Download PDF

Emily J. Morgan

Assistant Director | Educator Program Administrator | Instructional Designer

Work History and experience

Assistant Director, University Honors Program

Colorado State University
June 2021Present

*Note:  The role of Assistant Director shifted upon the arrival of a new program director in March 2023.  This description reflects those changes, most of which is a continuation of interim director responsibilities.

  • Provide academic and administrative leadership to an 1800-student Honors Program, overseeing all aspects of curricular development, admissions, staff supervision, and faculty coordination.
  • Cultivate and maintain partnerships with various campus partners, promoting collaboration and enhancing program visibility and impact.
  • Collaborate with a diverse team of 70 faculty members, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment conducive to student growth and development.
  • Supervise a team of sixteen undergraduate student employees.  Act in a supervisory capacity to three professional admin staff.
  • Ensure consistency and clarity in all communications, avoiding jargon and using language easily understood by stakeholders from different backgrounds.
  • Demonstrate strong leadership skills, effectively managing and resolving conflicts, and promoting a positive and productive work environment.
  • Collaborate with the Admissions Office of the University to participate in larger events and initiatives, maximizing the program's visibility and reach.
  • Recruit prospective students to enhance the diversity of the University Honors Program through targeted outreach and engagement initiatives.
  • Organize and facilitate admission events and informational tours, both in-person and virtually, to provide prospective students with a comprehensive understanding of the program.
  • Create visually appealing and informative marketing, effectively showcasing the unique features and benefits of the University Honors Program.  This includes the program website, an inaugural annual report/magazine, various recruitment literature, and internal/external guides for program processes.
  • Coordinate the admissions processes, including determining admissions criteria, training faculty members to evaluate applications, monitoring admit/deny rates, and communicating with admitted students.
  • Analyze admissions reports to identify areas of improvement and make data-driven decisions to enhance the effectiveness of the admissions process.
  • Evaluate new course curricular proposals, making revisions as necessary to ensure they meet the program's standards and objectives.
  • Design and maintain a common Learning Management System (LMS) shell used program-wide, establishing a consistent program brand and providing students with cohesive learning experiences.
  • Review faculty courses and syllabi, evaluating their alignment with program objectives and providing feedback for improvement.
  • Facilitate professional development opportunities for Honors faculty, organizing workshops and seminars to enhance their teaching skills and knowledge.
  • Schedule approximately 200 seminars per acdemic year, analyzing enrollment trends to determine programmatic needs and ensure optimal student participation.

Interim Director, University Honors Program

Colorado State University
June 2022March 2023
  • Provided academic and administrative leadership to an 1800-student Honors Program, overseeing all aspects of curricular development, financial management, scholarship administration, admissions, staff supervision, and faculty coordination.
  • Managed a budget of $1 million, ensuring efficient allocation of resources and adherence to financial guidelines.
  • Facilitated the dispensation of approximately $50,000 in scholarships and enrichment awards annually, supporting student success and fostering a culture of academic excellence.
  • Cultivated and maintained partnerships with various campus departments and organizations, promoting collaboration and enhancing program visibility and impact.
  • Collaborated with a diverse team of 70 faculty members and 10 staff, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment conducive to student growth and development.
  • Ensured consistency and clarity in all communications, avoiding jargon and using language easily understood by stakeholders from different backgrounds.
  • Maintained accurate and up-to-date documentation, facilitating smooth operations and effective knowledge transfer within the program.
  • Demonstrated strong leadership skills, effectively managing and resolving conflicts, and promoting a positive and productive work environment.
  • Created and hired a new position to expand advising team.
  • Supervised 3 pro admin staff, 2 state classified staff, 18 undergraduate employees.
  • Performed all Assistant Director responsibilities during interim period.

Composition Program Coordinator; Executive Assistant to Department Chair of English

Colorado State University, Department of English
2018June 2021
  • Managed the scheduling of approximately 600 courses per academic year, analyzing enrollment trends to determine the appropriate number of sections and assigning instructors accordingly.
  • Implemented and facilitated special projects, adhering to project management fundamentals and ensuring timely completion and successful outcomes.
  • Designed documents for faculty and students, offering clear, concise, and meaningful instruction and information.
  • Created, implemented, and facilitated evaluation processes for various ranks of instructors, ensuring fair and consistent assessments.
  • Reviewed Composition curriculum to ensure alignment with institutional and state goals, meeting all standards and objectives.
  • Determined and awarded Composition transfer equivalencies, facilitating seamless credit transfers for students.
  • Facilitated Composition-related registration needs, providing support and guidance to students and faculty.
  • Coordinated and facilitated faculty hiring processes, from the beginning of the search to the onboarding of new hires.
  • Supervised two employees, ensuring smooth daily office operations and fostering a positive work environment.

Instructional Designer

University of Northern Colorado
20152018
  • Collaborated with faculty to design, develop, and revise course curriculum for online and hybrid classes, ensuring adherence to quality standards, best practices, and effective use of technology.
  • Coordinated the implementation of the Quality Matters program for all online and hybrid classes.
  • Created and delivered professional development workshops, consultations, and instructional materials to enhance faculty skills and knowledge.
  • Managed the university-wide implementation of a new Learning Management System (LMS), including the development and rollout of training and professional development materials.
  • Provided IT support to faculty, troubleshooting issues and leveraging the LMS to create engaging and meaningful educational experiences.
  • Collected and analyzed data on professional development and student success, using the insights to drive continuous improvement.
  • Collaborated with third-party vendors to enhance educational experiences and leverage external resources.

Special Instructor of Composition Administration

Colorado State University
June 2008Dec 2015
  • Collaboratively designed and wrote a nationally recognized first-year Composition curriculum, widely adopted at Colorado State University and other higher education institutions.
  • Trained, supervised, and mentored new instructors, providing them with curriculum materials and numerous professional development opportunities and workshops.
  • Created a common College Composition course template using the Learning Management System Canvas, ensuring ADA accessibility for all included materials.
  • Conducted observations of instructors to ensure effective teaching strategies were applied, making recommendations for course design and curriculum delivery when necessary.
  • Participated in various hiring committees, selection committees, evaluation committees, and assessment committees.

Assistant Director of Composition

Colorado State University
20132014

This was a special request position, funded and sustained for one year.

  • Established a centralized location to house the institutional knowledge and history of a growing and evolving Composition program.
  • Created a textbook review and recommendation guideline for Composition faculty.
  • Established connections between Composition and other campus programs.
  • Coordinated and assisted with First-Year Composition Professional Development.
  • Facilitated NCTEs "Listening Tours" initiative among first-year writing communities.

Education

Master of Arts in English

University of Northern Colorado
December 2006

Recipient of the Dean's Citation for Excellence Award

Recipient of the Dean's Outstanding Thesis Award.

Commencement speaker.

Bachelor of Arts in English Education

Colorado State University
December 2001

Graduated Cum Laude

Phi Beta Kappa, Golden Key National Honors Society