Lawrence University (Lawrence) seeks a creative and collaborative career services leader to serve as its next Riaz Waraich Dean of the Career Center & Center for Community Engagement and Social Change (dean). The expected start date is May/June 2023. This is an on-site and in-person role.
Reporting to Provost Peter Blitstein and a member of the academic affairs team, the Riaz Waraich Dean of the Career Center & Center for Community Engagement and Social Change is charged with providing strategic and visionary leadership to advance the career preparation and success of all students and recent alumni through programs and services that build and strengthen professional networks and confidence necessary for success and impact in post-graduation pursuits.
Employing a deeply collaborative and data-appreciative leadership style, the dean will incorporate current and emergent best practices into the office’s programs and services. This senior leader will work closely with faculty on intentionally linking career readiness with general education and major courses of study, grow and strengthen relationships with employers, and improve undergraduate preparation for graduate and professional schools. Additional responsibilities include:
The successful candidate will lead a talented team focused on delivering responsive and equity-focused programs that leverage individual talents, innovative ideas, and collaboration with employers, the Appleton community, and campus partners in Academic Affairs, Student Life, Advancement, Alumni Engagement, and Admissions. The dean will be a hands-on leader, actively engaged in the strategic and tactical operations of the center while supervising and supporting the talents of eight professional staff members. The dean oversees an operating budget of approximately $90,000, and an additional $250,000 in funding for student experiential learning.
This position is an exceptional opportunity for a forward-looking and energetic leader with a record of success in fostering new institutional relationships, marshaling professional and volunteer networks, staff supervision and development, budget management, and strategic planning. The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate facility with developing effective assessment methods, engaging faculty and administrative colleagues to support and advise students, articulating strategic priorities, and a capacity and appetite for fundraising.
Minimum qualifications include a bachelor’s degree (master’s preferred) and at least five years of progressive leadership experience in career services for undergraduate students, alumni, and employers. Candidates with experience in corporate university relations, human resources, alumni affairs, institutional advancement, and professional services are equally welcome.
Lawrence is committed to enhancing the diversity of its faculty and staff and the viewpoints and approaches that a diverse community represents. The search committee particularly invites applications from candidates with extensive experience in understanding and addressing the interests and needs of broadly diverse populations, including a record of success in creating a more inclusive campus by further diversifying the staff and demonstrating experience with successful diversity-related initiatives.
Michael O’Connor served as Lawrence University’s inaugural Riaz Waraich Dean of the Career Center & Center for Community Engagement and Social Change from April 2019 to January 2022. Grace Kutney, associate director of career services, serves as the interim dean while Lawrence conducts this national search.
The new dean will join Lawrence at a time of significant momentum and transformation. Faculty have approved a new business and entrepreneurship major, which builds on the existing innovation and entrepreneurship interdisciplinary area of study. Faculty are also engaged in a comprehensive review of the first-year studies seminar, and the institution is planning a broader holistic first-year experience. Career discernment will be a key component of that experience, and the dean will be expected to contribute to the planning and implementation of the new model. Lawrence will also embark on a process of revising the general education requirements, and the new dean will have an opportunity to participate in this process.
Against this backdrop, the new dean will need to conduct an initial period of assessment focused on building relationships with current staff and key internal and external partners, as well as gaining a thorough understanding of the current operations and capacity of the Career Center and Center for Community Engagement and Social Change through consultations with campus stakeholders. The dean should become familiar with the recommendations provided by the Life After Lawrence initiative in an effort to lay the foundation for a strategic vision that will guide the forward direction of the department. Additionally, the dean will demonstrate leadership, vision, and influence in addressing the following opportunities and challenges that await at Lawrence:
The dean will work with the Provost to determine specific measures of success and their respective timetables. The search committee offers the following general metrics for the position:
The Career Center
The Career Center at Lawrence University supports and empowers students in exploring, defining, and achieving their version of success, honing civic and professional selves, and connecting education with post-graduate aspirations.
The Career Center offers advising, programming, resources, and a robust network of Lawrentian mentors and employers to help students and recent graduates explore internships and opportunities that align with their academic background, interests, skills, and values.
