The Center for International Student Access at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA is seeking a Student Success Advisor to support the growing number of international freshmen enrolling in the ACCESS program, which grants “provisional” admission for one academic year. This advisor will monitor academic student success and offer adjustment counseling as well as teach one section of a tailored first-year seminar course for international students each semester. The advisor will also act as an area coordinator for one of our administrative or programming initiatives.

The Student Success Advisor will regularly meet with international students for one-on-one and group advising/instruction, promote programs and activities using technology, as well as participate in workshops and strategies to both aid and track student academic skills and personal success. Due to the unique nature of the position, evening and weekend activities will frequently occur.

QUALIFICATIONS: Master’s Degree is required. Must be enrolled in one of George Mason University’s graduate programs. Students studying in majors such as in College Student Personnel, Higher Education, International Education, Social Work, Psychology, Counseling or a related field are preferred. Previous experience working in a higher education setting as well as strong intercultural communication skills is also required. Special consideration will be given to individuals with experience working as an academic advisor, in an intensive English language program and/or with international students in higher education settings. Successful applicants will demonstrate the following:

• Must be reliable, responsible, self-motivated, confident, sincere, flexible, dedicated, and considerate;
• Must exhibit exceptional professionalism and a strong work ethic.
• Must be available and accessible for the time commitment involved.
• Must demonstrate superior written and oral communication skills in English.
• Must demonstrate proficiency with computer applications and ability to use technology to enhance the student experience;
• Must be able to articulate a thorough understanding of student development theory and its application;
• Must demonstrate strong organizational and planning skills;
• Cultural expertise, ability to fluently speak at least one language other than English and/or experience abroad;
• An ability to function independently and as a member of a team in a constantly changing environment; and

COMMITMENT: The position requires 20 hours per week, year-round employment beginning as early as July 10, 2013. At times, the work will require extended hours and/or night and weekend work hours.

SUPERVISION: The Centers’ Assistant Director for Advising and Student Development will supervise the position. A significant amount of reading and training will be offered in this position, including membership and regional conference attendance to NACADA and NAFSA during the initial appointment year.

COMPENSATION:

• The position is for twelve consecutive months, beginning at the time of hire.
• The Graduate Assistant position will consist of a total $16,000.00 compensation package (which includes summer work) in addition to a tuition payment of up to six credits at the Virginia in-state rate each semester (Fall 2013 and Spring 2014).
• Funds will be distributed evenly via stipend on the 1st and 16th of the month for the remainder of the employment contract period.

TO APPLY: To apply for this position, please visit jobs.gmu.edu and submit all application materials online after April 15th. We will not accept emailed documents in lieu of a full application.

The successful candidate will have excellent communication skills and a strong commitment to excellence in teaching public speaking and
interpersonal communication. This individual will work closely with the Language Support Course Coordinator, Basic Course Coordinator and Basic Course Director to train, support and manage instructors teaching sections of Public Speaking for the ACCESS Program and to complete program reports and assessments. The course uses a standardized text with common goals, textbooks, exams, assessments, and syllabi.

The CISA Communication Course Coordinator will work with the Basic Course Coordinator in the Department of Communication and the Associate Director of Academic Affairs in CISA to maintain commonality across multiple sections and will have responsibility for oversight of ACCESS Communication courses in consultation with the Language Support Course Coordinator.

The candidate should be active professionally in national, regional, and state basic course activities. Preferred candidates will have
expertise in innovative instructional technologies, demonstrate a strong pedagogical skill set and possess a strong academic background
in communication studies (e.g., rhetoric, persuasion, interpersonal, computer-mediated, instructional, organizational, intercultural,
health or other areas of interest). The initial term of appointment is for the 2013-14 academic year.   A doctoral degree in a relevant field is required for appointment as Assistant Professor, and a Master’s degree is required for appointment as Instructor.

HOW TO APPLY:

This search is only open to current Mason students and faculty. This position F7718z is available for application at jobs.gmu.edu. Open until filled. For best consideration, please apply by May 10th.

The position involves co-teaching a year-long “stretched” undergraduate composition course for international students and/or graduate-level writing courses for international students. Program courses require this individual to have strong intercultural communication and collaborative teaching skills. M.F.A. required; Ph.D. preferred. One graduate degree must be in English and candidates must have experience teaching composition at the university level. Candidates should also have experience teaching students with international educational backgrounds and/or TESOL coursework in their own academic background. The successful candidate will also have one or more of the following: experience teaching grammar/linguistics, experience instructing critical reading/writing connections, experience teaching graduate students, and/or research interests in second language acquisition.

