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Gateway Executive Search

Gateway Executive Search is representing Berklee in its search for the Director of International Student Services and Study Abroad.

Berklee

Mission:
Berklee’s mission is to educate, train, and develop students to excel in music as a career.

Berklee’s vision for 2025:

As the preeminent institute of contemporary music and the performing arts, Berklee will transform arts education and empower artists to better our world. Building an inclusive culture that promotes diversity in all its forms, we will nurture the growth of the world’s most inspired artists in music, theater, and dance so they may fully realize their creative and career potential. Berklee will forge new connections among art forms, musical traditions, technologies, and institutions, creating a dynamic global network that fosters innovation, collaboration, and community.

160 Mass Avenue dorms, dining studio and recording studios

160 Mass Avenue dorms, dining studio and recording studios.

Berklee and Boston Conservatory at Berklee buildings on the Fenway

Berklee and Boston Conservatory at Berklee buildings on the Fenway.

Brief History of Berklee

Berklee offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs at its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts, as well as in New York City, Los Angeles and Valencia, Spain, and online.

Founded on jazz and popular music rooted in the African cultural diaspora, the comprehensive curriculum is distinctly contemporary in its content and approach, and embraces the principal musical movements of our time. Since 1945, Berklee has remained committed to not only reflecting the music of today, but shaping the music of tomorrow.

Innovation is in the Berklee DNA, as Berklee has championed change for over half a century. Berklee updates its curriculum and technology to make them more relevant, and to attract diverse students who reflect the multiplicity of influences in today’s music. And Berklee prepares its students for a lifetime of professional and personal growth through the study of the arts, sciences, and humanities.

More than a college, Berklee has become the world’s singular learning lab for the music of today—and tomorrow. A microcosm of the music world, reflecting the interplay between music and culture; an environment where aspiring music professionals learn how to integrate new ideas, adapt to changing musical genres, and showcase their distinctive skills in an evolving community. Berklee is at the center of a widening network of industry professionals who use their openness, virtuosity, and versatility to take music in surprising new directions. Today Berklee is developing new initiatives to reach and influence an ever-widening global audience.

Berklee Global

Berklee Global is a broad initiative that seeks to bring the Berklee experience around the world and includes:

  • A campus in Valencia, Spain offering master’s degrees, study abroad, and summer programs with an emphasis on global learning.
  • First year abroad program for undergraduates in Spain.
  • Global Initiatives around the world providing opportunities to discover talent and engage the global Berklee community in educational and cultural events.
  • Global Partners: Academic Partners, Network Partners, Affiliate Partners, and Special Partnerships.

Interesting Facts

  • Berklee has a 10-studio music production complex that’s among the largest of its kind in the U.S.
  • At the Berklee College of Music, the faculty-to-student ratio is 1:11; the ratio is 1:4 at the Boston Conservatory, overall, it is 1:9
  • Its 27 recording studios make Berklee the largest recording studio in the world.
  • Six on campus performance facilities in Boston host over 1,000 student concerts per year.
  • Berklee alumni have won 310 Grammy Awards, more than any other college, and 108 Latin Grammy Awards.
  • Soundbreaking, which raised over $160 million, had as a key goal to create a global laboratory for musical discovery and artistry through a global presence.
  • The international student population in Boston numbers approximately 1,547 students, with the largest number of students coming from China, Canada, India, and Korea.
  • The Valencia campus, founded in 2012, now has a student body of approximately 260 students from 37 different countries.
  • A first year program was launched at the Valencia Campus in 2017-2018 and before the pandemic, had an enrollment of 45 students studying abroad during their first year of college.
  • A summer study abroad program was offered in Valencia starting in 2017 and enrollment reached 40 students by 2018.

Student Success

Berklee launched an innovative student success advising model in 2022, making a significant investment in transforming student services into a holistic student support network. Employing a student-centered approach, all advisors across campus, including international student advisors, affirm and support each student’s personal development and growth.

The Director will play an essential leadership role in ensuring the work of the International Student Services and Study Abroad Office is effectively integrated into the student success advising model described in the THRIVE strategic direction.

The Berklee in Valencia Opera House with students, faculty and staff. Palau de les Arts.

Position Description

Berklee is seeking a student-focused, experienced international educator who is passionate about contributing to student success and excellence in a global context.

The Director of International Student Services and Study Abroad will support Berklee’s mission and strategic global focus by overseeing international student services and engagement strategies, as well as programs, exchanges and experiences for Berklee students studying abroad.

