Heralded as a hub of undergraduate innovation, the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (VPUE) creates and sustains meaningful interactions between students and faculty both within and outside the classroom. As a collaborative team member of VPUE, you have a unique opportunity to advance and support programs that touch and enhance the lives of every undergraduate student at Stanford.
The Office of Academic Advising seeks an inaugural Director of Summer Bridge Programs to design and lead two programs that are a key part of the Leveling the Learning Landscape (L3) initiative within the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (VPUE). The L3 initiative is a multi-year strategic effort to equalize educational access and opportunity for all Stanford undergraduates through curricular innovation and institutional reform. The Summer Bridge Programs aim to foster early academic success, confidence, and belonging in the summers before and after a student’s first year at Stanford. The Director oversees a team of ongoing and seasonal staff and ensures these programs achieve the desired learning outcomes in alignment with L3 and University priorities.
The Pre-orientation Program (POP; final name TBD) supports students who face gaps in prior preparation for first-year course work during their transition to Stanford through comprehensive programming starting the summer before their frosh year at Stanford. POP is a six-week academic bridge program that includes an online track and a residential track, with the latter occurring just before New Student Orientation. The inaugural program will be launched in summer 2025 and aims to serve 250 to 300 students in total between online and academic tracks.
The Director also oversees a second program–the Stanford Summer Fellows Program (SSFP), which aims to identify and provide research, academic, and experiential opportunities for students the summer before their sophomore year to reduce barriers to later engagements and allow time to focus on a key course outside of the academic year. The program brings 50-75 rising sophomore FLI students to campus for an eight-week program, including a course, experiential learning (e.g., research experience), and programming.
Beyond the summer programs, the Director heads a dynamic team to design and lead academic student support initiatives for program participants and other FLI and underprepared students during the academic year.
The Director reports to the Dean of Academic Advising, with a dotted reporting line to the Summer Bridge Programs Faculty Director. Beyond Academic Advising and VPUE, the Director will collaborate and partner closely with colleagues and teams in the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs, the three undergraduate schools, and instructors to run these programs and ensure coordinated support for FLI and underprepared students.
In this role, you will:
- In collaboration with the Faculty Director, design, launch, and oversee all aspects of the POP and SSFP programs to promote student success. Elements include coursework, residential experiences, online experiences, experiential learning opportunities, academic advising, mentorship, networking and career guidance, community building, academic-year seminars, and workshops.
- Design student selection criteria in collaboration with Faculty Director, advisory bodies, and other partners; design and oversee outreach, application, and selection processes.
- Collaborate with Faculty Director, faculty advisory board, and instructors to support curricular program components; partner with key departments and programs to provide appropriate academic coaching and skills-building support in critical courses.
- Lead design and implementation of academic year programs (such as seminars) building on summer programs and providing additional support and community for participants.
- Consult and partner with other units (e.g., FLI student success center, career education, and undergraduate research) to develop and provide community building, experiential learning, and other co-curricular programming.
- Work with Academic Advising, community centers, the Financial Aid Office, Summer Session, and other campus partners to support student wellbeing and success.
- Ensure that students have access to academic advising services and support on a range of issues, including, but not limited to, academic progress, individual curricular pathways, academic program policies, career plans, accessibility, community standards, etc., to assist them in making appropriate choices and decisions.
- Partner with assessment professionals on program evaluation; make recommendations and plans for improving future iterations of the programs.
- Assist in developing the strategy, mission, and vision across Leveling the Learning Landscape programs (from pre-frosh academic preparation, frosh year courses, pre-sophomore year programs, and beyond) to provide a robust academic experience for all students.
- Analyze and support students' progression through L3 programs; advise and suggest ways to build connections among programs, with academic departments, etc.
- Supervise three full-time staff members and oversee seasonal undergraduate/graduate student staff and non-academic staff.
- Resolve complex programmatic and student issues in partnership with relevant partners and in compliance with legal, financial, and university policies.
- Develop and monitor program budgets and expenses.
- Develop and/or contribute to outreach strategy related to program communications, development, partnerships, and fundraising/funding.
- Prepare presentations and reports to share with internal and external stakeholders.
- May work extended hours, evenings, or weekends. Note that an intense period of program activity occurs in the summer period. Expected to work onsite five days a week during summer programs.
- Frequently stand/walk, sit, grasp lightly/fine manipulation, and perform desk-based computer tasks. Occasionally use a telephone, writing by hand, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh up to 40 pounds. Rarely sort/file paperwork or parts, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh >40 pounds. Ability to use voice to present information/communicate with others. On-campus mobility.
