Director of Graduate Academic Achievement

Director of Graduate Academic Achievement, Dream Office (4502U) - Berkeley Public Health - 76338 About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles , Principles of Community , and Strategic Plan .

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

Departmental Overview

Berkeley Public Health (BPH) aims to improve population health, especially for the most vulnerable, through interdisciplinary collaborations, preeminent education, and transformational research. Established in 1943, BPH is a professional school on the UC Berkeley campus that comprises six academic divisions and nearly 30 research centers and programs. Our department's values include social justice, health as a right, challenging conventional thought, embracing diversity, and creating meaningful impact. We honor our principles of community by centering and valuing everyone in our community; prioritizing prevention while remaining grounded in social justice; promoting safety and respect; practicing self-care and kindness; and remaining optimistic, hopeful, and committed to change. Learn more at: publichealth.berkeley.edu.

Job Summary

The mission of the Dream Office is to foster a public health workforce with the skills of arc-bending, change-making, and social impact. The Dream Office does this by providing comprehensive support and services to prospective and currently enrolled Berkeley Public Health graduate students, many of whom are first-generation, under-resourced, and non-traditional student communities. Dream works to reduce barriers for students through various functions such as academic support, advising, mentoring, networking, outreach, and more.

The Director of Graduate Academic Achievement oversees and executes the Dream Office outreach and retention strategy. Primary responsibilities will be to manage the Berkeley Public Health food pantry and Berkeley Public Health basic needs emergency fund for all residential graduate students; facilitate year around co-curricular and personal development programming and group/cohort-based enrichment activities; provide comprehensive holistic retention counseling; assist in helping resolve specific student issues including keeping abreast of graduate student trends in higher education; and works with Berkeley Public Health partners to address student climate concerns, particularly for underrepresented students. The Director of Graduate Academic Achievement supervises a team of six student employees including three tutors, a retention assistant, a media assistant, and a summer seminar assistant. The Director of Graduate Academic Achievement reports to and is supervised by the Chief of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: February 27, 2025

Responsibilities
•  Establishes and implements specialized and complex co-curricular programs and projects year-round that are accessible to online, hybrid, and residential learners.
•  Develops curriculum for innovative academic and personal development seminars/courses that can be facilitated for online, hybrid, and residential learners.
•  Manages media and marketing communications targeting first-generation, under-resourced, and non-traditional graduate students, including Summer Seminar, Dream webpages, and Berkeley Public Health social media channels.
•  Collaborates with the Berkeley Public Health communications team to ensure compliance with accessibility and branding requirements.
•  Handles complex, comprehensive multicultural retention counseling for first-generation, under-resourced, and non-traditional graduate students.
•  Works collaboratively with Berkeley Public Health staff, faculty, administrators, alumni, and students to explore/research innovative approaches to meeting the needs of a diverse and changing student body.
•  Provides multicultural academic counseling, training, and guidance to staff, faculty, administrators, alumni, and students in Berkeley Public Health academic divisions.
•  Works closely with UC Berkeley departments such as the Basic Needs Center, Berkeley International Office, the Graduate Division, Undocumented Students Program, and Centers for Educational Equity and Community Engagement.
•  Triages students to respective resources.
•  Manages and directs all programs and services of the Dream Office.
•  Establishes and implements short- and long-term program goals for the matriculation, retention, and graduation of underrepresented students.
•  Evaluates and provides an annual report on the effectiveness of retention support and services, making recommendations to enhance graduation rates of first-generation, under-resourced, and non-traditional graduate students.
•  Tracks, monitors, and maintains several databases of all service contacts and interventions using the Berkeley Online Advising platform, partners, networks, and organizations.
•  Manages the program budget.
•  Manages and directs the Berkeley Public Health food pantry and Berkeley Public Health basic needs emergency fund.
•  Monitors and maintains the associated budget, spending, supplies, storage facilities, and disbursement schedule.
•  Works closely with the Berkeley Basic Needs Center, Berkeley Way West building management, and the Berkeley Public Health facilities team.
•  May require some travel to purchase food pantry resources.
•  Hires, trains, and supervises Dream student employees, including the Graduate Retention Assistant, Epidemiology Tutor, two Biostatistics tutors, media assistant, and summer seminar assistant.
•  Collaborates with the online Master of Public Health student-serving team to provide consistent tutoring resources across both residential and online programs.
•  Establishes and implements retention support and services unique to Blue Shield of California fellows by implementing and reporting on gift activities and objectives, such as the welcome reception, Summer Seminar, meetings with the full gift team, and the end-of-year ceremony.
•  Works with Berkeley Public Health leadership, division managers, and faculty to address student climate concerns related to first-generation, under-resourced, and non-traditional graduate student groups.
•  Works closely with Berkeley Public Health student-serving personnel to support efforts to improve the experience of under-resourced students, including staying informed on graduate student trends in higher education, particularly those affecting under-resourced students.
•  Participates in fundraising activities as requested by the development team and Chief of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging for donor meetings and/or grant development.
•  Prepares, documents, and reports data for fundraising efforts, and assists faculty by providing relevant information for their grant proposals or reports.
•  Represents Dream and supports all outreach and retention activities within Berkeley Public Health and those offered by the Office of Graduate Diversity, such as Fall Conference, New Student Orientation, and Spring Visit Day.
•  Delivers lectures, talks, and presentations, facilitates workshops, and frequently engages in public speaking.
•  Works closely with the Student Advising and Resource Group and RISE throughout the year.
•  Participates in workshops, training, and other professional development activities.
•  Performs other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
•  Demonstrated competencies and experience to anticipate students' needs for their academic and personal success.
•  Demonstrated competencies and advanced knowledge to foster a culture of care, alongside demonstrating professional and political acumen.
•  Knowledge and experience in working with under resourced, first generation and non-traditional graduate students including their related learning modalities (online, hybrid and residential).
•  Knowledge in the methodologies used to enhance student achievement, such as collaborative teaching / learning models, strategies for effective counseling and peer mentoring, small group facilitation and training, coaching, mentoring and advocacy.
•  Knowledge of and experience in conflict management and intervention strategies.
•  Experience in establishing and implementing short- and long-term program goals and objectives; demonstrated effectiveness in mediation and conflict resolution click apply for full job details