Reporting to the Associate Dean, Student Success Programs, the Director is a member of the Student Success Leadership Team.

Areas of Responsibility

Leadership, Management and Planning

  • Develop and implement a strategic plan for the Office of International Student Services and Study Abroad in alignment with the framework and strategic priorities of the Student Success Leadership Team.
  • Liaise with administration, faculty, students, and external constituents for matters related to international students’ enrollment, engagement and Berklee students studying abroad.
  • Manage and develop a team of ten professional staff, interns and student employees.
  • Develop and oversee budgets and grants, and collaborate on fundraising opportunities for the expansion of undergraduate international education.

International Students: Immigration Compliance

  • Ensure compliance with any and all federal, state and institutional policies.
  • Train and supervise Designated School Officials (DSOs) to ensure institutional compliance with federal student visa administration regulations, accurate and timely government reporting, process re-certification, and other U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requirements.
  • Update and advise administration on matters related to the international student experience as it relates to government regulations, actions and orders.

International Student Services and Advising

  • Oversee team of international student advisors responsible for student lifecycle immigration advising of 1,900+ students and alumni in Boston, New York and Valencia.
  • Develop, implement and administer comprehensive assessments of international student engagement and success. Develop data-informed objectives aligned with Berklee’s strategic goals and best practices in higher education.
  • Collaborate with the Student Enrollment and Engagement Division to provide training, support and leadership development on matters of student conduct, academic success and career development pertaining to international students.
  • Collaborate with campus programs and services interacting directly with international students.
  • Support and enhance orientation and adjustment of international students.
  • Develop and expand programming related to cultural adjustment, immigration, employment authorization, taxes, and health insurance.
  • Collaborate with the success advising team to coordinate communications with Berklee’s international student population.

Study Abroad Programs

  • Develop and track enrollment goals in collaboration with Valencia leadership and enrollment teams.
  • Work collaboratively with Valencia enrollment, academic and student affairs teams to improve systems, services and support related to the study abroad program.
  • Coordinate transitional advising supports (academic planning, immigration compliance, health and safety awareness, financial planning) for incoming and outgoing study abroad students.
  • Assess and report on study abroad programming and participation.
  • Inform and educate academic partner schools about Valencia campus programs and exchange opportunities.

Qualifications

Required

  • 10 years of experience in international higher education.
  • 3 or more years of supervising others.
  • Experience working with diverse populations.
  • Bachelor’s degree.
  • Prior DSO experience.
  • Strong intercultural skills and commitment to diversity.
  • Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Preferred

  • Master’s degree in higher education administration or related international / intercultural field.
  • PDSO experience.
  • Proficiency in a second language (esp. Spanish, Korean or Mandarin).
  • Significant experience living, working and/or studying abroad.

Additional Information

  • Based in Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Full-time on-campus position. (This position may provide an opportunity for limited remote work)
  • Occasional evening and weekend hours required.
  • Occasional international and domestic travel required.

Salary and Benefits

  • Competitive salary and benefits package

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Equal Employment Opportunity at Berklee:

Berklee supports an inclusive workplace where everyone excels based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance. Berklee affirms that inequality is detrimental to the faculty, staff, students, and the communities it serves. Berklee’s goal is to make lasting change through its actions. Berklee is committed to providing fair and equitable consideration of all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, place of birth, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, or status as a member of the armed forces or veteran of the armed forces, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

As part of this commitment, Berklee will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Human Resources Team at hroperations@Berklee.edu or call 617-747-2375.

Berklee is committed to increasing the diversity of our institution, community, and the curriculum. Candidates who can contribute to that goal are encouraged to apply and to identify their strengths in this area.

Procedure for Candidacy

Berklee has retained Gateway Executive Search to lead this search.

Applications should include a resume and a statement of interest of no more than two pages that addresses why the applicant is interested in the position and how their professional knowledge and skills meet the required and preferred qualifications for this position, as well as how their professional experience fits with the needs of Berklee.

Applications and nominations will be accepted until the position is filled. All inquiries, nominations, and expressions of interest will be held in confidence and should be submitted electronically at this link. Applications submitted by email will not be accepted.

Gateway Search Team

Gateway Executive Search provides boutique executive search services to institutions and organizations seeking highly professional and skilled practitioners. Executive search consultants are professionals with extensive networks to identify and recruit diverse talent.

