Academic Counselor

Under the supervision of the TRIO Student Support Services Project Director, the Academic Counselor will provide program participants comprehensive academic, career and financial advising and other educational and social support to ensure participants excel academically, continuously persist, and successfully graduate with their bachelor’s degree.

The TRIO SSS Academic Counselor will work closely with TRIO SSS participants and staff and interact with the CSUF community  TRIO SSS Academic Counselor will coordinate and facilitate programming and required grant activities, provide advising to TRIO SSS participants, including course selection, transcript evaluation, and assistance with financial aid and scholarship applications, as well as help students search for and apply to graduate school programs;

monitor participants' progress and assess program effectiveness.

TRIO Student Support Services was first funded in 1993. The program now continuously serves 165 CSUF students. The position helps implement all required student services, meet grant objectives, ensure program services are inclusive to all participants, executed appropriately and maintain thorough records.

Work Hours will be scheduled between Monday - Friday from 8:00AM to 6:00PM. Telecommute eligible (work onsite as scheduled and/or as requested and telecommute as scheduled) up to one day per week, dependent on program needs.

* Please be aware that funding for this position is awarded through a Grant/Contract over a specified period. Employment for this position beyond current Grant/Contract funding is contingent upon continued funding.

The essential functions of the Academic Counselor include but are not limited to:

• Provides comprehensive academic, career, and financial aid advisement to a set caseload of TRIO SSS Program participants of various majors and academic class levels at CSUF
• Designs, monitors, and updates participant individual graduation plans. Identifies and develops strategies and activities for improving participants' academic development, achievement, career planning, and interest in graduate education
• Provides educational support services to participants that recognize the academic and social needs of first-generation, low-income, and disabled students to increase retention and graduation rates in these populations
• Provide student community building services and activities to all TRIO SSS participants to ensure students have a community of first-generation peers to improve their sense of belonging at CSUF
• Expands TRIO SSS academic, career, and graduate school pathways and successful strategies for student persistence and graduation
• Assists participants in researching and completing financial aid and scholarship applications for graduate programs as well as completing admission requirements
• Assists with the supervision, training, and monitoring of program interns
• Creates and maintains communication with TRIO SSS participants through social media and other digital platforms
• Coordinates and facilitates student events for program outreach, college tours, academic workshops, and cultural events
• Participates in staff/university/organizational meetings & professional training opportunities when deemed necessary by the Director
• Tracks, updates, and maintains service documentation for student files and database systems
• Other duties as assigned.

• Minimum two (2) years of experience advising students. Higher education academic advising experience is preferred
• Training and experience advising students in a higher education retention program.
• Knowledge of and experience with the issues of first generation, low-income and disabled college students, and those of diverse populations.
• Experience with programs serving students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, preferably those working in TRIO or similar programs focused on college access, retention, and academic performance.
• Must be able to work independently and demonstrate initiative.
• Must possess strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be able to speak in public, facilitate in-person and virtual programming activities and represent TRIO SSS with participants, the university, and…