"Education Program Specialist - OPEEP"

Job Description

The Ohio Prison Education Exchange Project (OPEEP) at The Ohio State University addresses unjust prohibitions to higher education for those involved in the State of Ohios criminal justice system by building a robust, interdisciplinary, cross-campus, and sustainable prison education project. OPEEP is expanding its work to include the administration of an accredited embedded Bachelor of Arts degree at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio. We are seeking an Education Program Specialist to join our team. This position will be primarily based in Marysville, OH, and will be a one-year term appointment, with the possibility of renewal based on performance and continued availability of funding.

The Education Program Specialist will provide on-site coordination of an embedded Bachelor of Arts degree in Womens, Gender and Sexuality Studies at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio, a state prison facility for adults. This position supports incarcerated OSU students and OSU faculty teaching at the prison facility, and it offers coordination of all OSU courses, office hours, study groups, and extracurricular activities at the prison. The position will also be responsible for communicating with the prison administration and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) about program and facility requirements, policy, and protocol. Some evening hours will be required.

Responsibilities will include: serve as a liaison between faculty, staff, and students involved in the embedded degree program, including campus students participating in OPEEP courses; coordinate all courses and student activities at the prison, including Canvas software implementation and communications with facility staff and leadership and ODRC program requirements; provide program information to students, faculty, and staff; manage the administrative functions of the degree site, including technology and student Chromebook regulations, space requests, student passes, gate passes, and attendance records; maintain shared workspaces and equipment at ORW, including office and student supplies, printer(s), and inventory of books and learning materials according to ODRC specifications; maintain positive relationships with ODRC and ORW staff, including the prisons school principal; monitor classes and study halls; coordinate the enrollment processes for incarcerated students; serve as the primary contact for prospective students; advise faculty and students on ODRC procedures and policy interpretation; assess and respond to student needs and arrange the provision of academic, financial aid, financial literacy, and study skills, utilizing appropriate research literature and recognized best practices; and report program updates, needs, student issues, and concerns to OPEEP leadership.

The Education Program Specialist will also coordinate forms and paperwork for the program; maintain project records; maintain confidential materials as required by the department, OSU, and ODRC guidelines, and perform other related duties as assigned by OPEEP leadership.

Minimum Education Required

A bachelors degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience

Required Qualifications

A minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience in education program coordination, advising, mentoring, career counseling, and/or student learning assistance is required. The successful candidate must be able to pass an ODRC background check to work in the prison facility.

Desired:

Prior experience working with incarcerated or reentry populations is desired. Preference may be given to candidates whose backgrounds are similar to the target student population, including candidates with a history of incarceration and successful reentry. A demonstrated commitment to social justice and educational equity is desired.