Rider named a most promising place to work in student affairs

Rider University has been selected as one of the 2021 Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs by the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) in partnership with Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

Rider was the only institution in New Jersey selected for the prestigious recognition and among only 30 colleges and universities nationwide. For the eighth year in a row, ACPA and Diverse conducted a survey to examine categories such as family friendliness, salary, benefits and professional development opportunities, among others. The survey also specifically focused on institutions' workplace diversity, staffing practices and work environments that promote inclusive excellence.

"We are extremely proud to be recognized as a most promising place to work in student affairs," says Dr. Leanna Fenneberg, vice president for student affairs. "This award truly celebrates the vital work our division undertakes every day to positively impact Rider's culture."

Rider's Division of Student Affairs’ strategic plan supports the University’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by focusing on goals to uplift and support underrepresented, underresourced and/or marginalized students, advance multicultural understanding for all students, and contribute meaningfully to institutional issues that promote equity and inclusion.

Student Affairs has been a leading force contributing to the University's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. In 2019, Rider launched its Inclusive Excellence Plan, which set forth explicit goals around institutional inclusion. The plan, in alignment with the University's strategic plan, is committed to an inclusive, vibrant living and learning community that embraces students, faculty and staff of all backgrounds and enables them to achieve success. Additionally, the plan emphasizes being an employer of choice. 

“This accolade also underscores Rider’s commitment to supporting staff in significant ways,” Fenneberg says. “A key to uplifting the potential of students of all backgrounds and identities is to surround them with staff that share similar identities and who consistently demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. This recognition uplifts an exemplary team of valued individuals who are continuously contributing to positive change.”

This acknowledgement accompanies a number of other recent ones; Rider was recently recognized as a First-gen Forward Institution and received four out of five stars on the Campus Pride Index, a national listing of LGBTQ+ friendly colleges and universities.

The full report of the 2021 Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs was published in the June 10 edition of Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. Diverse is the only bi-weekly newsmagazine focusing on matters of access, diversity, inclusion and opportunity for all in higher education. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., at the National Center for Higher Education, ACPA is the leading comprehensive student affairs association that advances student affairs and engages students for a lifetime of learning and discovery.