Assistant Director, Scholar Support Programs

Assistant Director, Scholar Support Programs

Campus Center for Advising and Academic Services

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
invites applications for Assistant Director, Scholar Support Programs in the
Campus Center for Advising and Academic Services.  The Assistant Director
will promote I-Promise Scholar and Stamps Scholar success and retention by
providing individualized advising and coaching for an assigned caseload; administering
and developing programming and events by cultivating partnerships with various campus
and off-campus organizations; and working collaboratively to support other SSP
functions and goals.

The Scholar Support Programs (SSP) team
provides support and resources to undergraduate students in three unique
scholarship programs: Illinois Promise Scholars, Stamps Scholars, and Hope
Chicago Scholars. This position will work to ensure that programmatic goals are
met and is a key contributor in providing support specifically to Illinois
Promise Scholars and Stamps Scholars to develop and implement programs and
services that support Scholars’ success.

Illinois Promise is a four-year program that
provides comprehensive financial aid funding plus tailored coaching and support
for high achieving Illinois students with household income levels at or below
the federal poverty level. The majority of I-Promise Scholars identify as
first-generation college students and/or come from historically
underrepresented populations. There are currently about 1400 Illinois Promise
Scholars on campus.

The Stamps Scholarship is Illinois’ most
selective undergraduate award, offering a full cost of attendance scholarship
along with access to additional enrichment funding to help propel scholars’
professional and academic interests. Currently, there are 26 Stamps Scholars at
Illinois.
Duties & Responsibilities

Advising/Coaching –

• Provide monitoring, outreach, and individual advising and coaching to an assigned roster of I-Promise Scholars and Stamps Scholars.
• Advise students regarding time to degree, major selection/changes, other academic issues, and how these decisions may impact future financial aid awards; refer students to appropriate academic and co-curricular support resources and programs.
• Coach students as they navigate personal and professional challenges and opportunities.
• Assist students in understanding financial award impacts on academic, professional, and personal planning and assist students in navigating and utilizing relevant campus and community resources; provide referrals and directly connecting students to such resources, while maintaining thorough advising records of all student contacts, meeting unit’s stated key performance metrics (KPM).
• Ensure that Scholars understand the minimum requirements for maintaining their scholarship.
• Conduct targeted outreach during designated times throughout the academic year.
• Respond to queries from students, faculty, staff, and parents/families as appropriate, within the parameters of FERPA.

Outreach and Enrichment Programming –

• Develop and administer programming and events by cultivating partnerships with various on-campus and off-campus organizations.
• Lead the planning and delivery of assigned signature events for both Illinois Promise and Stamps.
• Assist with Illinois Promise’s New Scholar Orientation and Annual Spring Awards Banquet.
• Assessment of all assigned programs and events.
• Participate in activities that celebrate scholar success including conducting outreach to top achievers; participating in award selection processes and the Illinois Promise Spring Awards Banquet and participating in other signature SSP events.
• With approval from the Director, participate in relevant campus committees and professional development experiences.
• Assist Director of SSP with annual Stamps Scholars interview and selection process.

Communication –

• Develop and distribute regular electronic communication pieces (bi-weekly bulletins, semester newsletters) for all three scholarship groups served by SSP (I-Promise, Stamps, and Hope Chicago).
• In coordination with the Director of SSP, plan and produce podcast episodes for Illinois Promise.
• Develop social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) presence and actively post updates and items of interest.

  Position Qualifications

Required-

• Master’s degree in a discipline appropriate for administering comprehensive academic support services and programming for undergraduate students.
• Two years of full-time professional experience in student-centered positions in higher education.
• Experience and commitment to supporting undergraduate students from underrepresented populations including students from low-income backgrounds and first-generation college students.

Preferred- 

• Experience working with college students both individually and in groups in academic or career development environments such as academic advising, student retention, academic coaching, mentoring, or counseling.
• Experience and skill in program development, implementation, and management.
• Prior successful experience in event management including budgeting, planning, and public speaking.
• Experience and skill in program assessment, i.e., data collection, analysis, and report-writing.

Successful candidates will have the following-

• Ability to create a welcoming environment that is inclusive of students from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to recognize the unique experiences of undergraduates from low-income households and predominantly first-generation college going families and engage in holistic and purposeful discussions with students regarding academic, professional, and personal development, including basic needs (food, housing, healthcare, childcare, etc.).
• Ability to work collaboratively and foster relationships with a variety of stakeholders (i.e., campus partners, donors, faculty, businesses, mentors, etc.).
• Ability to work occasional nights and weekends for programs and initiatives that take place outside of typical working hours.
• Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, communication (oral and written), and interpersonal skills.
• Comfortable speaking and presenting to large groups.
• Ability to work autonomously and manage multiple tasks and priorities.
• Knowledge and use of commonly employed software, databases, and web applications.
• Knowledge of supporting the academic success of undergraduates at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign or other large public universities.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Academic Professional position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the close of the search. Salary is commensurate with experience.Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (CST) on July 13, 2023. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting and upload a cover letter, resume and contact information for three professional references.  Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Jennifer Steiling at steiling@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

Requisition ID: 1018576

Job Category: Education & Student Services

Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu