment growth and student success.

Assessment, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement

• Collect, analyze, and report data related to internships, externships, employer engagement, student participation, and employment outcomes.

• Administer employer and student satisfaction surveys and utilize results for continuous improvement.

• Prepare annual reports and recommendations related to experiential learning effectiveness and workforce engagement.

• Assist academic leadership with institutional effectiveness initiatives and strategic planning.

University Service

• Collaborate with faculty, staff, Career Services, Admissions, Advancement, and other campus partners to advance institutional goals.

• Participate in university committees, meetings, and professional development activities as assigned.

• Work with Admissions, faculty, and staff to attract and retain students at Morningside University.

• Work to increase awareness and advance the reputation of Morningside University's academic programs.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in business, education, agriculture, aviation, communications, human resources, higher education administration, organizational leadership, computer sciences, or a related discipline.

• Demonstrate the ability to work independently and collaboratively as a member of a team with minimal supervision.

• Communicate effectively through strong written and oral communication skills.

• Demonstrate strong organizational, interpersonal, and time-management skills.

• Manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines.

• Build productive relationships with students, faculty, staff, alumni, employers, and community stakeholders.

• Able to utilize data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement

• Possess a valid driver's license and the ability to travel as required.

• Demonstrate willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in business, education, agriculture, aviation, communications, human resources, higher education administration, organizational leadership, computer sciences, or a related discipline.

• Possess three or more years of professional experience in employer relations, career services, workforce development, recruitment, sales, business development, higher education, or a related field.

• Demonstrate experience in sales, business development, employer engagement, relationship management, or stakeholder development.

• Ability to develop and maintain partnerships with employers, industry organizations, alumni, and community stakeholders.

• Coordinate internships, externships, experiential learning programs, workforce development initiatives, or career-related programming.

• Demonstrate experience working in higher education, career services, talent acquisition, economic development, or a related field.

Review of applications for the position will begin immediately and will continue until filled. Successful completion of background check verification is required. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, sex, religion, creed, race, color, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, national origin, or other characteristics protected by state and federal law. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact the Associate Vice President of Human Resources at welp@morningside.edu.

Please submit a cover letter, resume and three references electronically to employment@morningside.edu

Please see information below regarding Morningside University and each School.

About the School of Agriculture & Aviation

The School of Agriculture & Aviation has experienced significant growth in recent years and offers majors in Applied Agriculture & Food Studies, Agribusiness, Agricultural Education, Professional Flight, and Aviation Management, along with specialized programs and minors in Agribusiness, Animal Science, Agronomy, Agricultural Communications, Food Safety, Environmental Policy & Law, and Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (Drone Technology). The School maintains a 99% placement rate for graduates and provides students with extensive experiential learning opportunities through internships, externships, undergraduate research, flight training, student-managed enterprises, and industry partnerships. As part of the curriculum, every Agriculture student completes a required experiential learning experience through an extended externship, internship, undergraduate research project, or other approved applied learning opportunity that connects classroom learning with professional practice. This longstanding commitment to experiential learning has served as a model for expanding employer-engaged learning opportunities across other academic programs at Morningside University.

About the School of Business

The School of Business has grown more than 60% in the past several years and offers majors in Business Administration, Finance, Management, Marketing, Managerial Accounting, and Public Accounting. The School maintains a 99% placement rate for graduates and is experiencing growth across all of its majors. The School is anticipating groundbreaking for a new state-of-the-art School of Business building in 2026. The School of Business also offers an innovative, rapidly growing online MBA program with specializations in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Business Analytics, Finance, and Healthcare Administration. The School is staffed by 10 faculty members, most of whom bring extensive private- and public-sector experience to the classroom. The School also serves as a local and regional resource to business organizations.

About Morningside University

Morningside University is a private university located in Sioux City, Iowa, serving more than 2,000 students from nearly all 50 states and more than 30 countries. Established in 1894 by The United Methodist Church, Morningside continues to maintain its historic affiliation with the Church while preparing students for lifelong personal and professional success. Chad Benson serves as President of the University.

The University's main campus encompasses 69 acres in a scenic, park-like setting in the heart of Iowa's fourth-largest city. Additional educational facilities include Lags Farm and Sioux Gateway Airport, which serve as experiential learning extensions of the School of Agriculture & Aviation.

The School of Business and Department of Computer Sciences maintain strong partnerships with regional, national, and global employers, providing students with extensive opportunities for internships, applied learning, undergraduate research, and career placement.

Morningside's largest undergraduate programs include education, nursing, and business. In addition, the Sharon Walker School of Education, Nylen School of Nursing, and School of Business offer well-established online undergraduate completion, graduate, and post-baccalaureate programs that serve traditional, nontraditional, and professional learners.

A strong commitment to experiential learning, personalized instruction, and career preparation has enabled Morningside University to maintain an exceptional 99% placement rate in employment or graduate school for undergraduate graduates over the past decade.

Morningside University is home to the Mustangs Athletic Department, which sponsors 28 varsity sports and proudly competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC). Students may also participate in more than 50 student-led clubs and organizations or engage in music, theatre, and artistic opportunities through the School of Visual and Performing Arts regardless of their academic major.

Morningside University's commitment to experiential learning, employer engagement, and career readiness creates a unique opportunity for the Director of Experiential Learning to help students connect academic preparation with meaningful professional experiences.

Learn more about Morningside University at morningside.edu.