Assistant Dean & Director, International Student Center

Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:

Swarthmore’s International Student Center (ISC) provides leadership for the College’s programs and services for international students, Americans living abroad, permanent residents, Dual Citizens, and DACA/Undocumented Students. The Center assumes broad responsibility for the creation of a supportive environment to ensure international students feel supported as they progress through the college experience.

The opportunity:

Swarthmore College seeks an Assistant Dean and Director of the International Student Center, a senior member of the Division of Student Affairs (DoSA) who provides leadership and strategic oversight of all aspects of the International Student Center. The Director plays an important role in advising international students and faculty on compliance with various U.S. government visa and immigration regulations. The Director acts as the College’s Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) for the F program and the Alternate Responsible Officer for the J program. The Director provides and maintains all immigration records and ensures institutional compliance regarding international students and scholars. 

Reporting to the Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence, the Director serves on the Division of Student Affairs (DoSA) Leadership Team as the liaison for the international student population to the development of priorities, strategies, and plans to improve the international student experience at Swarthmore. The Director develops programs and services that support international students and, in collaboration with campus departments, plays an important role in advising international faculty and staff on visa and immigration matters. The Director provides direct supervision, mentoring, and evaluations for the Student & Scholar Immigration Specialist, International Student Adviser/Undocumented Adviser, Orientation Leaders, and ISC student interns.

In addition, the Director serves as a resource to the President’s Office, the Provost’s Office, the Sanctuary Committee, Admissions, Office of the General Counsel, Global Engagement Office (GEO), and the College as a whole on matters concerning Swarthmore international students, current legislation, and government regulations that directly impact international students at Swarthmore. The Director also assists DACA/Undocumented students and provides outreach, advocacy, intervention, support, and referrals to relevant campus and community resources.

As a Student Dean, the Director provides sustained academic and personal support to an ongoing caseload of students. Assists with course registration and helps develop successful retention programs. Track and identify students who are having academic difficulties and intervene creatively. Case-manage students involved in the leave/return or academic review processes. Respond to academic concerns from faculty. Collaborate with faculty and staff to connect students to support services. Serve as a pre-major academic advisor, helping students recognize and achieve their educational goals. Identify at-risk student scenarios and highlight opportunities for academic success. Assist first-generation, low-income, DACAmented, and undocumented students in building community, finding support, and taking advantage of college resources. Provide educational guidance, assessment, and program reviews to continuously develop action plans for academic success.

Essential Responsibilities

Director of the International Student Center

Manage and ensure immigration and regulatory compliance for Swarthmore College.

Serve as the Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) for SEVIS and Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) for the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program. Ensure data integrity, manage Terra Dotta, and oversee routine functions (I-20 issuance, semester registrations, travel signatures, CPT, and OPT).

Manage a broad range of immigration and visa cases (F-1, J-1, TN, O-1, G-4, etc.). Review financial certifications and collaborate with Admissions and Financial Aid on pre-arrival logistics.

Monitor the academic progress of international students and regularly report required data to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) via SEVIS.

Collaborate with other DSOs to ensure consistent protocol regarding policies and procedures.

Keep current with changes in immigration regulations and upgrades in SEVIS in order to ensure that local, state, and federal guidelines and objectives are met.

Create forms, communications, and training materials to facilitate F-1 and J-1 processing needs and oversee J-1 reporting.

Advise international faculty, staff, and invited non-U.S. citizens on visa requirements and institutional sponsor obligations. Serve as the primary liaison to government agencies (e.g., PennDOT, Social Security Administration).

Provide direct leadership, management, and mentorship to professional and student staff, supervising the Student & Scholar Immigration Specialist and advisors.

Coordinate and develop student-centered programs that promote and sustain international student success and well-being with intentionality and enthusiasm while fostering an environment that deepens the understanding of individual students’ identity, culture and heritage. 

Provide an international orientation, which precedes the general new student orientation in the fall, and other international student activities and programs throughout the academic year. Orientation includes Americans living abroad.

Establish and maintain relationships with alumni, community members, faculty, and other stakeholders involved in engaging various departments and supporting student services and programs.

Participate in Division of Student Affairs (DoSA) meetings, committees, and initiatives, producing comprehensive monthly and annual assessment reports.

Work collaboratively with various campus offices, including: Intercultural Center, Black Cultural Center, Gender and Sexuality Center, Interfaith Center, First Generation, Low Income Office, Career Services, Global Engagement Office, Provost office, and Advancement/Alumni.

Advise and mentor international students, serving as an advocate for international student well-being and success, inclusive of visa regulations, employment authorizations, orientation, financial wellness, health insurance, and personal counseling, including Americans living abroad, permanent residents, and DACA/undocumented students.

