Indigenous Outreach & Recruitment Coordinator

OCAD University acknowledges the ancestral territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabeg and the Huron-Wendat, who are the original owners and custodians of the land on which we live, work and create. OCAD University, Canada’s largest and oldest art and design university, is a vibrant community of bold, curious and compassionate artists, designers and scholars who are imagining and creating a joyful, equitable and sustainable world.

The University is an internationally renowned hub for art, design, digital media, research, innovation and creativity, and arts administration. It embraces collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches to change-making through art, design-thinking curriculum and research, making OCAD U a local, regional, national and global leader in art and design.
It is an exciting time to join the OCAD U community as the University is at a key stage in its institutional transformation, with the implementation of its Academic and Strategic Plan and guiding principles — driving positive impact; decolonization, indigenization and equity; environmental sustainability; emerging as a vibrant hub; student centered approaches; innovation in learning teaching and research; and financial stewardship.

Reporting to the Manager, Indigenous Student Centre, the Indigenous Outreach & Recruitment Coordinator works to create pathways for learners and their supporters/families to access, engage, and thrive within post-secondary education at OCAD University (OCAD U). The Coordinator develops and delivers outreach programming and engagement activities and provides information about OCAD U’s application supports, funding supports, academic programs and on campus services available to Indigenous students.

Working closely with the Indigenous Student Centre (ISC) Indigenous Admissions & Recruitment Assistant and the Admissions & Recruitment Office, the Coordinator supports Indigenous learners throughout the application, transition, and enrollment processes into OCAD U’s programs.

Mutual Responsibilities with Admissions & Recruitment:

• Support Indigenous learners as they navigate pathways to OCAD U; meeting with prospective Indigenous learners and their supporters/families individually and in groups to provide support and advising, ensuring access to relevant holistic and wrap-around supports both on and off campus
• Respond to inquiries from prospective Indigenous learners and their supporters/families; advocating for applicants and if needed, present special cases for consideration
• Maintain current knowledge of all OCAD U programs, admissions processes, supports, and student services; including an understanding of barriers and challenges faced by prospective Indigenous students, applicants, and admitted students
• Identify and promote entrance awards, scholarships and bursaries available to Indigenous students
• Support the tracking of recruitment-related expenses and documentation, in accordance with approved budgets and ensuring compliance with OCAD U Travel, Meal and Hospitality Policy
• Support the evaluation of recruitment and outreach activities through data collection, documentation, and report writing
• Track and respond to applicant and community-based organizations and educator inquiries using the CRM database (Slate)
• Contribute to the development of diversity, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility (DEIA) strategies throughout all programs, services, and communications

In Consultation With Admissions & Recruitment

• In collaboration with the A&R team and Manager, ISC, develop, plan, and deliver community-based initiatives and programming, both on and off campus, collaborating with school, community organizations, campus partners, and attending recruitment events to deliver presentations and develop relationships with schools and organizations
• Collaborate with the ISC team and the Indigenous Admissions & Recruitment Assistant to identify non-academic supports (e.g. financial aid, housing, childcare and community resources) for Indigenous learners applying; support Indigenous applicants as they transition to OCAD U’s downtown Toronto…