Academic Advisor - CII

Careers at Drexel; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 45,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Drexel University in Philadelphia is seeking an Academic Advisor for the Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry. You will advise a large, interdisciplinary Custom-Designed Major, handle admissions touchpoints for applicants, and support recruitment, retention, and community-building activities.

The role involves coordinating advising policies, maintaining documentation, and collaborating with Drexel Central, CLASS, and other offices to help students succeed throughout their academic journey.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Minimum of 1–2 years of relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Advise students in the Custom-Designed Major and audit progress toward degree requirements.
• Assist with academic planning, pre-registration meetings, and outreach related to course restrictions.
• Coordinate bulk and individual student emails about policies, deadlines, and co-curricular programming.
• Pull and analyze student reports (e.g., academic standing, probation) and assist with degree clearance.
• Support recruitment and retention initiatives and guide applicants through admissions processes.
• Develop advising policies and collaborate with cross-campus departments to support student success.

Skills

Classroom experience

Peer mentorship programs

Organization & time management

Academic advising tools

Project management

Written & verbal communication

Interpersonal communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Summary

The Academic Advisor for the Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry is responsible for academic advising in the Custom-Designed Major. The Academic Advisor’s official caseload consists of the entire Custom-Designed Major student population. This role also has an admissions component as the primary point of contact for applicants to the Custom-Designed Major, including prospective first-year students in First Year Exploratory Studies, current Drexel students, and transfer students. Additionally, the Academic Advisor will provide specified logistical support for student recruitment, retention, and community-development for the Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry and the Pennoni Honors College.

Essential Functions

• Academic Advising for Custom-Designed Major
  • Responsible for advising students enrolled in the Custom-Designed Major.
  • Audits student academic progress toward their individualized, interdisciplinary degree requirements.
  • Assists with academic planning and the registration processes, including quarterly pre-registration meetings for students and subsequent outreach related to course restrictions.
  • Coordinates bulk and/or individual student email outreach communicating University policies and deadlines, opportunities, and co-curricular programming.
  • Pulls student-related reports in Hyperion, including academic standing/success and probation, pre-requisite grade analysis, etc. quarterly or as-needed.
  • Monitors student academic success, including support through probation, Title IV compliance, student conduct issues, dismissal from the program, readmits, etc. as needed.
  • Adheres to University recommended and departmental documentation and record-keeping practices.
  • Offers appropriate referrals for students for academic, financial, and personal support, including Drexel Central, CLASS, intercollegiate advising, Drexel Office of Civil Rights Compliance, etc.
  • Assists with degree clearance for Custom-Designed majors.
• Recruitment and retention initiatives for the Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry
  • Facilitates first-year recruitment for the Custom-Designed Major via the First-Year Exploratory program, including teaching UNIV 101, FYE 102, and FYE 103.
  • Supports First-Year Exploratory program’s admissions events, application process and review, and related programming/events for student academic support.
  • Guides prospective transfer and current students through the application process, including initial and ongoing informational meetings, review of application materials, cross-campus expert review, transfer credit review, etc.
  • Provides continuous follow-up to confirm applicants and students, builds and maintains positive relationships, and acts as a liaison between the students and other areas of the University with the objective of retaining the students in the program and minimizing loss of students.
  • Process the change of major and any additional updates in Degree Works, including graduation term, co-op cycle, etc.
  • Supports the Director of Outreach on new and existing recruitment initiatives related to recruitment and retention for the Custom-Designed Major via First-Year Exploratory Studies, including anti-melt events, admissions events, etc.
  • Works with Center for Interdisciplinary and Pennoni staff to establish clear, consistent advising policies and procedures ensuring a unified approach to student advising practices within the larger guidance of intercollegiate advising.
  • Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with cross-campus departments and units that offer services to support student success, including advisors, counselors, and other staff members.
• Programmatic and Operational Support
  • Facilitates student-led Custom-Designed community events 2-3 times per academic year.
  • Assists with Custom-Designed Major events, including commencement ceremony, senior capstone presentations, crit sessions, etc.
  • Assists marketing initiatives that draw from students, projects, events, etc. in the Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry.
  • Updates and maintains accurate process documents for Custom-Designed, including best advising practices, email templates, and other departmental operations.
  • Investigates best advising practices employed by other individualized, interdisciplinary major programs both domestic and abroad.
  • Maintains consistent and timely communication practices with staff and faculty.
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree or the equivalent combination of education and work experience. (Please review the Equivalency Chart for additional information.)
• Minimum of 1-2 years of relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the classroom.
• Experience facilitating peer mentorship programs.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of organization, time management, record management, and general administration.
• Knowledge of academic advising tools and resources.
• Ability to organize and manage multiple projects simultaneously under deadline pressure.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office products.

Physical Demands

• Typically sitting at a desk/table

Location

• University City - Philadelphia, PA

Additional Information

This position is classified as Exempt, grade I. Compensation for this grade ranges from $45,330.00 to $68,000.00 per year. Please note that the offered rate for this position will vary based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review.

Applicants are encouraged to explore the Professional Staff salary structure and Compensation Guidelines & Policies for more details on Drexel’s compensation framework. For information about benefits, please review Drexel’s Benefits Brochure.