Acting Academic Success Advisor

College of Lake County • Grayslake, IL

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Academic Success Advisor serves as the primary liaison for an assigned caseload of students enrolled at CLC within a designated Field of Interest (FOI). This position is responsible for providing a personalized, holistic, and culturally responsive advising experience for each student from their first day of classes through credential attainment and career or transfer transition. Responsibilities include academic advising, transfer guidance, career exploration and planning, financial planning, case management, progress monitoring, proactive outreach, support service planning and referral, and referral to student engagement opportunities. Academic Success Advisors act as partners with college departments in their efforts to develop, implement, and provide programs and services that foster an inclusive and engaged campus community.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, education, communications or a related field with a minimum of three (3) years of experience in higher education, secondary education, human services OR Master’s Degree in psychology, education, communications, counseling or a related field or a related field is required.
• Demonstrated personal integrity, ability to form effective partnerships, ability to collaborate with others and work in a team environment.
• Demonstrated high level of responsiveness to students or clients and the campus community.
• Possess excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities with diligent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Experience working independently, prioritizing workflow, solving problems and making decisions.
• An effective and exceptionally skilled communicator, specifically as it relates to verbal, written communication, and active listening.
• Ability to develop and deliver effective presentations online and in small and large group settings.
• Proficient knowledge of technologies used in department (i.e. caseload management systems, student enterprise software, career exploration tools, MS Office, etc.).
• Proven ability to work effectively and constructively with persons of diverse cultures, language groups, and abilities; demonstrate sensitivity to and ability to work with the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, faculty, and staff, including those with disabilities; establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Ability to work flexible hours including some evening and weekend hours consistent with student needs.

Nice To Haves

• Previous academic advising experience is highly preferred.
• Experience with caseload management.
• Demonstrated knowledge of, and prior experience with, predictive analytics and proactive student intervention.
• Experience working with community college, under-prepared, and/or underrepresented students.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English.

Responsibilities

• Develop a personalized, holistic semester by semester success plan for each advisee which incorporates all aspects of the student’s development including their academic, career, transfer, financial, personal and cultural needs and continually review and update the plan to ensure progress is made and goals are achieved.
• Provide accurate and timely academic advising for all programs within assigned field of interest.
• Apply appreciative (strengths based) and culturally responsive advising as teaching approaches to help assigned students determine, discover, design and create a pathway to their academic, career, and personal goals.
• Embed cultural competence in advising practice.
• Assess students’ academic abilities and certainty about career decision based on their academic record, intake assessment responses, career exploration tool results, and placement test results.
• Interpret and explain college policies and procedures related to curriculum, advising, student success, and degree completion.
• Help students select and make progress through a specific program of study.
• Ensure students achieve critical academic milestones.
• Maintain detailed advising notes and semester by semester course plans within case management/student success software.
• Maintain currency of knowledge regarding FERPA regulations and advising professional standards.
• Guide students through career exploration tools and assessments to assist in career identification.
• Assist students to understand their interests, abilities, skills, and values in order to develop realistic academic and career goals.
• Apply career coaching and career development facilitator skills and concepts; identify educational and career options appropriate for each student and assist with the analysis of each option, including possible outcomes and their implications.
• Collaborate with faculty in the FOI regarding career information and connect students with faculty mentors as appropriate for additional career exploration and guidance.
• Help students plan for career transition and connect them to related Career and Job Placement Center resources including job shadowing, internships, employment readiness skills workshops, and other services.
• Support students through the transfer school selection process.
• Incorporate transfer school admission and major requirements into students’ academic and success plans.
• Receive information, guidance, and resources from the college’s Transfer Information Coordinator regarding accurate transfer planning.
• Provide support for students to secure funding for their education and develop a financial plan.
• Collaborate with Financial Aid in understanding various funding opportunities including scholarships and grants.
• Provide appropriate referrals and assist with necessary paperwork.
• Reinforce importance of and help students apply success skills and strategies learned in orientation and the student success course.
• Assess student needs and connect them to existing college resources; identify resources to enhance both academic success and personal development.
• Encourage students to engage in co-curricular opportunities related to their FOI and personal goals.
• Encourage participation in success and mentoring programs.
• Link students to academic and student life experiences (internships, study abroad, clubs and organizations, jobs, fitness and wellness, etc.) that meet personal interests, goals, and needs.
• Create an environment in which students strengthen their self-advocacy, ownership, decision making, critical thinking, and goal setting skills.
• Promote healthy approaches to balancing the demands of college, work, and family to students.
• Make appropriate and effective referrals for students experiencing emotional distress and personal issues to Counseling and Psychological Services.
• Proactively manage a caseload of students, effectively addressing their needs.
• Establish mutually respectful one-on-one relationships with assigned students and provide individualized coaching and ongoing feedback.
• Communicate with students regularly through meetings as well as other channels of communication to ensure engagement and persistence.
• Utilize data and technology to run proactive communication campaigns managing assigned students’ needs.
• Utilize analytics to subdivide caseloads into tiers based on need in order to deploy efforts in a more equitable and effective manner; designate highest-need students for intensive support and regular touchpoints during the term.
• Communicate regularly with faculty regarding student progress and to identify course specific strategies that promote student success.
• Address early alert notifications received for assigned students.
• Monitor students’ progress by closely tracking registration and success data in real time; develop intervention strategies to assist students in their development.
• Celebrate students’ achievements and completion of key milestones.
• Explore individual problems with a student that might lead to academic challenges.
• Respond to student concerns and issues by advising and referring them to appropriate resources.
• Handle immediate or sensitive issues requiring confidentiality or quality assurance; escalate matters requiring senior leadership intervention at a Director or Dean level.
• Use web services and software programs including EAB Navigate, PeopleSoft, career exploration tools, transfer planning tools, Microsoft Office, Image Now, and other programs to assist in meeting student needs and the objectives of the College.
• Maintain data to gauge student learning and success; help assess student learning outcomes related to advising.
• Provide standard reports and reporting data as requested.
• Facilitate change management activities related to the case management approach to advisement; provide programmatic support of this model by being an institutional resource to improve and advance the advisement role for student success.
• Collaborate with other departments and academic divisions to support their involvement in advising and develop up-to-date academic, transfer, and career advising information/tools.
• Develop a trusted relationship with the onboarding department and corresponding academic units within the respective FOI team.
• Partner with faculty advisors to develop and deliver strategic and holistic advising services for students.
• Develop and deliver training and professional development to faculty and staff on topics related to advising, case management, and early alert.
• Act as college/department liaison to current and prospective students, faculty, staff, and external groups on topics related to academic advising and success.
• Perform outreach work to student organizations.
• Develop and deliver workshops for students pertaining to goal setting, career advising, transfer planning, study skills, time management, etc.
• Support the College’s recruitment and success programming efforts by way of providing presentations and workshops, staffing information tables, engaging with students at orientation and convocation events, etc.
• Participate in campaigns to promote student engagement, progression, and retention.
• Collaborate with faculty and staff in support of the College’s comprehensive student success model.
• Support the college’s initiatives to promote diversity and an appreciation for multiculturalism.
• Help implement and evaluate new advising processes and procedures and make recommendations for process improvements.
• Participate in team and division planning, professional development activities, and college-wide committees as assigned and appropriate.
• Perform other related functions as assigned.

Benefits

• excellent benefits that includes Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois health, Delta Dental and Superior Vision insurance plans
• tuition support for employees and qualified family members
• three retirement plans
• disability, group and supplemental life insurance
• health and dependent care flexible spending account plans
• a compressed work week in the summer (Closed Fridays!)
• generous vacation, sick and personal time off
• 14 paid holidays each year

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level