Advising Specialist- Milwaukee Office - College Possible Leadership Team

Program Advisor

College Possible Office in Milwaukee

About College Possible

As one of the largest and most successful college access and success organizations in the country, since 2000 College Possible has empowered more than 85,700 students on their path to earning a college degree. Its pioneering model matches eligible students with a near-peer coach and an evidence-based curriculum designed to help them overcome the most common barriers to getting into college and completing their degree - all at no cost to students or their families. Compared with their peers from similar backgrounds, College Possible students are 30% more likely to enroll in college the year after high school graduation, and three times more likely to earn a bachelor's degree.

College Possible is a proud AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps is a federal agency that brings people together to tackle the country's most pressing challenges through national service. Our AmeriCorps members commit to a year of service as College Possible coaches in communities throughout the country. Many represent the identities of the students they serve, and each brings a commitment to social justice and closing the college equity divide.

Our near-peer coaching model has earned national recognition: the inaugural Evergreen National Education Award recognized our leadership in increasing access to and success in college for students from low-income backgrounds. It also earns top-of-field results: a Harvard study found that the program more than doubles a student's chance of enrolling in a four-year college, and our students are four times more likely to become college graduates than their low-income peers. College Possible has an annual operating budget of ~$33.5 million, more than 190 full-time employees and more than 245 AmeriCorps and VISTA service members. During the 2021-2022 school year, we reached an estimated 25,700 students nationwide.

Headquartered in Saint Paul, MN, College Possible operates: regional sites in Austin, TX; Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; Saint Paul, MN; and Seattle, WA; as well as Catalyze partnerships in California, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

College Possible is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and seeks to build a diverse workforce to create impact in partnership with the communities we serve. We welcome a diverse pool of qualified applicants. For each of its positions, College Possible is mindful about what best serves our students, and seeks to hire staff with relevant experience, skills and aptitude, and a commitment to the power of education.

Equal Opportunity Employer

College Possible is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, or status with regard to public assistance. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals and conduct all possible activities in fully accessible settings. Alternative application formats are available upon request by contacting hr@collegepossible.org.

Your Role as Program Advisor

The Program Advisor is responsible for providing support to college students in the areas of financial aid, course registration, internships, career exposure, campus connection, and more via virtual methods as well as in-person. The Program Advisor position advocates for College Possible's college students, communicating to both College Possible and higher educational institutions as to the needs of the students and resources needed for the students to persist and graduate.

Primary Responsibilities:

Direct Student Support - 65%

Follow College Possible structured college curriculum, which supports students in four
areas: financial aid, academics/registration, social emotional, and career planning to help students progress towards specific goals/milestones.
○ Coach students toward reaching College Possible programmatic milestones
○ Conduct and document end-of-semester assessments for each student (twice
annually)
○ Create individualized support plans for students
● Maintain ongoing communication with all students in caseload.
○ Lead and engage in coaching conversations with 15-20 students per week virtually or on designated campuses. Visit frequency for campuses varies depending on caseload. Individuals in this role can expect to be on a campus typically 1-3 days per week.
○ Meet with rising college students throughout the school year through high school visits and/or individual meetings over the summer to support successful enrollment and transition to college.
○ Send messages of encouragement, congratulatory cards, care packages, etc.
○ Respond to all student texts/calls/emails/social media messages within 2 business days.
● Guide students through the financial aid renewal process by appropriate deadlines.
● Support students to ensure semester-to-semester registration and that they remain on track to graduate with BA within 4-5 years.
○ Collect and analyze transcripts to understand where students are academically and identify early warning indicators.
○ Provide tools, resources, and/or templates that allow students to learn and own
their college journey with confidence.
● Support students through career exploration, career planning, and career development.
○ Research relevant career information and resources to send to students.
○ Identify students for specific partner internships and opportunities, and support
students through the related application processes.

