Uzziah Scholars Program Director/Assistant or ...

UZZIAH SCHOLARS PROGRAM DIRECTOR/ASSISTANT OR ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES -AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES- Concordia University, Nebraska, an institution of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, believes, teaches, and confesses that the Holy Scriptures are the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God. As people called by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel to saving faith in Christ Jesus, the Word of God guides all we do in leading, teaching, and learning. Concordia equips students for lives of learning, service, and leadership in the home, church, and world. Come and belong...join our team of passionate service leaders! Concordia University is needing an Uzziah Scholars Program Director/Assistant or Associate Professor of Agricultural Sciences who wants to be a part of this mission. The main campus (and this role) is located in Seward, Nebraska. If you thrive in a Christian atmosphere and community-driven environment, you will enjoy Concordia University's community feel. If you want to learn more about Concordia University, Nebraska, please visit Position Purpose: As an externally focused leader, the Director of the program will collaborate with the Agricultural Science program faculty, the Associate Vice President of Undergraduate Enrollment, Marketing, and Advancement to deliver outside-the-classroom experiences for Uzziah Ag Scholars, promote the Concordia agriculture science and education programs, and work alongside Advancement to seek financial support for the program. The Uzziah Ag Scholars Director will lead a university program providing experiential academic, co-curricular field experiences, and leadership development. The Uzziah Ag Scholars academic community is designed for agriculture-focused students who are passionate about agriculture from a biblical perspective, devoted to developing servant leadership talents that will guide the next generation of agriculturalists, understand the importance of stewardship to God's creation, and wish to participate in co-curricular agriculture activities and practical experiences in college. This position holds a key role in building enrollment for the Uzziah Ag Scholars and the agricultural programs. The Director will interact extensively with both prospective high school students and current college students. The Director will build industry and community relationships as part of the support for the program. Beyond this, the Director will engage with educators, agriculture partners, and leaders of the University to build a robust and distinctive program. At maturity, the program will serve forty or more students. This is a full-time, faculty-level position, with full-time benefits. Must be 19 years or older to apply. Responsibilities: Academic responsibilities: Field Experience Coordination: facilitate and evaluate Ag Scholars academic field experiences with area agriculture industry partners in collaboration with Agriculture Science faculty, including field trips, observations, and internships. Mentorship: Coordinate mentoring activities between agriculture professionals and Ag Scholars. Coaching: Lead co-curricular community service and engagement experiences for Ag Scholars students. Teaching: The Uzziah Ag Scholars Director may teach agricultural courses each academic year. Admissions responsibilities: Recruitment: While working collaboratively with Admissions and other departments to support recruitment of all students to Concordia, the Director will specifically curate a group of students for the Uzziah Ag Scholars program through engagement with high school students and educational leaders in Nebraska and midwestern states, along with agriculture-focused organizations (e.g., FFA, 4-H). Advancement responsibilities: In collaboration with Advancement staff, solicit and build agricultural business and community partners and support for the Ag Scholars and the agricultural programs. This is a 12-month full-time position suitable for a person who enjoys coaching and mentoring young individuals, promoting agriculture, leading outside-the-classroom educational experiences, and working directly with leaders in the agriculture industry to develop experiential educational opportunities and facilitate the success of the students in the Uzziah Agriculture Scholars program. Responsibility to plan, develop, and implement effective strategies for engaging young individuals and connecting them to mentors and partners in their area of study and interest, foster effective, strong relationships with both students and colleagues in a team environment. Interact and establish partnerships with representatives and leaders from all areas of the education and ag industries. Provide instruction in Agricultural Sciences, developing curriculum and co-curricular experiences emphasizing hands-on learning. Demonstrate a willingness and commitment to enthusiastically embrace the mission and vision of Concordia University, Nebraska. Other faculty duties as assigned. Qualifications: Education- Ph.D. or terminal degree in related field preferred. Candidates who have earned a master's and who agree to pursue a terminal degree will be considered. Degree related to agriculture, agricultural education, or a closely related field. Experience- Appropriate successful experience in the workplace or in a classroom that will lead to successful university-level teaching and mentoring in an acceptable subset of the following areas: Broad exposure to and relationships within the field of agriculture. Relevant experience within the areas of recruitment, fundraising, and building communities. Experience with program planning, including experiential learning opportunities that involve travel and transportation. Relevant experience working directly with high school and/or college-age young adults in a leadership, teaching, or coaching capacity. Knowledge of budgeting, budget planning, and management. Desire to develop professional relationships with students in which the faculty member is seen as an instructor, mentor, and advisor. A candidate who is an active Christian is required. Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod membership preferred. Certifications- Ability to maintain driver's certification for University-provided vehicles and University-related travel. Proficiencies- Skilled in coordinating travel logistics, balancing detailed planning with the flexibility to adjust and execute effectively as needs change. Commitment to Concordia University, Nebraska's mission and vision; a willingness to speak about personal Christian faith and how it relates to the mission and character of Concordia University. Strong communication skills, both written and oral. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to prioritize and work on multiple tasks, sometimes on short deadlines. Self-sufficiency and a strong sense of urgency to achieve goals. High degree of professionalism with the ability to positively represent the University. Passion and skill for leading committed young individuals in experiential educational endeavors. Commitment to setting and achieving annual personal performance goals. Commitment to guiding students in setting and achieving personal and program goals. Ability to teach students professional and workplace skills in an academic setting during meetings. Proficient in the use of technology, software applications including Blackboard, Banner, constituent relationship management (CRM) and Microsoft applications, databases, spreadsheets, and word processing necessary for teaching. Excellent presentation and communication skills. Special Position Requirements: Familiarity with higher education, curriculum planning, course development, assessment, best teaching, and administrative practices; or a record of excellence in teaching. Able to communicate professionally with a diverse constituency both on and off campus. Committed to an environment of encouragement, teamwork, and excellence within a Christian University. Responsible for creating an environment that is consistent with the values of the University and fosters the development of students. This environment is one that is designed to build a positive character and foster Christian faith formation. Demonstrate character qualities of enthusiasm, courtesy, flexibility, integrity, gratitude, kindness, self-control, perseverance, and punctuality. Able to work within a culture of teamwork with emotional stability and positive words/actions. Be professional and courteous in dealing with students, families, faculty and staff, and the general public. Values and beliefs aligned with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Ability to travel, including overnight and weekend events. Must follow security policies that correspond to the level of sensitivity of the data they handle. Should promptly report any security concerns or incidents to designated personnel. Maintain security and patching of personal devices connected to the institutional email. Maintain high standards for institutional, staff, faculty, employee, and financial data used for business operations. Preferences: PhD in agriculture, leadership, education, or a related field, or equivalent experience. Please submit cover letter, resume and CV. Should you need assistance with attaching additional documents to your profile, please contact .

Created: 2026-03-10