Education Program Specialist Supervisor, Center for the Performing Arts

The Center for the Performing Arts (CPA) at Penn State seeks an Education Program Specialist Supervisor to lead its community engagement, arts education, academic integration, and student workforce development initiatives.

Through collaboration with campus and community partners, this role creates sequenced learning pathways that connect individuals of all ages to CPA programming and deepens the educational impact of the performing arts.

As a key relationship builder and program leader, the Education Program Specialist Supervisor cultivates partnerships with schools, faculty, libraries, senior centers, municipal agencies, and community organizations to expand access and engagement.

The role designs learning experiences that support student success, strengthen community connections, and position CPA as a catalyst for learning, participation, and cultural collaboration.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Community Partnerships & Participant Engagement

  Build and sustain strategic partnerships with schools, libraries, community organizations, municipal partners, and Penn State co-curricular and academic units to expand access to arts learning and engagement opportunities. Develop community-responsive learning initiatives that strengthen CPA's role as a campus and community convener and deepen relationships with a variety of audiences. Occasional local and regional travel is expected to visit community partners and work events.

• Student Workforce Development & Experiential Learning

  Design and lead CPA’s experiential learning and student workforce development programs, creating pathways from entry-level participation to advanced internships, leadership opportunities, and career readiness experiences. Collaborate with academic and campus partners to align experiential learning opportunities with academic credit, certificates, and professional development goals.

• Academic Integration & Educational Programming

  Develop and implement academic integration strategies that connect CPA programming with curricula, faculty engagement, internships, and educational outcomes across disciplines. Translate artistic programming into meaningful learning experiences for students, educators, and community participants.

• PreK-12 Education & Arts Integration

  Lead CPA’s PreK-12 education strategy, including student matinee programs, arts integration initiatives, and sustained learning pathways for schools and educators. Ensure educational programs are aligned with curricular goals, teacher needs, and long-term engagement outcomes.

• Leadership, Assessment, & Operations

  Directly supervise the Arts Engagement Coordinator, who has shared responsibilities in Penn State’s Office of Student Affairs. Provide mentorship, scheduling oversight through workforce scheduling systems (i.e., When To Work ), performance feedback, and professional development support for student employees. Manage departmental budgets, assessment activities, and reporting related to participation, learning outcomes, and community impact. Foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, innovation, and responsive engagement practices.
  
  Important Note:
  
  Due to the schedule of events at the CPA, this position requires regular evening hours and occasional weekend work.

• Outstanding project management, organizational, and administrative skills, including the ability to manage multiple initiatives and professional relationships simultaneously
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders
• Demonstrated initiative, attention to detail, reliability, adaptability, and success in completing projects on time while responding to changing priorities
• Experience working with educators or higher education faculty
• Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and assess programs that connect arts experiences to learning, civic life, wellbeing, or career development
• Experience creating experiential learning, internship, workforce development, or credential-aligned pathways for students
• Experience with program assessment, participation tracking, and reporting on…