Visiting Assistant Professor of Art

Summary of Position
This is a one-year Visiting Assistant Professor position in Painting and Drawing in the Art Department at Allegheny College, from January through December 2027. Primary responsibilities include teaching, scholarship, and service. This position reports to the Art Department Chair, Ian F. Thomas. Primary teaching responsibilities are in painting, with a secondary teaching area in drawing. The full-time teaching load is five courses per year. Ideal candidates will have experience and demonstrated success teaching painting and drawing at the undergraduate college level. Candidates are expected to hold an MFA at the time of appointment. 

The faculty member will demonstrate a commitment to teaching excellence, meaningful student mentorship, continued engagement in contemporary artistic practice, and active participation in the academic life of the department and college.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• Teach a full-time faculty load
• Provide high-quality instruction in painting and drawing courses, developing creative, challenging, and engaging assignments that foster technical proficiency, conceptual development, critical thinking, and individual artistic expression.
• Meet assigned classes regularly, beginning and ending class sessions as scheduled
• Assess student learning in all classes and implement changes to demonstrate continuous improvement and student mastery of course learning outcomes
• Be an exemplary professional role model for students inside and outside of the classroom and as a colleague
• Participate in faculty governance, including attending meetings—full faculty, college, department, and committee—and fulfilling attendant responsibilities
• Work in a professional and team-oriented manner with faculty, staff, and administrators
• Maintain compliance with the academic calendar, the weekly schedules, and with policies and procedures in the Faculty Handbook, the Employee Handbook and the student Honor Code

Secondary Responsibilities

• Attend non-class activities, as necessary
• Supporting students’ professional development 
• Maintaining weekly, student-facing office hours
• Assisting programmatic assessment and accreditation reports as needed, including any external 

accreditation reporting required by the program

• Complying with accreditation and federal mandates that govern educational policies

Qualifications

Education and Credentials (Required)

 

• MFA Studio Art 
• Knowledge and experience sufficient to enable the candidate to effectively teach courses as assigned in Painting and Drawing
• A commitment to fostering an environment of inclusion excellence among students, faculty, and staff

Experience and Knowledge (Preferred)

 

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to deliver course content and to assist students in understanding course content
• Ability to evaluate student writing and to provide effective feedback
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with students, faculty, staff, and administrators
• Ability to adapt to changing teaching and learning environments and content-delivery methods
• Effective presentation skills
• Effective organizational and administrative skills
• Ability to work cooperatively with faculty colleagues, in the best interests of the students
• Ability to prioritize responsibilities, meet deadlines, and respond to students’ legitimate needs in a timely manner
• Ability and willingness to work with students of all skill levels and academic backgrounds
• Ability and willingness to perform clerical work for oneself, as necessary
• Basic leadership, budgetary and supervisory skills
• Proficient in spoken and written English
• Computer proficiency in word processing, Google tools, e-mail and internet use and in using the institution’s LMS (Canvas)
• Commitment to continuous professional growth and fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment

Teaching Responsibilities

As part of the full-time load, teaching responsibilities may include: Teaching introductory, intermediate and advanced courses in Studio Art and aid students in Comprehensive Senior Projects. 

Work Schedule 

This is a full-time, exempt position. Most classes, meetings and office hours are scheduled during the typical workday; however, there may be some evenings and weekends.

Community Commitment
Allegheny College is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and safe learning environment. Faculty are expected to actively support a community that values diversity, equity, and the free exchange of ideas, while upholding mutual respect and accountability.

Application

A complete application includes the following:

• Letter of application that describes your teaching experience and areas of scholarship/creative activity
• CV
• One page statement of teaching philosophy
• One-page personal statement discussing your commitment to inclusive excellence
• PDF formatted portfolio should contain 20 images of the candidate’s own work and 20 images of student work, including descriptions (title, media, year, size) and any contextual information that may be useful to understanding your work​.
• Three references with names and contact information 

Applicants who advance to the next stage may be asked for graduate school transcripts. 

Review of applications begins Nov 15th, and continues until the position is filled.

About UsAllegheny College, founded in 1815, is one of the nation’s most historic and innovative four-year colleges with the distinct requirement of completing a major and minor in different academic areas.  This multidisciplinary learning celebrates students’ unusual combinations of interests and provides creative, independent thinkers with a path for educational depth and intellectual growth, preparing them for a successful launch after graduation and even for careers that may not yet exist.  Located in western Pennsylvania, 1.5 hours equidistant from Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Buffalo, Allegheny College is one of 40 colleges featured in Loren Pope’s “Colleges That Change Lives” and recently ranked #4 by The Princeton Review in its Top 20 Best Private Schools for Making an Impact. In its 2025 rankings, U.S. News & World Report recognized Allegheny College as one of the country’s top 100 national liberal arts colleges, with special distinctions including one of the top 10 best for senior capstone experience and one of the top 25 best for undergraduate research and creative activities.

Allegheny’s undergraduate residential education prepares students for successful, meaningful lives by promoting students’ intellectual, moral, and social development and encouraging personal and civic responsibility. Allegheny’s faculty and staff combine high academic standards and a commitment to the exchange of knowledge with a supportive approach to learning. Graduates are equipped to think critically and creatively, write clearly, speak persuasively, and meet challenges in a diverse, interconnected world. Allegheny College is deeply committed to creating an inclusive community that actively challenges racism, sexism, heterosexism, religious bigotry, and other forms of bias (see Allegheny College Statement of Community).

Allegheny College is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity. Women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Allegheny does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, or national origin.

Allegheny College is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact the Director of Human Resources.

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