Catherine Hutchison Winnie, Ph.D., Senior Search Consultant, cwinnie@gatewayinternational.org

General questions should be directed to:
Angie Johnson, Talent Acquisition Coordinator, search@gatewayinternational.org

Director of International Student Services & Study Abroad

Berklee College of Music

Episode 29: Cultural Lens on U.S. Higher Education: Analyzing International Perceptions of 'Anti-Woke’ Discourse

Dive into a nuanced exploration of the global discourse surrounding higher education in the United States. Join us for a panel discussion with esteemed international educators as we embark on a journey through the lenses of culture and international perspective, examining how global audiences interpret and engage with the ‘anti-woke’ discourse within the context of U.S. higher education. This engaging panel discussion will delve into the intersections of culture, ideology, and education, and the complex landscape of how international audiences perceive the ‘anti-woke’ narrative that has emerged within U.S. academia.

Whether you’re a senior international officer, or simply curious about the diverse viewpoints shaping U.S. higher education, this podcast episode will provide an invaluable space for critical analysis and insightful conversations.

Speaker Biography:

Fanta Aw is a distinguished leader in international education, renowned for her extensive contributions to global learning, cross-cultural understanding, and educational equity. With a deep commitment to fostering connections between diverse cultures and promoting educational excellence, she has significantly impacted the international education community.

Fanta Aw’s career has been characterized by her dedication to advancing global education initiatives, promoting diversity and inclusion, and nurturing partnerships that transcend borders. She has held influential roles in various organizations, advocating for the importance of international collaboration and learning experiences that empower individuals to navigate an increasingly interconnected world.

As a thought leader and visionary, Fanta Aw’s insights and expertise have shaped discussions on the future of international education, emphasizing the significance of equitable access, cultural exchange, and lifelong learning. Her work has not only elevated institutions but has also inspired countless individuals to embrace the transformative power of global education.

Date: September 14th, 2023
Time: 12 noon ET

Sponsored by:

Mark Beirn

AFFILIATE

An experienced global researcher and administrator, Mark Beirn brings a critical approach to risk management, factoring structural racism and identity-based violence into his rubric for supporting equitable global mobility.

Specialization Areas:

– Global Risk Management
– Education Abroad
– Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in International Education
– Health and Safety
– Curriculum Development

 

Stephen Appiah-Padi​

AFFILIATE

Stephen Appiah-Padi is an international educator with several years of teaching and administrative experience in both 4 and 2-year HEIs. An experienced global education practitioner-scholar, with a demonstrated history of success in the field.

Dr. Appiah-Padi has a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada in Educational Policy & Administration with a specialization in International/Intercultural Education.

At Northwestern College, he provided oversight in the administration of education abroad and international student services. In Lansing, Michigan, he first oversaw diversity and intercultural education at Lansing Community College, and later created the Center for International and Intercultural Education (CIIE) which merged intercultural engagement and international education programs of the institution, and he became its first director. Additionally, Dr. Appiah-Padi taught a course, “Diversity in the American Workplace”, to undergraduate management students of the College. In his current position, he provides leadership and vision in advancing strategic internationalization initiatives, including international partnerships and study abroad programs at Bucknell University.

Dr Appiah-Padi has created and facilitated several workshops for faculty and staff development in higher education and in business organizations. He has presented at several national and international conferences. In NAFSA, among several volunteer leadership positions, he has served as Dean of the Fundamentals of Intercultural Communication Workshop, the Leadership Development Committee member, Chair of the Africa Special Interest Group, and a Fellow of the Global Fellowship Program for mentoring emerging leaders of internationalization in African HEIs. He currently serves as a member of the NAFSA Board of Directors.

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Rosa Almoguera

AFFILIATE

Dr. Rosa Almoguera has worked as an international educator for over twenty years. She was trained as a Hispanic Philologist at the Universidad Complutense, in Madrid, and did her M.A. at the University of Pennsylvania. Her Ph.D., from Universidad Complutense included a field study and edition of written balladry “Romancero”. During many years Rosa combined teaching and her role as a senior administrator at the Fundación Ortega-Marañón in Toledo, Spain. At the Foundation, Rosa directed and, in many cases created, programs for the University of Minnesota, Notre Dame, Princeton, Ohio State, Arcadia, and the University of Chicago. She has also been a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota, University of Portland, and Interamericana de Puerto Rico.

Beginning in 2016, Rosa works as an international education consultant for both public and private European and US higher education institutions. Rosa has been successful in developing new partnerships and programs, as well as helping improve already existing ones.

Rosa is a member of Forum and NAFSA and has presented with higher education professionals on innovative academic and research programming, STEM in study abroad and Nationalism in Europe. Rosa is currently completing the final Professional Certification from the Forum on Education Abroad.