Each year the Career Center surveys the graduating class and continues to do so for six months to determine the educational, professional, and personal outcomes of a Lawrence education. The First Destination Outcomes summary report shows the percentage of recent graduates who are employed, continuing their education (graduate or professional school), interning, serving in the military, volunteering, traveling, or seeking employment. In addition, the summary report not only shows employment by location and industry but degrees being pursued, as well.
Key programs and services of the Career Center include the following:
Learn more about the Career Center
Center for Community Engagement and Social Change
The Center for Community Engagement and Social Change (CCE) plays an important role in advancing Lawrence University’s mission to “prepare students for lives of achievement, responsible and meaningful citizenship, lifelong learning, and personal fulfillment.” The CCE provides students opportunities for engagement, service, and advocacy in the greater Fox Cities community and beyond.
Learn more about the Center for Community Engagement and Social Change
Peter Blitstein – Provost and Dean of the Faculty and Associate Professor of History
Peter Blitstein, a member of the Lawrence faculty for 21 years, was named Provost and Dean of Faculty in November 2022. He was appointed to the position by President Laurie Carter after serving in an interim capacity since July 2022. Blitstein previously served as associate dean of faculty, beginning in 2019, and has taught on the History faculty since 2001. He has chaired the History Department, led the Senior Experience program, and played a key role in guiding the faculty during the pandemic.
Blitstein is a historian of modern Russia, specializing in the Soviet period and the history of nationalism and ethnicity. He teaches courses on all aspects of Russian history, the history of intelligence agencies and state security, and historical theory. Since arriving at Lawrence, Blitstein has provided guidance on numerous committees including the Faculty Committee on University Governance, the Financial Planning Committee, and the Title III Grant Advisory Board, among others. As chair of the Instruction Committee, he was integral to helping Lawrence meet its academic mission during the pandemic.
Blitstein was selected as an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow in 2013 and was placed at Vassar College, where he worked with the dean of the faculty and dean of strategic planning and academic resources—completing site visits at 40 colleges and universities around the country during his year-long fellowship. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and Russian from Johns Hopkins University, and a master’s degree in political science and a PhD in history from the University of California, Berkeley.
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University offers its 1,500 students a quality education that stands out among its peers. The combination of a nationally ranked liberal arts institution and a first-tier conservatory of music ensures that students benefit from challenging academics and quality arts education in a vibrant, welcoming, and supportive residential campus setting. Lawrence has one of the lowest student-faculty ratios in the nation at 8:1, providing for intensive faculty engagement that opens minds and changes lives. Small classes and a four-year residential requirement create a close-knit community where students live, study, and thrive in a climate of shared discovery and enrichment. Lawrence was selected for inclusion in the book Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College—engaged learning, the development of multiple interests, and community outreach are central to the Lawrentian experience.
Lawrence is the second institution in America to be founded as a coeducational college, and diversity, equity, and inclusion remain among its core values. Current students come from nearly all 50 states and 39 countries, and 26 percent of the student body are domestic students of color. The entire University is working to build an equity-minded campus culture and an antiracist community. The University also supports extensive programs of off-campus study and community internships. Specialty opportunities include The London Centre, an academic study abroad program for Lawrence University sophomores, juniors, and seniors who wish to live and study in downtown London, and community events at the 425-acre Björklunden campus on Lake Michigan in Door County, Wisconsin.
Lawrence University’s mission statement affirms that the University is “committed to the development of intellect and talent, the pursuit of knowledge and understanding, the cultivation of sound judgment and respect for the perspectives of others.” Diversity is central to this commitment, and to the objective of preparing all Lawrentians for lives of engaged citizenship in the global society.
Lawrence University Faculty Statement on Inclusion
The Faculty of Lawrence University reaffirms its commitment to fostering a diverse and welcoming learning community that embraces all members, including those marginalized by aspects of their identities. The principles of respect and inclusion are critical to our mission as an educational institution dedicated to cultivating dialogue across differences and to the development of meaningful citizenship that will meet the challenges of a complex world.
