Engagement Specialist VISTA – MINNESOTA

College Possible AmeriCorps•St Paul, MN

7d•Onsite

About The Position

College Possible is the founding organization for the Minnesota College Attainment Network (MinnesotaCAN). This VISTA position leverages College Possible's infrastructure to strengthen MinnesotaCAN's engagement and coordination across local communities, supporting collective efforts to improve college access and student success statewide. What You'll Do: The MinnesotaCAN (MNCAN) VISTA will help build the capacity of a statewide/local network to support greater college opportunity through strong communication, shared resources, and collaboration among members. This role addresses poverty by increasing organizational capacity to understand and respond to systemic barriers to college access, affordability, and postsecondary success for low-income students.

Requirements

You are a U.S. citizen; AmeriCorps members are required to be U.S. citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent residents
You must clear a National Service Criminal History Check and all other security and requirements set forth by College Possible.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree preferred but not required

Responsibilities

Develop and Maintain MNCAN's Digital Infrastructure
Conduct a needs assessment to identify gaps and challenges in the current MNCAN webpage and digital resource sharing capabilities.
Update and maintain the MNCAN webpage to ensure content is current, engaging, and accessible to network members.
Create a Process for Sustainability.
Document all processes,procedures, communication templates, and evaluation metrics for the MNCAN administration and digital presence.
Develop and design comprehensive training materials, including manuals and presentations, to educate staff or future volunteers on managing the MNCAN's core functions.
Create a documented process for sustainably updating and maintaining the website content and design.
Support External and Member Communication & Social Media
Design and implement a communication plan for distributing relevant information (e.g., policy updates, events, resources) to MNCAN members.
Establish and build the MNCAN's social media presence across relevant platforms.
Create and schedule engaging content (text, graphics, video clips) for social media to promote the MNCAN's mission, events, and policy priorities.
Draft external communications (e.g., newsletters, alerts) promoting MNCAN activities and policy priorities.
Develop a diverse menu of potential activities and initiatives that community leaders can implement to address identified needs, including workshops, mentorship programs, resource fairs, and community events.
Serve as MNCAN Administrator and Support Coordinator
Implement a feedback mechanism to assess the impact and effectiveness of MNCAN initiatives, collecting data on participation rates and outcomes achieved, and community satisfaction to inform future iterations and improvements.
Conduct Policy Research to Support Organizational Learning
Research and analyze local and national policy related to college access, affordability, and student success that is relevant to the MNCAN's agenda.
Summarize policy findings for easy consumption by MNCAN members and College Possible leadership, integrating evidence based practices and resources to enhance effectiveness and relevance.
The VISTA member will not engage in advocacy, lobbying, or attempts to influence legislation or public policy. All activities will focus on research, analysis, and capacity-building through information sharing only.
Create a Process for Sustainability Document all processes, procedures, communication templates, and evaluation metrics for the MNCAN administration and digital presence.
Develop and design comprehensive training materials, including manuals and presentations, to educate staff or future volunteers on managing the MNCAN's core functions.