Student Success Advocate

Penn State University•University Park, IL

1d•$44,628 - $71,340

About The Position

Penn State’s Chaiken Center for Student Success at the University Park Campus, within Undergraduate Education, is seeking a Student Success Advocate at the advanced or intermediate professional level. The role works directly with students and supports Center programs and initiatives, including Academic Success Coaching, First-Gen Student Support Initiatives, the Learning Edge Academic Program (LEAP), and Peer Success Coaching. The Advocate provides student advocacy and academic and life-skills coaching, and helps build and maintain University-wide partnerships with academic and student-support offices to provide integrated support. The role also contributes to student records, communications, annual reports, and the Center’s strategy, goals, and action plans. The position level will be determined based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience. At the advanced level, the minimum requirement is a master’s degree and at least three years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. At the intermediate level, the minimum requirement is a bachelor’s degree and at least one year of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination. No certifications are required; Academic Life Coach certification will be supported if the candidate is not already certified. The position requires PA State Police Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form, and Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check. Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment visa; applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. Review of applications begins November 9, 2026, and continues until the position is filled. Submit a current resume, a cover letter addressing the relevant qualifications, and three professional references.

Requirements

For the advanced professional level: master’s degree and at least three years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
For the intermediate professional level: bachelor’s degree and at least one year of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience implementing college student support programs and services.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build successful relationships with colleagues, students, faculty, and staff.
Dependability and commitment to the University and its students’ success.
Confidence facilitating large- and small-scale presentations.
Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
Computer proficiency, including word processing, spreadsheets, and database systems.
Commitment to student success; strong public speaking and communication abilities; creativity; ability to work effectively with students, faculty, staff, and others; problem-solving ability; experience applying technology to support student success; and sound judgment.
Must be authorized to work in the United States; Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment visa.
Must complete the PA State Police Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form, and Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience with academic advising, academic coaching, or career coaching.
Event-planning experience.
Student-supervision experience.
Student case management experience.
Academic Life Coach certification; certification will be supported if the candidate is not already certified.

Responsibilities

Serve as an Academic Success Coach within the Center’s coaching program.
Work with an assigned caseload of students to develop success plans and support their goals.
Maintain student case records in applicable online case management systems.
Review reports and records to determine the need for specialized services and referrals.
Collaborate with students and University contacts to coordinate student success strategies and programming.
Coordinate one or more programmatic initiatives, which may include first-generation student support, the LEAP summer start experience, peer success coaching, and academic resource development and dissemination.
Assist in reviewing and developing policies, procedures, and training to support the Center’s efficiency.
Assess outcomes and develop strategies to improve services, programs, facilities, and communication with Center staff.
Assist with onboarding and training undergraduate student employees and provide input for performance evaluations.
Collaborate with the Center team on annual reports and future strategic goals and initiatives.
Perform other related duties as assigned.