Great Expectations Coach / Student Success Advisor

About the role

The Great Expectations Coach / Student Success Advisor role serves as a primary point of contact for students, providing comprehensive academic advising, student success coaching, and individualized support services designed to promote student persistence, retention, completion, and transfer or career success.

Responsibilities

• Provide holistic academic advising to assigned student populations.
• Aid students with educational planning, course selection, registration, degree completion pathways, and transfer preparation.
• Interpret placement information, prerequisite requirements, degree requirements, and institutional policies.
• Conduct proactive outreach to students through appointments, phone calls, emails, text messaging, and student success campaigns.
• Maintain accurate records of advising appointments, outreach efforts, and student interactions.
• Collaborate with faculty advisors and student support personnel to ensure coordinated student services.
• Support student retention initiatives, early alert interventions, and enrollment campaigns.
• Educate students on academic policies, deadlines, and available support services.
• Aid students in identifying barriers to success and developing action plans to address challenges.
• Serve as the primary Great Expectations Coach for eligible students, including current and former foster youth.
• Recruit, identify, and enroll eligible students into the Great Expectations program.
• Develop individualized success plans that address academic, career, financial, and personal goals.
• Provide intensive case management and ongoing support to GE students.
• Afford students access to financial aid, scholarships, emergency assistance, housing resources, transportation resources, and community services.
• Maintain compliance with Great Expectations program requirements and reporting expectations.
• Coordinate workshops, student engagement activities, and enrichment opportunities for GE participants.
• Build partnerships with local social service agencies, school divisions, foster care organizations, and community partners.
• Track student outcomes and maintain accurate program records and reports.
• Advocate for student needs and connect students with appropriate campus resources.
• Connect students with tutoring, accessibility services, financial aid, counseling resources, career services, and other campus supports.
• Promote student engagement through participation in campus activities, leadership opportunities, and support programs.
• Aid students experiencing academic, financial, or personal challenges through coordinated intervention strategies.
• Manage data management and reporting, maintaining accurate records of advising appointments, outreach efforts, and student interactions.
• Monitor caseload performance metrics including retention, persistence, completion, and engagement.
• Prepare reports and documentation required by the college and Great Expectations program.
• Utilize student success technologies and data systems to inform interventions and outreach strategies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, counseling, social work, psychology, human services, student affairs, or a related field.
• Experience working with students, advising, coaching, counseling, case management, or student support services.
• Demonstrated commitment to student success and equitable access to higher education.
• Knowledge of student development, advising, coaching, and retention best practices.
• Understanding of challenges faced by foster youth and other underserved student populations.
• Ability to establish rapport and build trusting relationships with diverse student populations.
• Strong organizational, communication, and case management skills.
• Ability to analyze student needs and coordinate appropriate interventions.
• Knowledge of financial aid, transfer pathways, academic policies, and student support services.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and student information systems.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
• Strong problem-solving and collaborative skills.

Additional Considerations

• Master’s degree in counseling, education, student affairs, social work, or a related field.
• Experience in higher education advising, retention, or student support services.
• Experience working with foster youth, first-generation students, low-income students, or other special populations.
• Experience with EAB Navigate or similar student success platforms.
• Knowledge of Virginia Community College System (VCCS) policies and procedures.