Student Success & Retention Programs Specialist

Western Kentucky University; Bowling Green (KY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY seeks a Specialist, Retention Programs & Academic Support to coordinate academic support and retention initiatives, helping students transition to WKU, respond to academic difficulty, and persist toward good standing.

The role provides operational support for the Academic Recovery & Support Program, Summer Scholars, and peer coaching connections, working with campus partners to connect students with resources and promote academic success.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting students in academic support programs or retention initiatives.
• Ability to coordinate multiple tasks and maintain accurate program records.
• Commitment to supporting students from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Proven interpersonal and communication skills for campus collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate day-to-day support for retention and academic initiatives, including BEP and Summer Scholars.
• Assist students in understanding academic standing, recovery expectations, and available resources.
• Teach up to 6 hours of college coursework.
• Support communication, workshop logistics, attendance tracking, and completion records.
• Connect students to peer services, advising, financial aid, wellness resources, and campus partners.
• Assist with training, scheduling, and supervision of peer coaches or student employees.
• Develop and maintain program materials, resources, webpages, forms, and templates.
• Track participation, engagement, referrals, and outcomes for programs.
• Collaborate with academic advising, Registrar, Financial Aid, Housing, TRIO, and other partners.
• Support program improvement through feedback and assessment.
• Provide occasional evening or weekend support for workshops or summer activities.

Skills

Strong organizational skills

Strong communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Ability to manage multiple priorities

Commitment to diversity

Job description

Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY seeks a Specialist, Retention Programs & Academic Support to coordinate academic support and retention initiatives, helping students transition to WKU, respond to academic difficulty, and persist toward good standing.

The role provides operational support for the Academic Recovery & Support Program, Summer Scholars, and peer coaching connections, working with campus partners to connect students with resources and promote academic success.