Assist in ongoing efforts to support a campus climate that embraces and values cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity while providing leadership efforts that relate to multicultural learning, understanding, and communication.

Serve as a United World College (UWC) Liaison.

 Student Dean

Responsible for providing support on academic, personal, and disciplinary matters to a cadre of students each year.

Provides advising, counseling, or referral as appropriate; monitors the student’s progress and provides ongoing coaching and support to ensure problems are addressed.

Track and identify students facing academic difficulties; develop creative retention strategies and manage cases involving leaves of absence, returns, or academic review processes.

Communicates and collaborates with faculty regarding students’ absence from class, missed coursework, academic struggles, and/or other personal emergencies affecting academic performance.

Meet with students as necessary for individual advising and mentoring.

Serve as a pre-major academic advisor helping students navigate campus resources and achieve educational goals.

Responds to and supports students experiencing personal and/or health emergencies; involves after-hours (nights and weekends) work as necessary.

Assists in advising students with academic and/or personal stressors; works closely with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and with Student Health and Wellness staff to address serious mental health or physical challenges.

Provides sensitive and timely information regarding resources and options (both on- and off-campus) available to students.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Directly supervises two team members:

1 full-time Student & Scholar Immigration Specialist

1 full-time hourly International Student Coordinator/Undocumented Student Advisor

Effectively performs the following:

Organize workflow and ensure the employee understands their duties or delegated tasks.

Ensure staff have professional development plans in place.

Communicate key issues and information to staff members.

Provide fair, constructive, and timely feedback and coaching to drive performance and work toward established goals developed during the annual performance assessment process.

In partnership with Human Resources, follow disciplinary procedures as established in accordance with the employee handbook.

Participate in supervisory training opportunities.

Maintains a safe, diverse, and inclusive work environment.

Who you are:

Demonstrated commitment to inclusive excellence by supporting international students and sensitivity to the needs of a diverse student population.

Superior oral and written communication skills to navigate language barriers and engage effectively with senior leadership, faculty, and prospective families.

Professional presence with the ability to present confidently to diverse audiences and senior leadership.

Deep understanding of the intellectual, emotional, and social development of undergraduate students within a rigorous academic environment.

Strong individual accountability, exceptional organizational skills, meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to maintain composure and stability under pressure.

Proficient in planning, organizing, and delivering impactful cultural, social, and educational student programming.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

Master’s degree required.

Minimum of 6 years of progressive leadership and supervisory experience in international student and scholar services within higher education.

U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status is required by the Department of Homeland Security to qualify to serve as a Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) and Responsible Officer.

Solid understanding of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Department of State (DOS) regulations and requirements as applied to international students, primarily F-1.

Ability to comprehend, analyze, and apply immigration regulations, including the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

Strong interpersonal and management skills that promote trust, effective communication, positive working relationships, participation, teamwork, and problem solving. Ability to teach and train others and to lead in a collaborative manner.

Preferred Qualifications

Prior experience serving as a Director or Dean of academic/personal development in a higher education setting.

Proven skill in conflict resolution and negotiating positive outcomes to minimize institutional risk.

Active professional engagement (e.g., NAFSA, publications, continuing education) to remain current on shifting immigration landscapes.

The vision to understand and appreciate the intellectual, social, and political development of undergraduate students.

Deep self-awareness regarding power dynamics and a demonstrated ability to build trusting, supportive environments for historically marginalized or specialized student populations.

What You Will Get:

You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.

We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with an uploaded resume, including a cover letter, by July 27, 2026. Applications received after this date may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the job has been filled. A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. If you have experience that meets any of the preferred qualifications, please include a detailed explanation of any such experience in your cover letter and how it meets the preferred qualification(s).

The market range for this position is $95,000-$110,000 per year, which represents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting. The salary offered is determined based on factors including, but not limited to, experience and education of the final selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.

Act 153 Clearance Required by Position  

This position may regularly interact with minors. Under Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law, (23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§6301, et seq.) employees who have direct contact with minors are required to obtain the following background clearances prior to the start of employment:

Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) through the Pennsylvania State Police

Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (PACA) through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

FBI Criminal History Background Check (FBI Fingerprint).

Education Verification Required by Position

An education verification is required for this position because a college degree is a required qualification for this position.

Preview our Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.

Swarthmore College is committed to creating a culture of respect and inclusion so that every member of our community feels a sense of belonging. We actively seek and welcome candidates with diverse perspectives and experiences, exceptional qualifications, and a demonstrable commitment to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any identity or characteristic protected by law or College Policy.