Supervisors as Educators and Mentors
Supervisors as Educators
Supervisors serve as practical educators within Berea's Work College Program, a comprehensive model recognized under federal Work College legislation. In this role, supervisors use the learning outcomes tied to their departmental assignments to help students develop transferable skills, such as teamwork, initiative, reliability, and position-specific expertise.
Supervisor Agreement
Each year, supervisors are asked to acknowledge the key responsibilities outlined in the Supervisor Expectations Agreement. These responsibilities reflect the supervisor's essential role in educating students through the Work College Program and in helping the College meet its obligations as a federally recognized Work College. Supervisory duties should be carried out with the same professionalism as any other job responsibility, requiring effective communication, time management, and planning. While supervisors are accountable within their departments and to their Administrative Committee representatives, the Work College Program Office supports them through guidance, resources, and training in three key areas: education and supervision, professional development, and the Code of Conduct.
Supervisor Communication
Strong communication between supervisor and student is vital to the success of the Work-Learning-Service relationship. Supervisors are expected to communicate clearly, consistently, and continuously about workplace expectations, deadlines, performance benchmarks, evaluations, and other information that supports students' development of workplace skills. The Work College Program's two preferred methods of communication are Microsoft Teams and Outlook.