Student Support Specialist

Position Summary 

The Student Support Specialist assists with the development, implementation, and evaluation of activities designed to support the academic success of STEM Core* students. The specialist ensures that STEM Core participants comply with the requirements of the program. Via face-to-face and virtual interactions, the specialist coaches a cohort of 25-30 students to achieve their academic and career goals by providing guidance and wrap-around student services and cohort-building support via a variety of initiatives, including personal meetings, academic monitoring, facilitation of group tutoring, recruitment, and referrals to other on and off campus resources.   

* The STEM Core program is a cohort-based learning community meant to fast-track students’ progress towards a STEM Degree and careers.  The STEM Core is meant to assist developmental math students, many of whom wouldn't otherwise enter STEM pathways, earn degrees and careers in computer science and engineering. Students will move through math, engineering, English, and computer classes as a group through two semesters of community college.  The STEM Core Program combines a number of best-practices in community college education, including block scheduling, a cohort of students moving through classes together, extra tutoring, curriculum contextualized to engineering industry, internship slots at NASA and DOE National Laboratories, and wrap-around academic and social support.    

Minimum Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution  

• Two or more years professional experience in advising, counseling, social services, teaching, tutoring, or student services  
• Experience using Zoom, or other online conferencing platform  
• Understand and display the concepts of diversity and multiculturalism and their application in education and the workplace  
• Ability to manage program caseload with minimal supervision and prepare required reports regarding work, progress and program impact  
• A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and student success, as well as working with broadly diverse communities  

Preferred Qualifications 

• Demonstrated knowledge of the operations of Fort Lewis College  
• Two or more years of professional experience working in a higher education setting with college students    
• Experience with online/remote teaching or learning  
• Demonstrated experience working with financial aid, enrollment, or other student service processes at a college or university   

• Demonstrated experience using an enrollment and advising system (such as Banner or EAB), a learning management system (such as Canvas), or similar student/client information system    
• Demonstrated experience in public speaking, teaching, tutoring, facilitating workshops, or small-group facilitation   
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in program evaluation, analysis, and data collection  
• Experience creating programming for student engagement, campus outreach and team building using remote/online modalities  

Major Responsibilities 

The Student Support Specialist assists with the development, implementation, and evaluation of activities designed to support the academic success of a cohort of 25-30 STEM Core students.  Specifically, the Student Support Specialist will provide wraparound services to STEM Core participants and ensure that participants comply with the requirements of the program. The SSS responsibilities will include the following:   

• Via face-to-face and virtual interactions, provide wraparound student support to all participants in order to help them achieve their academic and career goals by helping them address challenges inside and outside of school, including, but not limited to, developing successful study habits, attaining work experience, transfer preparation, financial aid assistance, referrals to on- and off-campus services as needed, etc.  
• Work with faculty and project partners to deliver high-quality and engaging program orientations before Fall and Spring semesters in order to build cohort community, introduce faculty and partners, and implement study skill development.  
• Attend most class sessions (face-to-face and/or virtual) in order to monitor student attendance, course content and student achievement.    
• Maintain detailed tracking records of students’ progress, grades, GPA, internship availability, etc and share with necessary faculty and program partners; data will be shared quarterly with the STEM Core Project Director.  

• Oversight of project activities including maintaining and recruiting 25-30 students in the cohort.   
• Coordinate regular meetings between faculty in the cohort to discuss curriculum, individual students, and enrichment programming.  Connect with faculty and maintain a handle on concepts taught in class to liaise with program tutors.  
• Communicate with faculty concerning students’ academic progress; connect students to college resources as needed and preemptively; assist with program recruitment for new cohorts, including planning summer orientation.  
• Coordinate math tutoring sessions, including hiring of tutor(s) and keeping tutor(s) notified of current concepts covered in class and identifying individuals needing assistance; meet with students to encourage participation; track attendance.  
• Meet with each STEM Core student individually, at least once per month to assess progress, relay information from professors, make necessary referrals, etc.  

• Organize and facilitate Study Skills Workshops, as needed, covering topics such as: Time Management, Stress Reduction at School, Resume Writing, etc.  
• Liaise with College administration and other program partners to ensure proper course delivery, tutoring, and planning for future semesters and academic counseling services are being provided.   
• Work with internship sites to coordinate summer internships (face-to-face and/or virtual), including outreach and promotion, screening potential candidates, and setting up interviews and tours.   
• Prepare qualified students for Summer Internships: resume prep, interview prep, exposure to potential positions, etc.  
• Plan and facilitate other enrichment opportunities including field trips, graduations, career panels, speaker series, etc. such as team building, employer-sponsored field visits, job talks, career panels, demonstrations [when possible], field trips to 4-year universities [when possible], study skills (or other) workshops (in person or virtual), and/or other academic opportunities  

