Academic Counselor

McDaniel College; Westminster (CO); On-site; USD 33,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition remission

403B retirement

Paid time off

Medical insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Life insurance

Parental leave

Job summary

McDaniel College is seeking an Academic Counselor to provide individualized academic support for students with disabilities, ensuring equitable access and compliance with FERPA and ADA requirements.

You will manage 13–17 students, develop personalized success plans, monitor progress, and coordinate support services to empower students toward degree completion and independence.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Counseling, Special Education, or related field preferred; Bachelor's degree required.
• Extensive knowledge of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as they relate to postsecondary education.
• Experience mentoring students with disabilities, preferably in higher education.
• Knowledge of psychoeducational tests/instruments and the ability to interpret psychoeducational reports.
• Excellent organizational skills as well as oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively to meet deadlines.
• Ability to use computers for word processing data, data entry, and related tasks.

Responsibilities

• The Academic Counselor supports students by helping them identify learning preferences, develop effective study strategies, and implement academic adjustments to meet the demands of college coursework.
• Through weekly meetings with those in the Elevate Program, Academic Counselors work with a caseload of students monitoring academic progress, facilitates goal setting and skill development, and provides accountability and intervention strategies to promote student success, retention, and persistence.
• The role collaborates closely with faculty, academic leaders, and student support professionals to enhance student learning and engagement, while serving as an advocate and liaison to ensure access to appropriate accommodations and resources.

Skills

Organization

Communication

Computer literacy

Education

Master's degree preferred

Bachelor's degree required

Job description

McDaniel College is a four-year, independent college of the liberal arts and sciences offering over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs. One of the original "Colleges That Change Lives", McDaniel emphasizes experiential learning and student-faculty collaboration to develop the unique potential in every student. Represented by the Green Terror, over 20 athletic teams compete in the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference. A student-centered community of 1,600 undergraduates and 1,400 graduate students offers access to both Baltimore and Washington, D.C., plus a European campus in Budapest, Hungary.

This position has a budgeted hiring rate of $40,160. The position is classified as an A2. The A2 salary band for all full-time, 9-month positions at the college with this classification have a minimum rate of $32,910 and a maximum rate of $47,390.40. The actual schedule for exempt positions may vary based on the workload and responsibilities assigned.

At McDaniel College we value our employees by offering our full-time employees tuition remission, 403B retirement accounts, paid time off, medical insurance, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, and paid maternity and parental leave. For more information about the college's benefits, please click here to review the 2026 benefits guidebook and click here to view 2026 premium rates .

Click here to see how McDaniel College employees impact the lives of students.

Job Description:

The Academic Counselor provides individualized academic support and case management for students with disabilities, ensuring equitable access to educational opportunities and compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Managing a caseload of 13 to 17 students, the counselor develops and implements personalized success plans, monitors academic progress, addresses academic and personal barriers, and coordinates support services. Through ongoing guidance, skill development, and advocacy-focused coaching, the counselor empowers students to strengthen academic performance, build independence and self-advocacy skills, and persist toward degree completion.

Key Responsibilities

The Academic Counselor supports students by helping them identify learning preferences, develop effective study strategies, and implement academic adjustments to meet the demands of college coursework. Through weekly meetings with those in the Elevate Program, Academic Counselors work with a case load of students monitoring academic progress, facilitates goal setting and skill development, and provides accountability and intervention strategies to promote student success, retention, and persistence.

The role collaborates closely with faculty, academic leaders, and student support professionals to enhance student learning and engagement, while serving as an advocate and liaison to ensure access to appropriate accommodations and resources. Additionally, the counselor fosters self-advocacy, independence, and self-determination, coordinates referrals to campus and community support services, maintains confidential student records and documentation, communicates with authorized family members in compliance with FERPA, and performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Master's Degree in Counseling, Special Education, or related field preferred. Bachelor's degree required.
• Extensive knowledge of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as they relate to postsecondary education.
• Experience mentoring students with disabilities, preferably in higher education.
• Knowledge of psychoeducational tests/instruments and the ability to interpret psychoeducational reports.
• Excellent organizational skills as well as oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively to meet deadlines.
• Ability to use computers for word processing data, data entry, and related tasks.

Additional Information:

McDaniel College, in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate in the recruitment, admission, and employment of students, faculty, and staff in the operation of any of its educational programs and activities. McDaniel College will not tolerate any discrimination or harassment on the basis of any protected status including protective hairstyle, race, religion, color, ancestry or national origin, disability, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, military status, genetic information, marital status, veteran's status, or any other actual or perceived legally protected characteristics.