When topics of diversity in postsecondary education are debated, the diversity of nonacademic staff is often overlooked. State University of New York at Oneonta (SUNY Oneonta) noticed that its diverse student body interacts daily with staff members in campus offices; however, these highly visible positions lack diversity, resulting in students possibly not perceiving higher education as a career path for themselves. SUNY Oneonta in Oneonta, New York, saw an opportunity to retain promising students, offer first job experiences in higher education, and diversify its campus workforce to reflect its student body.
The university created the Dragon Corp Program, a pipeline initiative designed to recruit graduating SUNY Oneonta students from historically underrepresented groups into postsecondary education careers. The program offers SUNY Oneonta students entry-level positions across four campus divisions: Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Finance and Administration, and Equity and Inclusion.
To give these new employees a foundational understanding of postsecondary education’s trends, goals, policies, and structures, the Dragon Corp Program offers them a micro-credential that provides a broad overview of campus-focused topics such as Title IX reporting and campus policies, health and wellness, and organizational culture. Through this experience, the new employees can discover the areas that best match their interests and talents as they consider pursuing a career in postsecondary education.
The Dragon Corp Program was initiated in spring 2023. In its first year of implementation, six diverse SUNY Oneonta graduates were hired to open positions. Five graduates in a second cohort were hired in spring 2024. The program provides each member specially designed professional development activities, including mentoring, leadership workshops, and career planning opportunities. Mentors are assigned to each program participant as they transition from being a student to becoming a professional on campus.
The Dragon Corp Program’s success is closely measured qualitatively and quantitatively through performance plans that participants and their supervisors create, update, and evaluate regularly. The program plans to keep track of the employees as they make future career path choices at SUNY Oneonta, other institutions of postsecondary education, or alternative industries. An open channel of feedback from program participants is encouraged to provide organizers with a deeper understanding of the program’s successes and areas that can be improved or expanded.
The Dragon Corp Program has the potential to provide recent SUNY Oneonta graduates with opportunities to explore careers in higher education with support and mentorship not usually available through traditional hiring and employee retention processes. Additionally, SUNY Oneonta benefits from increasing the diversity of its community of students, faculty, and staff members and experiencing firsthand the value of equity and inclusion practices.
A welcoming, supportive community is key to retaining students, faculty, and staff members. As undergraduate students are increasingly demanding greater career guidance from their colleges and universities, early career pipeline programs such as the Dragon Corp Program are key to promoting post-graduate success and building diverse, inclusive communities within higher education.
Questions about the program can be directed to Dr. Bernadette Tiapo, vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion and chief diversity officer at SUNY Oneonta, at Bernadette.Tiapo@oneonta.edu.
“The Dragon Corp Program gave me the opportunity to successfully land my first professional job after graduation and explore whether higher education is the path that speaks to who and where I want to be. I feel as though I am getting more professional support and networking opportunities than my friends in similar positions in life.”
Andrew Dawson, volunteer coordinator, Center for Social Responsibility & Community, State University of New York College at Oneonta
“The program has been a very positive experience for me. Through this program, I not only gained professional connections and developed my skills, but I also gained a profound and new understanding of what it truly means to work in higher education. Working in my current department, I have been introduced to a different point of view of student life in college and have learned how many different departments work together to assist students on their path. There is also much support that we receive that is needed as a young professional.”
Maria Solis Bonilla, testing center coordinator, Office of Accessibility Resources, State University of New York College at Oneonta
“The Dragon Corp Program has furthered my understanding of the higher education sector. I acquired knowledge about higher education during my three years at Oneonta while pursuing my bachelor’s degree in early childhood/childhood education and by being involved in various clubs and programs. As I leave behind my life as a student and enter the workforce as a higher education professional, receiving support has been important to me. The Dragon Corp Program provided me the support I needed through weekly meetings over the summer, assigned mentors during the academic year, and a cohort of other new professionals.”
Rachel Germain, financial wellness assistant, State University of New York College at Oneonta
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