Associate Provost for Cooperative Education and Professional Studies

New Mexico State University; Las Cruces (NM); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

New Mexico State University seeks an Associate Provost for Cooperative Education and Professional Studies to advance experiential learning, internships, and professional programs across the campus. The role leads program design, employer engagement, and data-driven evaluation to expand access, workforce readiness, and community impact for undergraduate and graduate students.

The incumbent will collaborate with faculty and administrators to secure funding, build partnerships, and ensure inclusive

Qualifications

• Experience leading cooperative/experience-based learning initiatives.
• Proven ability to recruit and retain diverse students, faculty, and staff.
• Demonstrated commitment to student success across access, retention, and graduation.
• Experience in budget planning, management, and fiscal responsibility.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for collaboration with faculty, staff, students, and partners.
• Experience in fundraising and building partnerships with community partners and alumni.
• Federal and state grant-writing experience supporting workforce development and cooperative education.
• Deep understanding of cooperative education models, internships, professional studies curricula, and high‑impact practices.
• Experience supporting entrepreneurial innovations to generate revenue.
• Knowledge of reappointment, promotion, and tenure processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic vision and direction for cooperative education and professional studies.
• Lead design, implementation, and continuous improvement of programs.
• Develop and sustain relationships with employers, community organizations, and government agencies.
• Collaborate with faculty, deans, and department heads to integrate applied learning and pedagogical innovation.
• Ensure programs are inclusive, accessible, and supportive for all students.
• Establish metrics, data collection, evaluation practices, and reporting structures.
• Oversee budgets, staffing, policies, and operational processes.
• Represent NMSU as an ambassador for experiential learning and workforce development.

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Collaboration

Leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

Associate Provost for Cooperative Education and Professional Studies

Reporting to the Provost, the Associate Provost for Cooperative Education and Professional Studies serves as a senior academic leader whose visionary approach advances New Mexico State University’s land‑grant mission by expanding high‑impact, career‑connected learning opportunities for all students. This role provides strategic vision and operational leadership for cooperative education, internships, professional studies programs, and employer engagement initiatives that strengthen student success, workforce and career readiness, and community impact.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic vision and direction for cooperative education and professional studies, aligning programs with institutional goals.
• Lead design, implementation, and continuous improvement of cooperative education, internship, and professional studies programs.
• Develop and sustain relationships with employers, community organizations, and government agencies.
• Collaborate with faculty, deans, and department heads to integrate applied learning and support pedagogical innovation.
• Ensure programs are inclusive, accessible, and supportive for all undergraduate and graduate students, focusing on reducing barriers for historically underserved populations.
• Establish metrics, data collection processes, evaluation practices, and reporting structures to assess program effectiveness.
• Oversee budgets, staffing, policies, and operational processes for effective delivery of programs.
• Represent NMSU as an ambassador for experiential learning, workforce development, and professional education.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years progressive administrative leadership experience in cooperative and experience‑based learning.
• Record of recruitment and retention of diverse students, faculty, and staff in an inclusive community.
• Demonstrated commitment to student success across all academic phases (access, retention, graduation).
• Experience in budget planning, management, and fiscal responsibility.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills that foster collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community leaders.
• Experience in fundraising and partnership development with community partners and alumni.
• Federal and state grant‑writing experience supporting innovations in workforce development and cooperative education.
• Deep understanding of cooperative education models, internship structures, professional studies curricula, and high‑impact educational practices.
• Experience supporting entrepreneurial innovations to generate revenue.
• Knowledge of reappointment, promotion, and tenure processes.

Commitments

• Continuous improvement in community‑based and experience‑based scholarship, teaching, and service.
• Shared governance and transparency in decision making.
• Empowering faculty and staff and encouraging interdisciplinary efforts.
• Creating and sustaining student‑centered and community‑centered practices.
• Partnering with the Provost and other administrators to address challenges and opportunities.
• Forecasting and preparing for the changing higher education landscape.
• Building interdisciplinary partnerships with other colleges at the university.
• Partnering with the community to fulfill the university’s vision of premier service in the Southwest.