Alumni Relations/Student Success Center
Position Title:
Graduate Project Assistant
Working Title:
Alumni Communications Graduate Assistant
Position Term:
(Earlier start date possible) July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015 (12-Month
Contract) *Renewable based on graduate student status, job performance & departmental
capacity
Unit Location:
Alumni Relations, Hefter Center, Room 220
Reports to:
Assistant Director, Alumni Relations/Director, Student Success Center
Unit Description:
The Office of Development & Alumni Relations is a large, diverse professional team, dedicated to
strategic growth and philanthropic inspiration. We work with alumni, individuals, corporations, and
foundations to help build UWM’s future through investments in student scholarships, academic
programs, faculty research, building projects, and other priorities.
The UWM Division of Student Affairs is to be recognized as the premier Student Affairs Division,
innovative in creating a thriving student-centered learning community that is dedicated to students' wellbeing, success, personal growth, and professional development.
The Student Success Center is dedicated to creating opportunities for all UW-Milwaukee first-year,
transfer and returning adult students and families to successfully transition into an inclusive and vibrant
community. The SSC places a high value on connections with other students, faculty and staff to
enhance each student's personal and academic success. The SSC will also lead efforts to create a campus
climate in which students persist to the second year and on to graduation.
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) is a major urban university, committed to academic
excellence, located in the commercial and industrial hub of Wisconsin. The campus is in a pleasant
residential neighborhood on Milwaukee’s northeast side, only a few blocks from Lake Michigan.
UWM is one of the two “doctoral cluster” campuses in the 13-campus University of Wisconsin System,
with a student enrollment of approximately 29,000. UWM is proud to have over 145,000 alumni. Our
graduates live in every U.S. state and in over 90 countries around the world.
Position Description:
The Alumni Relations office is seeking a focused individual to aid in wide variety of alumni programs
and marketing projects. The Graduate Assistant will provide communications, marketing, web and
administrative support to a variety of key Alumni programs including but not limited to: the Alumni
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Alumni Relations/Student Success Center
Ambassador Program, the Future Alumni Network (FAN) and overall the overall Alumni Relations
marketing/communications plan.
Position Responsibilities:
Alumni Ambassadors Program:
This position will lead the creation and execution of marketing content for all aspects of the Alumni Ambassadors
program including:
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Promotional brochures
Postcard mailings that rely on micro-targeting to alumni in certain geographic areas with an affinity score
in the alumni database.
Videos and testimonials
Volunteer sign up forms and database tracking systems
All other program signage, collaterals and volunteer communications.
Future Alumni Network (FAN):
This position will serve as a liaison with the FAN communication team leaders to oversee the creation and
execution of marketing content for all aspects of the new Future Alumni Network including:
 Promotional brochures
 Website
 Videos and testimonials
 Volunteer sign up forms and database tracking systems
 Social media campaigns
 Event marketing – Senior Sendoff and other initiatives.
This role will also aid in presentation preparation, event management and logistics as needed for the FAN.
New Student Orientation (NSO) / Fall Welcome:
 Collaborate with Alumni staff and FAN leaders to revamp our presence at the New Student Orientation
and Fall Welcome.
 Evaluation of needs and possible partnerships for existing Fall welcome programs.
 Development of our table display and interactive messaging at the NSO sessions.
 Coordinate scheduling of staff and FAN leaders for all sessions.
 Represent UWMAA at sessions as needed.
Overall Marketing/Communications support:
Website:
 Serve as day-to-day administrator and web master for content on alumni.uwm.edu and sub sites
 Work with departmental graphic designers to develop cohesive and streamlined web graphics
 Monitor web usage statistics and Google analytics
 In collaboration with Assistant Director, begin website audit and content management strategy creation in
preparation for a new alumni website in the next 12-18 months.
Publications:
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Alumni Relations/Student Success Center
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Develop written content and provide editing expertise for various formats such as cover letters, direct
mail, brochures, presentations, feature articles, direct mail, press releases and profiles.
Event Support:
 Provide assistance with on and off campus events, tabling, and other outreach activities as
assigned.
Administrative:
 Participate and assist with departmental assessment initiatives, including program
assessment.
 Consult and meet with supervisor on a regular basis to provide consistency.
 Other duties as assigned. Specific responsibilities may reflect the successful candidate’s
interest and desired experiences as well as current department needs.
Qualified candidates must:
 Have a bachelor’s degree and be enrolled in graduate coursework in Student Personnel, Higher
Education Administration, Student Affairs, Communications, Business or a related field for the
duration of the assistantship.
Qualifications also include:
 Be detail-oriented, self-motivated and independent with professional maturity
 Possess superior writing and editing skills
 Have a strong familiarity with standard office technologies and programs (MS Office suite)
Preferred qualifications include event-planning experience, knowledge of CMS web development, and
database management and reporting skills.
Compensation:
1. Annual stipend of $12,938 in the form of twelve monthly lump sum payments.
2. Full tuition remission and health care benefits.
3. On-going professional development opportunities.
Contact Information:
Please direct all application materials and questions regarding the selection process to Rebecca Freer,
Assistant Dean of Students (bfreer@uwm.edu).
Please direct all specific questions about the Graduate Assistant- Alumni Communications position to
Amy Lensing Tate, Assistant Director of Development and Alumni Relations (lensing@uwm.edu).
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