HOW TO APPLY

This position search will be available for application at jobs.gmu.edu, position number F9697z as of April 12th. Open until filled. For best consideration, please apply by May 10th.

March 23, 2013 – Dallas, TX

PRESENTERS:

• Carter Winkle, Barry University (Facilitator)
• Randy Hardwick, DePaul University
• Jacqueline McCafferty, Rowan University
• Scott Stevens, University of Delaware
• Tobie Hoffman, Drexel University
• Nicole Sealey, George Mason University

SESSION TITLE: Creating Our Own Pathways: Institutional Alternatives to Corporate Partnership Models

ABSTRACT: Universities with existing IEPs are being targeted by corporate educational services providers for partnerships, resulting in credit-bearing matriculation pathway programs for international students who still require ESL support. In this colloquium, directors of various university-based IEPs in the United States share perspectives vis-à-vis their university-developed alternatives to corporate partnership models.

PRESENTATION:

DOWNLOADABLE HANDOUTS:

• TESOL Handout (PPT slides)

March 23, 2013 – Dallas, TX

PRESENTERS:

• Karyn Mallett, Assistant Director, ELI/CISA Language Development (Chair), Mason
• Nicole Sealey, Director for the Center for International Student Access, Mason
• Ghania Zhegrib, Faculty/ELI, Mason
• Anna Habib, Composition Faculty, Mason

SESSION TITLE: Internationalization, WAC, and L2 Writers: Program Agendas and Curricular Innovation

ABSTRACT:  In this presentation, data and implications derived from a mixed-method longitudinal research project on undergraduate L2 writers are presented in order to substantiate the claim that small, high-profile programs can provide institutional space and incentive to build a WAC-like, ESL-ready curriculum to support a growing body of linguistically-diverse L2 writers.

PRESENTATION:

DOWNLOADABLE HANDOUTS:

• Powerpoint Slides
• TESOL Handout

They chose to highlight the ACCESS Program on their Facebook page, and then it was re-posted by the Regional Coordinator for Northeast Asia and the Pacific! See the photo below.

They also filmed a short video for their Web site about Tkacz’s “hot tip” for Korean students: Don’t be discouraged by minimum test score requirements! There are a lot of other opportunities such as SAT “score optional,” the English Language Institute, and the ACCESS and BRIDGE Programs.

Date: Thursday, February 28, 2013
Time: 9:00 AM EST (5:00 PM Riyadh, 10:00 PM Beijing)
Cost: Free

This webinar directly connects international students seeking to study abroad in the U.S. to admissions experts and current students.

For more information and to register, click here.

Application Deadline: Open until filled.

Position Start date: Immediately.

The Center for International Student Access (CISA) is looking for graduate students in the fields of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Statistics and Graphic Design for the 2013 spring semester to work in a discipline-based, scholarly partnership with international graduate students and faculty members associated with the BRIDGE Program http://cisa.gmu.edu/programs/bridge. This position may continue for multiple semesters, depending upon student enrollment and the needs of the Scholars Program.

The compensation package for each position will be $1,000 – $2,500.00 per semester depending upon the number of students supported, to be disbursed evenly on the 1st and the 16th of each month.

Applicants must fulfill the following criteria:

1. Demonstrate excellent English language proficiency in both oral and written communication;
2. Completed at least 18 credits of graduate coursework in their field
3. Hold a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Recipients will be assigned to graduate students in related majors, or to specific BRIDGE courses, and are responsible for the following scholarly activities during the academic year:

1. Meeting with assigned BRIDGE students once or twice weekly to discuss writing, assignments, and experiences required in the discipline;
2. Meeting with the program coordinator monthly to discuss student needs
3. Peer Review and (discipline-based) feedback on writing samples; and
4. Consulting with program faculty on experience and knowledge communities in the field.

These activities will average approximately three (3) to five (5) hours per week.

Doctoral students will receive priority consideration.

To apply, please submit the following items through HireMason (http://gmu-csm.symplicity.com), position #77903:

1. A curriculum vitae;
2. A writing sample;
3. A list of three (3) faculty references; and
4. A cover letter describing specific details on how you meet the criteria for the scholarship, and your qualifications in fulfilling scholarly responsibilities.