Program Advisor at Reading High School - TRIO Upward Bound Programs

Penn State University; State College (Centre County); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

75% tuition discount

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Penn State University invites applications for a Program Advisor position serving Upward Bound Programs at Reading High School. The role supports approximately 100 students, coordinating social, educational, and service-learning activities in collaboration with school districts, community partners, and campus offices.

The advisor provides guidance on course selection, college readiness, financial aid, health and wellness, career services, and leadership development, while organizing year-round

Qualifications

• Understand and articulate unit policies and federal grant guidelines in oral and written communication.
• Demonstrated experience in providing direct college preparation services to 9th–12th-grade students.
• Experience working with low-income, first-generation high school students from different backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Organize, develop, and implement social, educational, and service-learning programs for Upward Bound participants.
• Recruit students and plan programming for grant-determined school districts.
• Coordinate parent and student events and engage community stakeholders.
• Advise, tutor, or refer participants on college readiness, financial aid, health and wellness, career services, academic advising, student leadership, and diversity and inclusion.
• Develop and implement academic year and summer programming in compliance with federal guidelines.
• Maintain effective working relationships with school districts, community partners, and campus and university offices.

Skills

Grant guidelines

College prep services

First-generation students

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

POSITION SPECIFICS

Upward Bound Programs (UBP) , includes five federally funded TRIO grants through the Department of Education: four of them are Upward Bound (UB) in addition to one Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS). Two of these grants serve students at Reading High School. These grants help high-school students gain academic skills and motivation to continue their education beyond high school. At Penn State, UBP is located within The Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity.

UBP is seeking a Program Advisor to work with approximately 100 students attending Reading High School. Office space at Penn State Berks will also be provided and shared with an additional Reading High UBP program advisor. A UBP program advisor assists in organizing, developing, and implementing social, educational, and service-learning programs/activities for Upward Bound Programs’ participants. The successful candidate will be responsible for student recruitment and programming for grant-determined school district population, parent/student events, and community stakeholders.

The counselor will advise, tutor, or refer program participants on various student services including high school course selection, college readiness, financial aid, health and wellness, career services, academic advising, student leadership, and diversity and inclusion. Additionally, the counselor will develop and implement academic year and summer residential programming in compliance with federal guidelines as outlined in the grant and develop and maintain effective working relationships with school districts, community partners, and campus and University-wide offices.

Required Qualifications

• Understand and articulate unit policies and federal grant guidelines in oral and written communication
• Demonstrated experience in providing direct college preparation services to 9th- through 12th-grade students
• Experience working with low-income, first-generation high school students from different backgrounds

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in counselor education, college student personnel, psychology, social work, education, higher education administration, or a STEM field
• Knowledge and experience with federally funded TRIO programs
• Familiarity with second language learners as many of our students are bilingual

This position will require occasional evening and weekend hours, as well as some overnight travel for UBP meetings, retreats, and conferences. The program advisor will also reside in a residence hall(s) during the annual UBP Summer Academy to help implement programming and supervise students.

MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

Bachelor's Degree

1+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted

Required Certifications

None

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

This position requires the following clearances in addition to applicable background checks: PA State Police Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form, and Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check. This position requires that you operate a motor vehicle as a part of your job duties. A valid driver's license and successful completion of a motor vehicle records check will be required in addition to standard background checks.

Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $44,628.00 - $64,668.00.

Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible sp