Hispanic Community Liaison
Office of Admission
Name of
Hiring Contact: Jeffery Smith
Title of
Hiring Contact: Admissions
Email: jesmith2@smcm.edu
Phone: 240-895-5000
Student Responsibilities/Benefits:
In 2009, the office of admissions was awarded a fellowship for the Hispanic Community Liaison. This submission for a fellow is to allow for the continuation of the work that the 2009 fellow began. With new data that has been collected from the 2010 U.S. Census, the 2011 -12 fellow will be better equipped to do the geo-demographic work that is needed in order to accomplish the Latino/Latina recruiting initiatives of the college. This fellow will be charged with updating the Spanish area of our admissions website that needs immediate attention.
Continued maintenance of the work that was begun in 2009 and 2011 is in serious need. Website maintenance, geo-demographic changes in Maryland with regards to Latino/a recruitment, speaking at Hispanic parent evenings in high schools, and the ability to educate the professional staff as to the needs of this special population will be the work of the 2012-2013fellow. The proposal below is the standard for our office that was submitted for the 2009 fellow.
The fellow will work with the Office of Admissions to develop meaningful connections with the Latino / Latina community in Maryland, paying special attention to their post-secondary educational needs and aspirations. This is the fastest growing community in the state. Many of its high school-aged members are studying in an English-speaking world while living in a Spanish-speaking home. Some will be the first person from their family to attend college. As a public honors college, St. Mary’s must make meaningful connections with these aspiring students, and their families. Effective first steps must include an awareness of the culture and an ability to communicate with its members, including in Spanish.
The fellow will continue to develop a profile of the Hispanic community using data from St. Mary’s, the U.S. Census Bureau, The Maryland Department of Higher Education, and other sources. The fellow will be taught to use geo-demographic techniques to aid the research. The research also will include direct communication with the target population, done mostly by phone or other electronic communication techniques, but occasionally by visiting individuals and groups in their own communities.
Once the research is completed, the fellow will work with professions in the office to develop a plan to contact key constituencies within the Hispanic community with information about St. Mary’s and an offer to provide college access counseling. An important outreach technique will be to contact Hispanic PTSA groups at some key high schools.
The fellow also will help coordinate visits to the St. Mary’s campus and be responsible for encouraging current St. Mary’s students to be mentors to the visitors.
Student Qualifications:
The fellow must have strong communication skills, both oral and written. He or she must be conscientious, organized, and able to work both independently and within a team structure. Basic skills with MS Word and Excel are necessary, plus the ability to learn how to use geo-demographic software.
The fellow must understanding and appreciate the mission of the College as a public institution and be articulate in explaining the mission to prospective students and families from a multitude of backgrounds. A willingness to learn about and engage the Latino / Latina communities in Maryland is essential. Fluency in Spanish highly desired.
For more information on how to apply and a list of the other fellowships available, click here.
