Student Engagement & Event Coordinator

Widener University; Harrisburg (Dauphin County); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Widener University Commonwealth Law School seeks a dedicated Student Engagement and Events Coordinator to design, manage, and execute co-curricular programs that enhance student life and professional growth. You will oversee student organizations, plan campus events, and ensure a welcoming, inclusive community.

Reporting to the Assistant Dean of Students, you will handle logistics, budgeting, and staff training for events and activities across the law school and offsite venues.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 3+ years arranging event logistics including catering, registration, and site setup.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent project-management skills and ability to manage timelines.
• Proficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Ability to work with diverse populations and build relationships.
• Experience budgeting and delivering customer service.

Responsibilities

• Manage student activities calendar to prevent conflicts.
• Coordinate campus events and alumni activities, including registrations and venues.
• Oversee catering, meals, drinks, and other refreshments for events.
• Train students on expense reports and documentation.
• Plan large-scale events for incoming class and student body.
• Coordinate Alumni Association meetings and related events.
• Evaluate programming effectiveness and identify improvements.

Skills

Strong organizational skills

Excellent written and verbal comms

Project-management

Interpersonal skills

Budgeting

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Flyer design software

Event management software

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Widener University Commonwealth Law School is currently seeking a Student Engagement and Events Coordinator. Reporting to the Assistant Dean of Students, the Student Engagement and Events Coordinator designs, manages, and executes co-curricular programs to enhance student life and professional development. This role oversees student organizations, coordinates campus functions, manages event logistics, and ensures a welcoming, inclusive community.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (including, but not limited to)

Essential Duties:

Student Engagement

• Manage student activities calendar to prevent conflicting programming.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Dean of Students and student leaders to develop policies that support safe, inclusive, and fiscally responsible programming.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Dean of Students and student leaders to develop robust and inclusive programming that enhances the student experience at the law school.

Events

• Handle logistical aspects of employee, student and alumni events, programs and activities, including, but not limited to attendee registrations, printed programs, booking offsite event space, outside vendors, room reservations, hotel reservations, travel arrangements, tracking RSVPs, audiovisual needs, parking, and other on-site key components of programs and events.
• Coordinate, order, arrange (and as necessary, pick-up), all catering, meals, reception food, coffee, alcohol, soft drinks, water and any other food, snacks and refreshments, for internal and external events, meals, activities and meetings both at the Law School and at offsite events.
• Work with student leaders to understand budget management and appropriate financial stewardship.
• Train students with the preparation of expense reports and the gathering of supporting documentation.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Dean of Students to plan and implement large scale events for the incoming class, student body and other related student events.
• Schedule and coordinate quarterly and special meetings of the WLC Alumni Association Board, alumni engagement events and other alumni events.
• Assess and evaluate effectiveness of programming and identify areas of improvement.
• Serve as Continuing Legal Education (CLE) point of contact, working directly with the PA CLE Board. Seek approval of any program or event eligible for CLE credit; maintain the PA CLE Board CLE approval to authorize CLE credit; track and coordinate the awarding of CLE credit to attendees and participants.

Secondary Responsibilities:

• Develop and coordinate publicity for law school events including email distributions and promotion to outside organizations.
• Manage and edit web content related to all law school events
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned or directed to support departmental needs and align with the mission, values and goals of the Commonwealth Law School Student Services and Widener University.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (education/training and experience required):

Required:

• Bachelor's degree.
• Three (3+) years of experience in arranging the logistics of events, including catering, registration, and site setup. An equivalent combination of experience and education may be considered.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent project-management skills, including experience managing timelines and multiple projects.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Ability to work with teams to accomplish goals.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work with diverse populations.
• Possess strong relationship building experience.
• Ability to articulate the University's mission and values.
• Highly adept at identifying potential issues related to events, recommending options and implementing solutions.
• Relative and resourceful approach to planning and execution.
• Experience in crafting and managing a budget.
• Commitment to delivering excellent customer service.

Preferred:

• Experience working within a higher education environment, preferably law school events.
• Experience with both on-site and off-premises event planning.
• Experience with software to prepare flyers, invitations, and posters.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR UNUSUAL HOURS:

• Ability to sit at a desk or workstation and use a computer for extended periods (two or more hours at a time).
• Requires basic manual dexterity, the ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds, and mobility to travel between workstations and multiple campus buildings.
• Requires regular standing, walking, and stair climbing, as well as occasional bending, stooping, and kneeling.
• Must have a valid driver's license.
• Some evening and weekend work will be required to support student events.

and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Widener University is committed to fostering an inclusive community in which faculty, staff, and students from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and personal experiences are welcomed and can thrive. We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to age, color, national origin, race, religion, disability, veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or status as a protected veteran.

Some positions may be eligible for a hybrid or remote work arrangement that may include a partially or fully remote work location, consistent with Widener's Flexible Work policy.

Widener University, an independent, metropolitan, doctoral-intensive university, connects curricula to social issues through civic engagement. Dynamic teaching, active scholarship, personal attention and experiential learning are key components of the Widener Experience. Located in Chester, PA, Widener's main campus is nestled between Philadelphia, PA and Wilmington, DE, with Law Schools located in both Harrisburg and Wilmington. For more information about the university, please visit our website at www.widener.edu.

EOE M/F/V/D