Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Faculty at Chandler Gilberty Community College
While entry-level community college faculty positions typically require a master's degree and post-secondary teaching experience, Robert suggests undergraduates can build relevant experience through "tutoring, undergraduate research, mentoring," and participation in summer bridge programs to demonstrate "a longitudinal commitment to teaching and student success." These experiences can help prepare aspiring community college faculty for a career in higher education.
Teaching Experience, Mentoring, Undergraduate Research, Post-Secondary Education, Student Support
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Robert Soza
Faculty
Chandler Gilberty Community College
Arizona State University
UC Berkeley, Dept. of Ethnic Studies, PhD
Humanities, English, Writing & Education
Education
Education
HSI Grad, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. A master's degree and post-master's teaching experience are generally required for entry-level faculty positions at community colleges.
2. Undergraduate students can gain valuable experience through tutoring, undergraduate research, mentoring, and summer bridge programs to demonstrate a commitment to teaching and student success.
3. These experiences can help build a strong foundation for a career in community college teaching even before obtaining a master's degree
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
That's a bit trickier. When we hire, we look for people with a considerable amount of teaching experience at the post-secondary level. To qualify for that, individuals generally need at least a master's degree.
So, there is a threshold to enter this career that's beyond the undergraduate level. You have to have at least a master's degree, and then teaching experience post-master's.
However, as an undergraduate, there are things anyone can do. Getting engaged in tutoring, undergraduate research, or mentoring are all valuable. These demonstrate a commitment to supporting students and helping them find academic and career success.
I think those are all things available at an undergraduate level. If there are different kinds of programs, I'm trying to think of what I did as an undergraduate. There are summer bridge programs.
I taught in a summer bridge program, teaching high school students transitioning to college. I would encourage undergraduates to think about those if a career in community college is important to them. They can demonstrate a longitudinal commitment to teaching and student success.
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