— approved by the Faculty on February 7, 2017
Laurie A. Carter – President
Laurie A. Carter joined Lawrence University as its 17th president on July 1, 2021, bringing with her more than 25 years of leadership experience in higher education. In her short time as President, Carter has brought a sense of urgency to the Lawrence community. Recognizing the need for Lawrence to be well-positioned in an ever-changing higher education landscape, Carter has implemented student-centered Guiding Coalitions to facilitate more effective change implementation at the university. Additionally, she has identified focused investment priorities through community-wide engagement that will position Lawrence to anticipate and meet the challenges of the future.
Carter came to Lawrence after serving as president of Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. Her tenure at Shippensburg focused on prioritizing student success, telling the university’s story, building a relationship with the community, and enhancing overall quality. Carter’s efforts to strengthen diversity and inclusion at Shippensburg University were recognized by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, which named her as one of 25 outstanding women in higher education. Prior to assuming the presidency of Shippensburg, Carter served as executive vice president and university counsel for Eastern Kentucky University and held various inaugural leadership positions during her 25 years of service at The Juilliard School, including vice president, general counsel, and executive director of Jazz Studies.
Carter currently serves as a Commissioner for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and as a member of the Annapolis Group Board of Directors, the ThedaCare Board of Trustees, the Millennium Leadership Institute Steering Committee, the Fox Cities Chamber Board of Directors, and The Links, Incorporated. A native of New Jersey, Carter attended Clarion University of Pennsylvania where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in communications. She received her Master of Arts degree in communications from William Paterson College and earned her Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University.
Learn more about President Carter’s cabinet and office here.
Student Representation: 49 states and District of Columbia; 38 countries
Degrees: Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor of Music; Bachelor of Musical Arts; combined 5-year double degree Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music
Majors: Bachelor of Arts—36; Bachelor of Music—4; Interdisciplinary Areas of Concentration—4
Faculty: 207
Student-Faculty Ratio: 8:1
Study Abroad: 48 programs in 39 countries
Academic Calendar: Three 10-week terms (Fall, Winter, Spring)
Campus: 62 instructional, residential, recreational, and administrative facilities; The Lawrence London Centre, located in the Bloomsbury neighborhood of London; Björklunden vid Sjön, a 441-acre estate on Lake Michigan in Door County.
Athletics: NCAA Division III; founding member of the Midwest Conference
Athletic Teams: 22 varsity teams, 11 for men, 11 for women
Lawrence University offers the following benefits, among others, to qualified employees.
To learn about the full range of benefits offered at Lawrence, please see here.
Lawrence University has retained the services of Spelman Johnson, a leading national executive search firm, to assist with leading this search. Review of applications will begin Wednesday, February 8, 2023, and continue until the position is filled. A resume with an accompanying cover letter that addresses the responsibilities and requirements described in the position specification must be submitted via the Spelman Johnson website at www.spelmanjohnson.com/open-positions. Nominations for this position may be forwarded to Michel R. Frendian, Senior Consultant, at mrf@spelmanjohnson.com. Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895.
Wisconsin is a state that does not require public salary disclosure. For more information, please contact Michel R. Frendian.
COVID Vaccination Requirement
Employment, or continuation thereof, at Lawrence is contingent upon being fully COVID-19 vaccinated (unless a medical/religious exemption is received); proof of a COVID-19 vaccination is required before the start of employment.
Visit the Lawrence University website at www.lawrence.edu and the Lawrence Career Center and Center for Community Engagement and Social Change website here.
Lawrence University is committed to providing equal access and opportunity to qualified individuals of all backgrounds. In accordance with this policy and with applicable federal and state law, the University prohibits discrimination in admissions, its programs and activities, employment and advancement on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, military service, protected veteran status, political affiliation, arrest record or conviction record.
Spelman Johnson has prepared this document based on personal interviews and information copied, compiled, or quoted in part from source documents obtained from our client, and as such, the contents of this document are believed to be reliable. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, the original source documents and factual situations govern, and the limited material presented here should be relied upon for informational purposes only.
