Overview:
The University of Virginia launched the Virginia College Advising Corps in fall 2005 to address the widening gap in college access for low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students. The Corps places college graduates in high schools throughout the Commonwealth to work alongside counselors and other college access organizations. Our goal is to encourage and assist high school students with college applications, financial aid, scholarship searches, and making the transition to post-secondary education.
Virginia College Advising Corps is a joint venture of The University of Virginia and the College Advising Corps, and is an AmeriCorps program.
Responsibilities:
Virginia College Advising Corps advisers will be expected to tailor programs and activities to meet the specific needs of their assigned schools, in an effort to increase college-going rates, and perform the following primary functions:
1. Provide one-on-one admissions and financial-aid advice to any student or family seeking assistance.
- Encourage students to consider a broad range of appropriate college choices, emphasizing concepts of match and fit.
- Discuss with each 12th-grade student a comprehensive college timeline, including application deadlines for admission and financial aid.
- Help students complete and submit admissions and financial-aid applications.
- Assist students in interpreting correspondence, including offers of admission and financial aid packages.
- Help students find and apply for scholarship resources.
2. Organize group events that encourage students and their families to consider, plan for, and apply to colleges and universities.
- Visit classrooms, assemblies, and club meetings to offer VCAC services and emphasize the importance of college
- Hold group workshops and presentations regarding post-secondary education
- Visit feeder middle schools to encourage early planning for college
- Work with local community groups—churches, boys and girls clubs, social-service providers—to offer group events outside school setting and hours
3. Establish productive working relationships with principals, counselors, and teachers in each assigned high school
- Assess, in consultation with the VCAC program director and school personnel, the particular needs of each school, and adapt programs and activities to meet these needs
- Actively seek the advice and counsel of the on-site supervisor and other guidance personnel at each partner high school
- Participate in extra-curricular activities of the school site or community which empower students, build relationships, and contribute to the college-going culture
4. Represent the AmeriCorps program
- Display AmeriCorps logo at service site.
- Provide direct service at your service-site, and log hours accurately in the OnCorps online reporting system.
- Adhere to all guidelines of AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service.
- Serve in other volunteer opportunities at the direction of the program director.
5. Assist in the assessment and long-term sustainability of the program
- Submit monthly progress reports to the program director documenting progress and outcomes data.
- Assist the program director and evaluation staff to identify, collect, and interpret key progress and outcome variables to evaluate the effectiveness of the VCAC program.
- Represent VCAC, as requested by the program director, to potential supporters and to other interested parties.
6. Maintain expertise in admissions and financial-aid advising
- Participate in pre-service training at The University of Virginia and other locations before beginning service at school site.
- Attend in-service training in Charlottesville and other locations during the course of the program year.
- Engage on the national level during the College Advising Corps national Adviser Summit.
- In consultation with the program director, seek out and participate in other opportunities for professional development.
Requirements:
- A Bachelor’s Degree obtained in 2021, 2022, or 2023.
- Ability and willingness to relocate to various locations across the Commonwealth.
- Ability and willingness to work hours that coincide with a typical school day, including some night and weekend hours.
$34,000 Annual Living Allowance (final amount dependent on grant funding) for a July start date, paid bi-weekly. For later start dates, living allowance will be pro-rated.
$6,495 Education Award (pro-rated for later start dates)
$4,679 Health Insurance included (approximate)
$43,174 Total compensation package yearly
College Advisers also benefit from professional development opportunities including:
- Fully funded state and national conferences
- Ongoing Professional Development/Training sessions at UVA
- A large network of College Advising Corps and AmeriCorps alumni and partner institutions
For additional information:
Contact Associate Director Alex Johnston at [email protected].