Student Success Advisor

Vermont State Colleges System•Lyndon, VT

2d•$44,000 - $45,000

About The Position

Serves as a student success advisor for a caseload of new undergraduate students in their first year at Vermont State University (VTSU). The advisor facilitates students’ transition to the university through personalized onboarding, including first-semester registration, and creates support networks tailored to advisees’ individual needs and experiences. The role helps students establish goals, connect to their purpose in college, and navigate their academic experience and beyond. The advisor works collaboratively across departments and within Student Success to advance university student success goals, mission, and vision, while supporting accessibility and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The position provides academic, career, and work-readiness advising; coordinates referrals and support across university services; monitors student progress; and helps develop and assess interventions and programming to reduce achievement gaps. It also supports students at risk, high school students enrolled in VTSU-taught courses, and advisees exploring study abroad or considering leaving the university. The position reports directly to an Associate Director of Advising. It requires a bachelor’s degree and two to four years of relevant experience, or comparable knowledge and skills. A master’s degree with two to four years of relevant experience, or comparable knowledge and skills, is preferred. The scheduled work week is 37.5 hours, and the budgeted wage is $44,000–$45,000. Some weekend and evening work may be required to support students outside normal business hours.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate discipline.
Two to four years of relevant experience, or experience from which comparable knowledge and skills are acquired.
Understanding of VTSU’s educational goals and objectives, including accessibility and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Understanding of the psychological and cultural characteristics of economically and educationally disadvantaged students, particularly in a rural setting.
Awareness of developmental, holistic, and proactive approaches to academic and career advising.
Knowledge necessary to provide personal, non-clinical counseling and document case notes.
Experience coordinating student support across multiple areas.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability to meet students where they are, listen to them, and help them feel comfortable working with an advisor to navigate challenges and concerns.
Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
Experience with, or ability to learn, technologies such as Aviso, Colleague, Self-Service, Slate, Microsoft products, and Perceptive Content.
Proven accountability and follow-through, with the ability to meet deadlines.
Demonstrated ability to positively influence student development in communication, leadership, academic, technical, non-cognitive or soft, and social skills.
Demonstrated ability to foster student development toward success goals such as academic purpose, belonging and identity, agency, career readiness, civic readiness, and access and equity.
Positive attitude toward VTSU and desire to improve student outcomes, including attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Ability to support a diverse community and promote diverse perspectives and cultures in an inclusive environment.
Ability to work effectively with a wide range of individuals within the university and collaborate as part of a team focused on student success.
Ability to collaborate with college personnel, families or guardians, and external resources in coordination, liaison, and advocacy work.
Ability to work some weekends and evenings to provide student support outside normal business hours.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in an appropriate discipline with two to four years of relevant experience, or experience from which comparable knowledge and skills are acquired.

Responsibilities

Advise an assigned caseload of first-year undergraduate students and collaborate across departments and within Student Success to support university goals, mission, and vision, accessibility, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Provide inclusive, excellent customer service in person and through telephone, email, video call, live chat, texting, and other modalities.
Support incoming students’ transition to VTSU, first-semester registration, and progress toward graduation or completion.
Use advising, registration, and support tools, forms, and resources; explain degree requirements and monitor time to completion.
Answer questions about how transfer, dual-enrollment, and other previously earned college credits apply toward program requirements.
Connect advisees with appropriate university departments and resources, including Career Services, Academic Support, Financial Aid/Billing, Wellness & Counseling, Residential Life, and International Student Support.
Coordinate team support for advisees with faculty advisors.
Assist undeclared students and students considering a major change with major exploration.
Provide career and work-readiness advising, including explaining connections among majors, general education, and career paths; encouraging participation in exploration activities and assessments; facilitating enrollment in internships, micro-credentials, and hands-on learning; and supporting collection of work-readiness artifacts in an e-portfolio or similar format.
Administer advising surveys and provide follow-up support as needed.
Collaborate with CNX1 instructors to support students as needed.
Assist with the development, implementation, and assessment of interventions and programming intended to reduce achievement gaps among student groups, as identified through data analysis.
Provide specialized advising to students on academic probation or otherwise at risk.
Participate in events such as Early College/VAST, TRIO, registration events, onboarding, and orientation.
Use the advising system to record meeting notes, track progress, and conduct outreach to advisees.
Manage and respond to faculty- and staff-initiated alerts and automated alerts for advisees and other students as needed.
Serve as a member of the CARES Early Alert team.
Support high school students enrolled in VTSU-taught courses through group onboarding, advising alert management, follow-up, and support.
Support advisees through study abroad/away exploration and the application process.
Interview advisees who indicate that they wish to exit the university or take a leave of absence.
Serve on university committees and perform other advising duties as assigned.
Work some weekends and evenings to provide student support outside normal business hours.