TRIO/SSS Academic Success Coach

Bay Mills Community College•Brimley, MI

About The Position

The TRIO/SSS Academic Success Coach provides counseling and individualized academic coaching to students participating in the Student Support Services (SSS) project. The role supports students’ academic success, personal development, persistence, and retention, and works with admissions, financial aid, the registrar, and other college staff and faculty to connect students with institutional services. Services include academic and transfer advising, tutoring, career development, financial and economic literacy, FAFSA completion, mentoring, personal development, goal setting, needs assessment, and soft skills development. TRIO/SSS is a federally funded grant program serving 170 first-generation, limited-income students and students with physical or learning disabilities. The coach reports directly to the TRIO/SSS Director. The position requires a supportive approach to students, attention to detail and deadlines, independent work, and collaboration with colleagues and the college community. Travel may be required to fulfill grant requirements, including some overnight trips each semester.

Requirements

Must possess a thorough understanding of human behavior and demonstrate a supportive, encouraging approach to students.
Must demonstrate a strong commitment to student success, the SSS project, and the needs of disadvantaged students.
Must be able to work independently and cultivate a cooperative attitude toward colleagues and members of the college community.
Attention to detail and deadlines, with excellent follow-up skills.
Computer skills and competency with Microsoft Word and Excel.
Ability to read and interpret budgets and financial documents, manuals, procedure reports, and similar documents.
Willingness to travel as needed to fulfill grant requirements, including some overnight trips each semester.
Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the tribal college mission and purpose, teaching and learning, high academic standards, and student success.
Bachelor’s degree preferred, with training in a curricular field or student personnel work appropriate to providing comprehensive advising services to participants.
Must be Career and Educational Coach certified or become certified within six months of hire.
Experience with, or demonstrated skill in, using student success plans with college-level students.
Experience in college advising or student personnel work.
Experience working with students similar to those participating in the project.
Excellent written communication and organization skills.
Proven ability to work collaboratively with others.
Knowledge of or experience working with people of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and needs.
Position requires the ability to mentally and physically perform essential duties, with or without accommodations.

Nice To Haves

College and departmental committee experience.
Knowledge of or experience working with Native Americans in an educational setting.

Responsibilities

Assist the TRIO/SSS Director with identifying and recruiting targeted students.
Help students identify, clarify, choose, and implement realistic educational, career, transfer, and personal goals.
Conduct intake meetings to determine student eligibility and need for the program.
Help plan and implement diagnostic testing and assessment techniques that support student self-understanding and decision-making.
Provide individualized academic coaching to targeted students to improve retention and completion rates.
Conduct ongoing graduation audits with students and complete final graduation audits when SSS students complete the program.
Maintain required SSS student records, including records of student contacts in permanent files and the Student Access database.
Assist targeted students with the financial aid application process.
Provide academic advising and registration assistance each semester as needed.
Explain the college transfer process, organize trips to local four-year universities, and provide individualized help with applications and financial aid or scholarship processes at four-year institutions.
Plan and conduct SSS activities, including workshops, the SSS Fall Kick-Off and Spring Retreat, the SSS Symposium and Awards Banquet, cultural enrichment activities, and educational counseling to improve students’ financial and academic literacy.
Maintain the program’s social media presence, update its Moodle shell, and respond to Student Access communications and alerts.
Assist the TRIO/SSS Director with formative and summative evaluations and reporting.
Perform other duties within the scope and complexity of the position description.