• Create and distribute all program marketing materials including fliers, applications, etc.  
• Student Engagement — must be comfortable working directly with students both inside and outside of the classroom; must be comfortable with emailing and texting students; must be able to easily help a student understand the importance of studying outside of class while also helping students develop necessary professional skills both individually and as a group; must understand, or get to know, the culture of the college and appropriate method(s) for student engagement.   
• Coordination/Management — will be the main organizer of implementing the STEM Core program on [a virtual] campus, so there will be heavy responsible for student recruiting, tracking, reporting, workshops, coordinating field trips [when possible] and speakers (face-to-face and virtual), and program evaluation.  
• Creativity and Vision — must be able to shape the STEM Core on campus. Much of the STEM Core is about linking students in the cohort to existing resources on campus.   
• Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and student success, as well as working with broadly diverse communities  

• Maintains knowledge and awareness of digital accessibility including the American with Disabilities Act and Section 508.  
• Produces and remediates digitally accessible materials in accordance with FLC standards.  
• Perform other duties as assigned  

Work Conditions 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that an employee can expect while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

• Moderate noise (i.e. business office with computers, phone, and printers, light traffic).  
• Ability to work in a confined area.  
• Ability to sit at a computer terminal for an extended period of time.  

Compensation  

Salary is $33,620 for this 9.84 month position  plus a comprehensive benefits package.  

 
Application Process 
A complete application packet includes: 

• Cover letter addressing interest and qualifications for position 

• Include details regarding how your personal and professional experiences allow you to encourage a learning environment grounded in equity and inclusion. “How do you envision contributing to Fort Lewis College’s commitment to equity and inclusion?” 
• Include what experiences and/or knowledge make you specifically suited for supporting Fort Lewis College's student body 

• Resume 

• Names and contact information for three current, professional references 

Submit materials as one PDF file via email to: 

StudentSupportSpecialist-Search@fortlewis.edu 

Application materials received by May 16, 2021, will receive full consideration. 

Position will remain open until filled. 

The successful candidate will be required to submit original, official college transcripts,  

and pass a background check. 

The College and the Community  

Fort Lewis College, a public institution located in Durango, Colorado, offers degree programs in arts, business, education, health fields, humanities, social and natural sciences, and teacher education. Our inspiring mountain campus is located atop a scenic mesa overlooking historic Durango and situated between the San Juan Mountains and the desert Southwest. We are committed to accessible and high-quality baccalaureate education, and our hallmarks are remarkably close relationships between students and faculty, the freedom of intellectual exploration, and the challenge of experiential learning. Our 3,300 students come from 48 states, 17 countries, with 36% Native American and Alaska Native backgrounds, and 11% Hispanic backgrounds. Durango is a thriving multicultural community of 18,500 set along the beautiful Animas River Valley. Averaging 300 sunny days per year, the community is known for its outdoor lifestyle and friendly, festive atmosphere. Durango is also the cultural and economic hub of the Four Corners region, rich in dining, shopping, and entertainment, and linked with airline service to hubs in Denver, Phoenix, and Dallas. 

Equal Opportunity   

Fort Lewis College does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin, sex*, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, family or domestic status, political beliefs, veteran status, pregnancy, or genetic information. Accordingly, equal opportunity for employment shall be extended to all persons. The College shall promote equal opportunity, equal treatment, and affirmative action efforts to increase the diversity of students, faculty, and staff. The College is dedicated to building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment.  

To file a report, get resources, read policies, or make an appointment, See www.fortlewis.edu/CARE.  

Questions about Title IX sex discrimination?  

Office of the Title 9 Coordinator  

Molly Wieser  

230 Skyhawk Station  

1000 Rim Drive  

Durango, Colorado 81301  

(970) 247-7241 wieser_m@fortlewis.edu  

Other discrimination questions?   

Office of the Equal Opportunity Coordinator  

David Pirrone  

192 Education Business Hall  

1000 Rim Drive  

Durango, Colorado 81301  

(970) 247-7182 djpirrone@fortlewis.edu  

Information about Fort Lewis College’s alcohol and drug policy, sexual assault policy, campus security policies, campus crime statistics, fire safety procedures and fire statistics, and campus/community resources can be found in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. Hard copies are available upon request. 

  * Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Part 106 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, including in admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and CFR 106 to Fort Lewis College may be directed to FLC's Title IX Coordinator and/or to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights of the Department of Education.  

ADAA Accommodations  

Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request an accommodation, please contact Kristin Polens by phone 970-247-7459 or email kpolens@fortlewis.edu at least five business days before the assessment date to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.