People Strategy, Equity, and Culture

Student Engagement Coordinator

Title: Student Engagement Coordinator

Classification: Academic Professional

Status: Exempt

Level: 5

Position Summary:

Under the direction of the Director of Student Engagement, the Student Engagement Coordinator advances student belonging, leadership, and holistic development by designing, promoting, and evaluating engagement opportunities that coordinate College-wide efforts across Portland Community College. This position supervises and mentors student leaders, manages program budgets, advises student groups, and collaborates with college partners to foster an inclusive and equitable student experience. The Coordinator also contributes to daily department operations and supports the broader Student Wellbeing, Engagement, and Belonging division as needed.

This position has three primary focus areas, which are assigned based on department needs: 

  • Student Events & Activities: Advises and supports the Student Programming Board to develop and implement college-wide events and activities. Coordinate programs that foster student connection and engagement, including social events, cultural celebrations, and wellness initiatives.
  • Student Clubs & Organizations: Coordinates the district-wide student clubs and organizations program. Provides guidance and support to student organizations across six academic pathway areas, oversees the online student engagement platform, advises the Club Council, and supports honor societies within academic and career pathways
  • Drive to Thrive/WOW: Coordinates the Drive to Thrive program and Weeks of Welcome (WOW) events. This position plays a key role in planning, implementing, and assessing initiatives that foster student connection, retention, and success. The coordinator develops and promotes point-earning activities for Drive to Thrive, collaborates with campus partners to organize WOW programming, and ensures both initiatives are inclusive, accessible, and aligned with PCC’s commitment to student belonging.

Collaboration and cross-coverage between focus areas are essential components of this role, and assignments may shift in response to evolving departmental needs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

All Coordinator Responsibilities:

  • Coordinates assigned programs and initiatives under the guidance and direction of the Director of Student Engagement.
  • Leads College-wide student engagement initiatives, including all-student events, student clubs and organizations, Weeks of Welcome, Passport to Success, Club Involvement Fairs, and other large-scale programs across the district and online.
  • Coordinates the College’s primary student engagement calendar and manages scheduling for district-wide events; provides support at other campuses and centers as needed.
  • Designs and implements programs, events, and services that support student engagement, success, and leadership development.
  • Advises student leaders on program planning methods and processes, teaches program planning, and provides ongoing guidance.
  • Supports students in problem-solving throughout all phases of events and initiatives.
  • Provides inclusive mentorship and leadership development across all student engagement programs, including the design and delivery of leadership training, workshops, and seminars for student leaders and advisors.
  • Develops and implements assessment tools and systems to evaluate learning and engagement outcomes for student leaders, club officers, and engagement programs; uses findings to inform programming and support institutional equity goals.
  • Ensures culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and inclusive programming that centers historically underserved and marginalized communities, using flexible service delivery modalities that promote equitable student outcomes and support PCC’s Internationalization Initiative.
  • Supports, implements, and advances PCC’s equity goals through programming, hiring practices, and staff development efforts.
  • Develops, recommends, and implements operational policies and procedures related to student engagement programs, in alignment with College policies and in consultation with the Director of Student Engagement.
  • Provides oversight for the daily operations of Student Engagement programs, including supervision of student employees, casual staff, and volunteers.
  • Supervises a district-wide team of student employees, casual staff, and volunteers; oversees recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, and disciplinary processes in compliance with College policies.
  • Leads project management for Student Engagement, including the creation of event planning tools, student leader handbooks, and process guides to support district-wide operations.
  • Serves as the primary administrator for PCC’s online student engagement platform (PantherHub); oversees training, support, and development of approval processes for event creation, group management, and other platform features for students and employees College-wide.
  • Leads outreach to expand platform usage and analytics among student groups, College departments, and campus services.
  • Collaborates with departments across PCC to ensure compliance with College, State, and Federal policies related to events, purchasing, safety, risk management, and contract negotiation.
  • Develops and maintains an annual training calendar; designs and facilitates operational trainings and workshops—under the direction of the Director of Student Engagement—for student leaders, staff, and advisors on leadership skills, engagement practices, and use of complex platforms such as PantherHub.
  • Participates in professional development activities, conferences, and knowledge communities to stay current on best practices and emerging trends in student engagement and higher education.
  • Collects, prepares, reviews, analyzes, and reports on program data; applies findings to improve programs and contribute to College-wide initiatives that promote equity and student success.
  • Under the direction of the Director of Student Engagement, researches, develops, and administers assessment structures to measure the effectiveness of student engagement programs; prepares and analyzes data to inform program improvement and strategic planning for One College initiatives.
  • Monitors assigned program budgets, prepares cost estimates, tracks expenditures, and ensures compliance with financial policies and guidelines.
  • Leads outreach, marketing, and recruitment efforts through presentations, materials development, social media, and maintenance of the online student engagement platform and website.
  • Facilitates conflict resolution among students, faculty, and staff, and refers students to additional College resources as appropriate.
  • Manages projects with flexibility and strong self-direction in a fast-paced, multi-campus environment.
  • Participates in departmental and College-wide committees, task forces, and initiatives, as assigned.
  • Performs other duties as assigned by the Director of Student Engagement.

