| Job Description: |
The Graduate Program Coordinator supervises and mentors graduate students during their 12-month residency at North Cascades Institute. The Coordinator teams with Institute staff and University faculty to advise and counsel graduate students throughout their program, assuring integration of the experiential and academic elements of their learning. A core function of the Coordinator is evaluation of the students' progress in the various skills being developed through practice during the residency, and working with them on areas needing improvement. Direct instruction of graduate students in the areas of the Coordinator's expertise is also expected. The Coordinator is an active member of the Institute's Program Team and regularly participates in Institute education programs that involve graduate students (adult, youth, family and day programs).
The Graduate Coordinator is based at North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, located on Diablo Lake in North Cascades National Park, WA. Some of the Coordinator's time will be spent at the Institute's administrative office in Sedro-Woolley, with occasional travel within the region. The towns nearest to the Learning Center are Newhalem, Marblemount and Rockport.
Graduate Program Description
The graduate program is a partnership between North Cascades Institute and Western Washington University that blends leadership and nonprofit administration, curriculum development and instruction, natural and cultural history, and residential program operations. Students earn a Master of Education in Environmental Education from Western Washington University and Certification in Leadership and Nonprofit Administration from North Cascades Institute. This unique seven-quarter experience integrates hands-on teaching experiences with all ages, nonprofit leadership and management, running a wilderness learning center, and outdoor explorations with rigorous academic studies. We equip future leaders with skills and experiences as environmental educators, naturalists, interpreters, administrators and nonprofit entrepreneurs. More information: www.ncascades.org
RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Leadership: Oversee a high quality graduate program in partnership with University faculty and Institute staff. Coordinate integration of graduate students into all Institute programs and operations. Evaluate the graduate program and the students' performance in it.
2. Mentoring and Advisement: Serve as residency and academic adviser to graduate students. Provide constructive evaluative feedback on a consistent basis throughout the residency. Assist in developing individual plans of study. Monitor and maintain quality of student projects and residency requirements. Lead reflective sessions to assist students' recognizing and integrating their learning. Coordinate and assist students' coursework, projects and opportunities to work with Institute staff. Help students balance their unique living situation as student, staff and community member.
3. Program: Teach in Institute education programs (youth, adult, family, day) alongside graduate students. Work with the Program Team to integrate graduate students into educational activities in a meaningful way that also supports Learning Center programs.
4. Instruction: Teach within areas of expertise (natural and cultural history, education, leadership, conservation, etc.). Support graduate curricula with teaching, training and evaluation. Develop and implement additional educational experiences for students.
5. Partnerships: Work closely with Western Washington University's graduate program adviser on all elements of the students' experience. Support academic and field program elements throughout the residency to achieve a seamless program between NCI and the University.
6. Recruitment: Develop and implement a recruitment plan to matriculate 14 qualified students annually. Work with Institute marketing staff to develop and produce recruitment materials, both in print and on the web, and serve as lead recruitment ambassador to prospective audiences. Analyze admissions and program demographics. Utilize current and former graduate students to assist with marketing the program.
7. Community: Serve as the Institute's primary representative for the graduate program to the education, conservation and business communities. Maintain contact with alumni; edit alumni newsletter. Some travel, evening, weekend and irregular schedules will be required.
8. Budget and Fundraising: Assist in developing an annual budget. Provide support to Institute development staff in obtaining funds to sustain the graduate program.
QUALIFICATIONS
1. Master's degree in education, conservation, natural history or related field
2. At least two years demonstrated expertise in mentoring and teaching adult students (experiential, environmental and/or residential background preferred)
3. Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative team environment, including working with staff, board, students, volunteers, and community members
4. Ability to apply natural history and ecological field skills to Pacific Northwest landscapes
5. Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills
6. Creative thinking and strategic planning skills, good sense of humor
7. Knowledge of and commitment to the mission of North Cascades Institute
8. Wilderness First Responder certification
9. Current driver's license with acceptable driving record
10. Ability to participate in wilderness travel, walk comfortably over uneven terrain and lift/carry up to 50 lbs.
11. A criminal history disclosure and background check is required before employment
Compensation: This is a full-time, exempt position. We offer a competitive compensation package; benefits include paid time off, medical/dental insurance, tax-defined annuity and contribution retirement plan, and the opportunity to work in a spectacular location.
Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed as received; position open until filled
Start Date: January 2012
To Apply: Interested individuals are encouraged to submit a letter of interest, resume, salary history and names of three references with current contact information to North Cascades Institute, Graduate Coordinator Search, 810 State Route 20, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284, or julie_toomey@ncascades.org.
Equal Opportunity Employer: Recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce is a high priority at North Cascades Institute. The Institute does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or any other basis prohibited by law in any of its policies or programs.
About North Cascades Institute: North Cascades Institute is the Northwest's leader in field-based environmental education. Our mission is to conserve and restore Northwest environments through the lasting power of education. We encourage hands-on discovery and stewardship of the North Cascades one of the wildest, most biologically diverse landscapes in North America. From the tidewater of Puget Sound to the sagebrush desert of the Columbia River Basin, the Institute has served more than 60,000 people of all ages since its inception in 1986. The Institute opened North Cascades Environmental Learning Center in 2005 on the shores of Diablo Lake, a remarkable facility created in partnership with the City of Seattle and the National Park Service. Institute programs include adult field seminars and retreats, summer youth and school programs, teacher education, volunteer stewardship programs and a graduate degree offered in partnership with Western Washington University's Huxley College of the Environment. Our Institute is governed by a 12-member board of directors, employs 30 full-time staff members and has an annual budget of approximately $2.8 million.
 |
About North Cascades Institute
North Cascades Institute seeks to inspire a closer relationship with nature through direct experiences in the natural world. Our mission is to conserve and restore Northwest environments through education. Since 1986 we have helped connect people, nature and community through science, art, literature and the hands-on study of natural and cultural history. Our goal is to help people of all ages experience and enjoy the mountains, rivers, forests, people and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest – so all will care for and protect this special place.
North Cascades Institute is committed to innovation and excellence in environmental learning and leadership in the nonprofit community. We believe that sustainable communities are built on healthy environments, vibrant economies and social equity. Toward that end, four key themes run through all our programs:
- The convergence of natural and cultural history, science, humanities and the arts
- Human history as integral to the history of landscapes and wild lands
- Respect among individuals and the broader community
- Exploration, reflection and stewardship in the out-of-doors.
Teaching all ages, we offer:
- Seminars and retreats
- School programs and summer youth adventures
- Teacher education and internships
- Volunteer stewardship programs
- Graduate M.Ed. in environmental education.
In 2005, North Cascades Institute opened North Cascades Environmental Learning Center. A partnership with the National Park Service and the City of Seattle, the Learning Center is surrounded by millions of acres of protected public lands. It is a hub of discovery into one of the wildest, most biologically diverse landscapes in North America. Learners of all ages come to explore and participate in innovative programs that inspire and enrich their lives.
North Cascades Institute programs and employment are open to all. The Institute does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual_orientation or disability in any of its policies or programs.
|
