Cheuse Center Interim Director/Term Visiting Professor

Cheuse Center Interim Director/Term Visiting Professor

The George Mason University English Department, invites applications for the position of Interim Director of the Alan Cheuse Center for International Writers for the 22-23 academic year, with the opportunity for other duties subsequently.

About the Cheuse Center:

Founded in 2016 the Cheuse Center supports international writers and translators to gain a broader American audience and provides Mason MFA students travel fellowships in order to pursue international creative projects. The Center works to cultivate a diverse, equitable, and inclusive academic environment at Mason. Named in honor of Alan Cheuse, the late American writer and cultural commentator who taught at George Mason for almost 30 years, the Cheuse Center is one of three literary centers dedicated to promoting international writers and their work in the U.S. The Cheuse Center is housed in Watershed Lit: Center for Literary Engagement and Publishing Practice, a vibrant literary institution enriching the artistic and intellectual communities of George Mason University, the metropolitan region of Washington, D.C., and literary organizations around the globe. As it seeks to meet its goals and objectives, the Cheuse Center has the backing not only of the English Department but also of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), of which the department, Watershed Lit and the Center are part.

About the English Department:

Mason’s English Department is home to a a diverse and collegial faculty committed to excellence, innovation, community and public service, inclusion, and social equity. Located just 15 miles from Washington, D.C., we offer undergraduates the opportunity to concentrate in a range of areas: Literature, Creative Writing, Cultural Studies, Folklore and Mythology, Film and Media Studies, Linguistics, and Writing and Rhetoric. Along with a BA, we award the only BFA in creative writing in Virginia. Our graduate curriculum includes MA and MFA programs in several disciplines, along with Ph.D. programs in Linguistics and Writing and Rhetoric. The majority of our classes are small (27 students or fewer), creating the feel of a small liberal arts college while simultaneously providing students the benefits that come with studying at Virginia’s largest state university. For additional information about our department, please visit https://english.gmu.edu/.

George Mason University is the largest and most diverse public institution in Virginia and one of the most diverse nationwide. Its faculty, staff, and students work collaboratively to build a foundation that allows for a diversity of cultures, opinions, and perspectives to flourish. Mason’s inclusivity draws from across the U.S. and the globe and helps create the framework that is representative of the vibrant landscape in which it resides.

Responsibilities:

• Report to the Chair of English and be part of the Watershed Lit: Center for Literary Engagement and Publishing Practice;
• Direct the daily operations and planning for the Center, including arranging international writer visits and coordinating with Mason creative writing faculty to select and send students to other countries based on projects the students propose;
• Create programs that will serve the Mason and general community;
• Lead fundraising efforts to support the Center’s programs by serving as the point person for fundraising, grant opportunities, and organizing events;
• Represent the Center and its goals to various groups and sponsor agencies or businesses, including cultural attaches at embassies, area business leaders, and community and government agencies;
• Work with the Cheuse Center advisory board, a group of writers and community members dedicated to promoting programming and sustaining the Center;
• Help create models for student writing projects that benefit from international travel;
• Teach formal courses (2:2 teaching load) that integrate the activities of the Center. For instance, a course that would benefit student writers undertaking international travel or cognitively developing their travel experiences as post-travel writing, both formal and creative.

Required Qualifications:

• A. in Creative Writing, Literature, Arts Management or related field, or equivalent publication record in creative writing;
• Experience with fundraising work that would enable the successful candidate to work in collaboration with the CHSS professional development team;
• Experience planning and executing public programs;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
• Demonstrated teaching ability.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Terminal degree (M.F.A. or Ph.D.);
• History of successful grant funded projects;
• Passion/expertise with international literature;
• Experience in a nonprofit arts organization;
• Strategic thinking and resourcefulness;
• Experience working with senior executives, volunteers, senior administration and faculty; and
• Experience in an international literary center.

For full consideration, applicants must apply by June 21, 2022.

Special Instructions to Applicants    

For full consideration, applicants must apply for position number F5792z at https://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; and upload a cover letter, CV, and a list of three professional references with contact information.

George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.