Focus Area-Specific Responsibilities:

Student Events & Activities:

  • Develops and implements the Student Programming Board structure and One College programming model; regularly reviews and refines program board policies and procedures.
  • Advises, trains, mentors, and supervises the Student Programming Board in planning, budgeting, assessing, and marketing College-wide programs, both online and in-person.
  • Provides on-site event supervision and problem-solving support as needed.
  • Coordinates contracts, artists, and performers, ensuring compliance with College and State regulations.

Student Clubs & Organizations:

  • Develops and implements the Club Council structure and One College club model; regularly reviews and updates club policies and procedures. Serves as advisor to the Club Council.
  • Serves as the primary staff advisor for student clubs and organizations; partners with faculty, staff, and other advisors to support club operations and growth.
  • Actively attends and supports a variety of student club events to build connections and represent Student Engagement.
  • Develops and delivers training for club leaders and faculty/staff advisors on club operations, event planning, fundraising, and budget management, ensuring compliance with State and College policies.
  • Advises student clubs on event planning, travel, and risk management procedures.
  • Oversees student activity fee allocations, fundraising accounts, and financial processes for clubs and organizations.
  • Leads the use, training, and continuous improvement of the online student engagement platform; collaborates with departments to expand usage and track analytics.
  • Supports honor societies and develops strategic partnerships with academic pathways to strengthen connections between academic and co-curricular engagement.

Drive to Thrive/WOW

  • Design, implement, and assess activities for the Drive to Thrive program and Weeks of Welcome (WOW) events.
  • Coordinate event logistics, including scheduling, venue setup, supplies, staffing, and accessibility needs.
  • Develop and promote point-earning challenges to encourage student participation and retention.
  • Collaborate with faculty, staff, and student organizations to create inclusive and engaging programming.
  • Develop and execute marketing and communication plans to increase program visibility and student engagement.
  • Track participation data, analyze outcomes, and prepare reports to inform continuous improvement.
  • Provide training and resources to faculty and staff to support their understanding and involvement in Drive to Thrive and WOW initiatives.

Work Environment 

Work is performed in various settings, both on campus and off.  The position requires flexible work hours, including evenings and weekends.  Frequent travel with student leaders is required, and travel between campuses may require the use of a personal vehicle.  Work often involves extensive use of a computer, requiring long periods of time sitting and viewing a monitor.  

Physical Requirements

This position requires occasional lifting of office supplies, training materials, and computer equipment. Using a ladder at times may be required in advertising events. Incumbents may be required to drive and transport students to events.  Frequent walking, lifting, bending, and pulling of equipment is required to set up and take down equipment used for events.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Education, Psychology, Student Development, Counseling, Communications, Social Science, or related field.  Related experience may substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis.

Three years of demonstrated experience in student services or counseling in a post-secondary or adult learning environment, including coordinating, developing, and/or implementing services, systems, processes, and/or programs designed to improve persistence, retention, and student success through student engagement.

Demonstrated experience in conducting student leadership training programs, program planning and development, and needs assessment in a college or adult learning environment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

  • Student development theory and student life practices;
  • Student success, retention, and assessment strategies;
  • Meeting procedures and skill in effective time management techniques;
  • Applicable local, state and federal laws, codes, rules, and regulations;
  • Post-secondary education and student development;
  • College policies and procedures;
  • Effective gift fundraising techniques and practices;
  • Volunteer management techniques.

Skills in:

  • Delivering and developing training and other presentations;
  • Developing programs, events, and activities;
  • Public speaking and presentation skills.

Ability to:

  • Effectively communicate in oral and written form;
  • Prioritize multiple projects and work in an environment with regular interruptions.
  • Work collaboratively with diverse academic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students and staff;
  • Interpret, analyze, and evaluate complex problems to successfully recognize and define solutions;
  • Solve problems and defuse conflict situations.
  • Manage and supervise events.
  • Operate a variety of office equipment, including computers and various supporting software packages.
  • Assess needs and develop and initiate systems.
  • Be flexible, prioritize multiple projects, work independently, and be self-directed.

NEW: 07/2025