AmeriCorps Transition Mentors

About the role

Through the AmeriCorps Texas grant program, Texas Southmost College (TSC) will have AmeriCorps members who will 1) increase communication about and access to campus resources and support and 2) increase engagement in campus activities and with academic support services at TSC in Brownsville, Texas. At the end of the first program year, the AmeriCorps members will be responsible for increasing TSC students’, who were served by the program, fall-to-spring persistence rate to 75% and fall-to-fall persistence rate of 63%.

Responsibilities

• Work one-on-one with high school students and support Transition Coaches to help increase student engagement in campus activities and with academic support services.
• Work directly with a Transition Coach to help both on-campus students and high school students.
• Provide services at local high school campuses multiple times a week meeting with at least 10 high school students to offer intensive one‑on‑one support.
• Generate interest and help prospective students start the first step of their transition process to TSC by creating educational 2‑year plans, sharing career‑related objectives, setting academic goals, navigating the TSC website and LMS, self‑service, communicating with financial aid, etc.
• Assist with student planning, tracking, registering, and reminding of campus resources that could lead a student to success.
• Educate dual enrollment students about TSC degree plans and educational planning.
• Assist in registering students for upcoming semesters.
• Provide direct support for dual enrollment students who have questions about programs, classes, campus resources, or college procedures/policies.
• Plan and participate in outreach efforts for their divisions/department (e.g., Welcome Week, campus events, conferences, webinars, etc.).
• Measures of the Assignment: track number of dual students who meet with the AmeriCorps member to receive individualized educational planning assistance, and persistence/registration outcomes (short‑term and mid‑term).
• Track number of dual students who register for the next term with the assistance of the AmeriCorps member, and persistence/registration outcomes (short‑term and mid‑term).

Requirements

Physical demands: frequently required to stand; occasionally required to walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; and taste or smell. Must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required: close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.