Program Associate

Princeton University•Princeton, NJ

About The Position

Overview Reporting to the Assistant Director of College Preparation Initiatives (CPI), the CPI Program Associate will be responsible for a range of critical aspects of various College Preparation Initiatives with the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access & Opportunity (EBCAO), with a focus on college access/college admissions advising, transition-to-college supports, and college scholar engagement with graduates of CPI programs including the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP), the Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP) and the Lydia’s Scholars Program (LSP). The CPI Program Associate will also serve as a member of the PSJP administrative team and play an active role in program operations, recruiting and supporting students, and program development. Specific tasks may include developing and implementing co-curricular and academic programming focused on college admissions, personal development and the transition-to-college; advising a caseload of students through the college admissions process; tracking program completers and providing support to them through their college experience, supporting large and small-scale event and program logistics; leading workshops; and general office support. Please note that this role requires regular evening and weekend work (schedule to be determined in collaboration with supervisor).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
3+ years experience
Comprehensive knowledge of the college admissions process, particularly as it functions for high-achieving, low-income and first generation students
Experience working with students during and out-of-school to achieve selective college success and to manage wellness/social-emotional well-being
Experience working with first generation students and/or students who come from families with limited experience with the American systems of higher education
Advanced written and spoken (English) communication and administrative skills; excellent telephone manner
Experience with Slate software, Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Google Suite and Google Classroom, design software, and related to school data management systems (PowerSchool, Genesis, Naviance, etc.)
High degree of energy, empathy, self-motivation, and flexibility
Strong communication, organizational and interpersonal skills, and the ability to engage effectively with undergraduates, graduate students, administrative staff, and university faculty
Ability and comfort multitasking and adapting to a wide range of organizational needs
Ability and desire to work as part of a complex team
Ability to exercise independent judgment and make decisions based on established polices and procedures in supervisors' absence
Ability to problem solve and offer creative solutions

Nice To Haves

Masters Degree in education, counseling, or related field
Past participation in college access and success programs as a high school or college student
Background in Higher Education, Counseling, College Access/Preparation, Urban Education, College Admissions Counseling or related field
Experience with the college admissions process - either as a school counselor, college advisor, or admissions officer
Demonstrated commitment to educational access and opportunity
Advanced Spanish language skills - written and verbal

Responsibilities

Engage and meet virtually with CPI College Scholars on all points of undergraduate student success including: registration and course sequence, financial aid renewal, campus housing security, wellness, internships/fellowships and career pathways
Build effective relationships with college partners, financial aid, and other offices at CPI target institutions to advocate for students and assist them in reaching their higher education goals
Strengthen and innovate existing programming for CPI program participants in college (College Scholars) and create systems to best communicate and engage with College Scholars
Work alongside EBCAO colleagues on the development and delivery of workshops and training aimed at supporting CPI College Scholars in their career and professional development
Track and report on CPI College Scholar persistence outcomes; use data to inform consultation and potential interventions
Lead, under the supervision of the Associate Director, the annual “Transition to College” experience for CPI seniors and manage the summer “Ways of Knowing” blended (online/in person) summer course
Maintain CPI College Scholar and Program Alumni data, including contact information, college trajectory, and early workforce details
Manage CPI College Scholar and Program Alumni communications and networking via social media (including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, etc.)
Assist with research and special projects for evaluating college scholar metrics and pathways: enrollment, retention, graduation and career placement
Lead outreach and marketing for PSJP, including social media and other online communications, under the direction of the Assistant Director
Take an active role in the recruitment and selection of participants for PSJP, including operations
Build and check reports to monitor application trends and completion and respond as appropriate
Maintain data “hygiene”: organize and sort files throughout rounds and before and after application cycles; delete unnecessary files, materials and data as appropriate
Take an active role in application development
Serve as Residential Lead during the 10–day PSJP residential summer intensive
Serve as Staff Lead for summer counselors during PSJP summer intensive
Support all PSJP programming as a member of the PSJP Leadership Team
Under the direction of the Associate Director, provide small group and 1:1 college counseling sessions to 12th grade students in CPI programs; assist with college research, application preparation, essay writing, and scholarship and financial aid applications
Draft letters of recommendation for assigned caseload of students in CPI senior cohort
Staff two-to-three weekly college admissions sessions with program scholars (PUPP and LSP)
Develop, revise, adapt “transition to college curriculum” for CPI college seniors
Provide 1:1 and small group advising sessions to 11th grade PUPP scholars during the second semester, before senior-year course enrollment to prepare for college admissions, including goal-setting, senior schedule planning, and college application preparation
Support the PSJP college advising process and PSJP counselors, taking an active role in college counseling
Engage with CPI Summer Institute College Admissions course and related activities, college panels, tours, etc.
Support recruitment, and selection of participants for CPI programs including PUPP, PSJP, and LSP
Participate as a member of the selection committee for CPI programs
Assist with regular CPI program operations, including leading PUPP and LSP cohort meetings, chaperoning events and facilitating workshops for CPI programs, supporting CPI summer programming, and attending and participating fully in all CPI team meetings, attending and participating fully in all PSJP steering committee and counselor meetings and PSJP summer coordinator meetings as determined with Assistant Director
Participate in campus/community events and programming related to college access and success for first generation and low-income students, including EBCAO-wide meetings, working groups events, and the Greater Trenton College Access Network (TCAN)
Actively seek and participate in professional development opportunities including reading policy and research papers; participating in learning opportunities, conferences, workshops; networking with colleagues in the field; presenting at professional forums and conferences, as appropriate
Engage in programming at the University related to fields of work, interest, and personal development
Stay current on trends and changes in college access and success, college admissions and financial aid (FAFSA, CSS Profile, scholarships) and other post-secondary issues
Other duties, as assigned