College Access Coordinator
San Francisco
College Access and Success /
Full Time (Non Exempt) /
On-site
Mission Graduates is a nonprofit organization that empowers youth and their families on the path to higher education, equipping them for fulfilling careers that will strengthen future generations. We work towards fulfilling our mission through a wide range of after-school support and services that serve over 5,000 children, youth, and families each year. Our vision is to transform the culture of our neighborhoods so that college becomes the expectation for families, rather than the exception.
Highlights
- Direct Impact: As the College Access Coordinator, you will make an impact in the community by supporting first-generation high school students and their families in preparing for and applying to college.
- Professional Growth: Receive training on a variety of topics, such as program coordination and management, data tracking, and attend the WACAC (Western Association for College Admission Conference). In addition, collaborate with stakeholders such as university representatives, volunteers, corporate partners, and others.
- Work Environment: Work in a friendly and supportive environment with a team of amazing educators.
Program Summary:
- College Connect is a family-based college access and success program that works with 25 4-year college-bound high school juniors living, or attending school, in the Mission and Excelsior Districts of San Francisco who will be the first in their family to attend college. College Connect supports students to get into and successfully complete a college degree. The program supports students by matching them to work one-on-one with Writing Partners, Math Tutors, and College Research coaches in addition to workshops on financial aid, budgeting, and self-care.
Position Overview:
- The College Connect HS Program Coordinator (HSPC) works directly with students, parents, and volunteers to ensure student’s success in applying to and getting into college. They ensure the completion of financial aid applications and share scholarship information. The HSPC ensures the program calendar is set for the school year and coordinates accordingly to create program agendas and invites workshop speakers, like college representatives, to speak to students. They ensure volunteers are well-prepped and supported to work with high school students on personal insight questions and scholarship essays. They collect and organize student data to ensure access for grant purposes. The HSPC will also collaborate with other high school program coordinators from MG’s high school sites on yearly activities like the So Cal College Tour, Writing Partners Workshops, and Mi Pasaje. The HSPC will also collaborate with other College Access staff to oversee the Promise scholarship process. They are the face of the program, often interacting with college representatives, school counselors, and other stakeholders, and should represent the program professionally.
Key Responsibilities & Primary Duties Program Coordination & Administration (40%)
- Coordinate and/or lead monthly high school senior and junior meetings and parent workshops.
- Work with John O'Connell High School (JOC) and MHS staff to coordinate and implement the yearly So Cal College Tour during Spring Break.
- Work with John O'Connell High School (JOC) and MHS staff to coordinate and implement the yearly Writing Partner workshops.
- Coordinate and facilitate a 6-week summer program for College Connect high school juniors.
- Coordinate workshops and meet with families one-on-one to ensure all students apply to the FAFSA or the Dream Act.
- Coordinate 1-2 career exploration activities with the College to Career Success Coordinator.
- In collaboration with the College to Career Success Coordinator and Americorps, update social media sites with current program happenings (reels, pictures, etc.).
- Oversee maintenance of all program records, including participant files and program curriculum using Salesforce, Google Docs files, Excel, and Word.
- Collect student data for grants and board reports (scholarships received, schools applied to, acceptances, etc.)
- Support tracking of program outcomes by implementing program surveys in collaboration with the Director of Program Impact.
- Coordinate AmeriCorps members’ projects and workload.
College Counseling (35%)
- Develop or revise the college readiness curriculum to integrate education equity and social justice concepts for student and parent meetings as needed.
- Provide individual college counseling to CC high school students and their parents regarding college exploration and application, financial aid, and admissions decisions.
- Coordinate skill-building meetings for students, and financial aid and college admissions workshops for CC families.
- Oversee ACT prep, including administration of practice tests on weekends and support with classroom behavior during weekly ACT prep classes during the Spring.
- Regular communication with participants’ caregivers, teachers, counselors, and other adults in their lives who can support high school students to stay on-task.
- Regular communication with high school students for program retention via Mission Graduates email and the Zoom platform for text and phone calls.
- Identify summer academic and enrichment opportunities for program participants (e.g., Scholarships, fly-in program research, etc).
Supervise Volunteers & Interns (15%)
- Work with the Volunteer Manager to recruit volunteer Writing Partners, Math Tutors, and College Research Coaches.
- Contribute to a positive work environment by being professional and cordial to colleagues and other stakeholders.
- Supervise, provide guidance, and support volunteers, mentors, and interns in collaboration with and support from the Volunteer Manager as needed.
- Coordinate volunteer and student meeting schedules.
- Create a work plan for AmeriCorp and provide guidance and support.
- Meet weekly with AmeriCorp to ensure they are supported and on task.
Collaboration, Networking & Professional Development (5%)
- Cultivate and maintain relationships with college admissions staff at colleges nationwide.
- Attend the annual WACAC conference when the budget allows.
- Attend annual counselor trainings (EdFund, CSU, UC, Share Learn Connect) and other local workshops/trainings hosted by local partners.
- Act as primary liaison and collaborate closely with counselors and teachers at partner high schools.
- Collaborate closely with community stakeholders, including parents/guardians, community-based organizations, and local college representatives.
Outreach & Recruitment (5%)
- Create marketing materials as needed using Canva.
- Knowledgeable about Mission Graduates’ history and programs when implementing community outreach.
- Refine the program admissions standards, update outreach materials, convene interview panels, and participate in the annual selection process.
- Collaborate with high schools and community organizations to give presentations and identify qualified applicants.
- Track applicant information in the selection matrix.
- Coordinate interviews and the selection process in coordination with other CC staff.
Required Qualifications
- 1-2 years of experience working with diverse youth in community and public school settings, focusing on college access programming.
- Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with the best practices in youth development program planning, curriculum development, methods of teaching, and evaluation.
- Demonstrate effectiveness in program development and implementation.
- Advanced knowledge of the college application process and financial aid system.
- Familiarity with college access challenges that are specific to first-generation college students.
- Familiarity and experience working in or with schools and with community-based organizations.
- Understand the varied college persistence, socio-emotional, and career development needs of first-generation college students.
- Knowledge of college admissions, transfer process, financial aid landscape, and career development, preferably in the California context.
- Familiarity and experience working with undocumented youth.Bilingual Spanish/English required.BA or BS required.
- Current CPR certification (or attained within 2 months of employment).TB test clearance is mandatory before hiring.
- Experience working in communities of color with low-income populations.
- Some weekends and evenings required
$24 - $26 an hour
Benefits Package: Includes fully paid Medical, Dental, and Vision for the employee; access to Pre-Tax Commuter Benefits, as well as access to 403(b) accounts at the time of hire. We also offer an employer contribution for eligible staff* (eligibility to be explained at the time of hire). In addition, we offer 13 paid holidays per year, eight personal hours per year, and accrue vacation and sick time.
Mission Graduates Is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Mission Graduates provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants in all of our employment practices, including selection, hiring, promotion, transfer, termination, leaves of absence, training, and compensation, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, uniformed service member/veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition or disability, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.