○ Market career opportunities and events.
● Empower students to resolve obstacles throughout the school year by coaching them to become self-advocates and identify campus resources.
● Refer students to appropriate resources.
● Proactively communicate with college/university departments to advocate for students.
● Develop and maintain external relationships, particularly with campus staff. Individuals will be expected to participate in partnership meetings and/or institutional meetings and events.

Caseload & Data Management - 20%

Manage a caseload of up to approximately 250 College Possible students, including, but not limited to:
○ Manage time and calendar to meet minimum meeting standards as outlined by KPIs.
○ Provide curriculum and resources relevant to student enrollment status and students' indicated needs.
○ Support students who have become unenrolled or who have transferred out of their initial institution.
○ Utilize creative problem solving techniques to address student engagement.
○ Incorporate effective and efficient time management practices to understand each student's support needs and deliver accordingly.
● Track and record student progress, using both quantitative and qualitative measures.
○ Enter essential student data into CoPilot in a timely manner. Data includes contact information, transcriptions, coach assessments, support plans, engagement notes, milestone progress, and others.
○ Identify, run, and summarize reports into a presentable form to share key information about caseload trends and progress.
○ Support key data projects as needed, such as enrollment verification.

Secondary Responsibilities

Project Management - 10%

● Provide project leadership and support for program design initiatives that further College Possible's goal of improving student engagement and persistence rates.
● Utilize data, including student outcomes and feedback from partners and students, to inform new ideas and interventions.
● Program design projects include, but are not limited to, the development or refinement of program model initiatives and resources.

Program & Organizational Support - 5%

Support student and AmeriCorps recruitment

● Attend key program events, including Launch, college visits, and career-related student workshops, among others. Support the External Relations team by attending events, networking with guests/supporters, and providing event logistics as needed.
● Represent the College Possible brand in a positive light and take actions to increase
brand awareness throughout the community.

Other Duties/Projects as Assigned

What You Bring

Education/Certifications/Licenses:

● Bachelor's degree required

Related Work Experience:

Minimum 2 years of full-time experience related to teaching, mentoring, advising, and/or coaching post-secondary students from underserved populations
● Must have experience in designing student communication, activities, and resources for high school and/or college students
● Preference given to those with experience in college advising, student re-engagement/persistence and academic success/completion of college students
● Preferred experience in workforce development.

Computer/Software Skills:

● Well-developed computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Office

Other Skills, Abilities and Requirements:

Must possess exemplary verbal and written communication skills including writing
reports and giving presentations. Able to respond to questions from the public, students, partners and managers
● The ability to work well with diverse groups of people in both a highly collaborative team environment and independently
● Must have strong interpersonal and coaching skills to quickly develop rapport and build trust
● Eagerness to help young people achieve success
● Excellent organization and time management skills
● Ability to multitask, meet deadlines, and handle potential stressful situations calmly and appropriately
● Desire to work in a growing nonprofit organization. Ability to adapt, creativity, commitment to excellence, and comfort with some level of ambiguity are highly valued
● Must have a desire to engage in diversity, inclusion and/or equity work
● Must demonstrate an ability to solve practical problems and deal with frequently
changing variables
● Data-entry experience is strongly preferred
● Flexibility to work in multiple locations, including affiliated schools
● Access to reliable transportation required

Physical Requirements

● Ability to lift up to 15 pounds when needed
● Hybrid office/remote environment with potential travel outside of the Milwaukee area; individuals in this role will work from a college campus 1-3 days per week.
● Ability to stand and/or sit for a minimum of 7 hours a day

What We Offer

In addition to joining a committed, diverse, values-based organization, we offer:

● An opportunity for you to have a tremendous impact both internally and in the broader country
● A competitive salary commensurate with experience
● Excellent benefits including complete health, dental, life, short-term and long-term insurance
● 401(k) retirement plan
● Encouraged sustainability through a generous unlimited paid time off policy.

To Join Our Growing College Possible Team

Please apply at: www.CollegePossible.org/careers. Include a resume