TRIO SSS Retention Specialist

Hamline University; St. Paul (IN); On-site; USD 47,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, seeks a TRIO/SSS Retention Specialist to support students in the TRIO/SSS program. You will coordinate data entry, manage a caseload of 15-20 students, and assist with workshops and events.

Reporting to the Program Director and Student Success Specialist, you will provide holistic advising—academic, financial, career, and personal guidance—and connect students with campus resources to promote persistence and graduation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Psychology, or Social Work.
• 1 year of professional experience in academic coaching, retention services, tutoring, or academic advising in a higher education setting.
• Experience with diverse populations, especially first-generation/low-income or students with disabilities.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to use data to inform decisions.
• Excellent problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of 15–20 SSS participants and serve as the main contact.
• Provide one-on-one sessions and proactive academic, financial, career, and personal guidance.
• Develop and monitor the Plan for Academic and Career Exploration (PACE).
• Assist with course selection, major exploration, and degree requirements with TRIO colleagues.
• Support FAFSA completion/renewal and scholarship searches to promote financial literacy.
• Provide timely interventions and referrals to campus partners.

Skills

Data entry

Advising

Data analysis

Collaboration

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

STARFISH

EAB Navigate

Workday

Job description

Founded in 1854, Hamline was the first university in Minnesota and among the first coeducational institutions in the nation. Hamline University provides a world-class education for undergraduate and graduate students. Our faculty, staff, and students cultivate an ethic of civic responsibility, social justice, and inclusive leadership and service.

Hamline University is an Equal Opportunity employer. Hamline University does not discriminate on the basis of race; color; religion; creed; sex; national origin; marital status; familial status; status with regard to public assistance; membership or activity in a local human rights commission; disability; age; protected veteran status; or any other status protected by applicable law in its education or employment programs or activities. The University will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.

Position Summary

The TRIO/SSS Retention Specialist is a dynamic and data-informed professional who works collaboratively to support students in the TRIO/SSS program. The Retention Specialist coordinates program data entry and management, and the logistics for TRIO workshops and events. This position also serves as the first point of contact for students and the campus community when they enter the TRIO Student Support Services office.

The Retention Specialist additionally provides direct, holistic support to a caseload of 15-20 students who are first-generation, low-income, and/or have documented disabilities. The Retention Specialist builds strong relationships with students, empowers them to navigate academic and personal challenges, and connects them to resources that support their persistence, academic success, and graduation.

Working in close partnership with the Program Director and Student Success Specialist, the Retention Specialist adds a critical layer of support, ensuring that the team can not only recruit students, but retain them throughout their college careers.

This is a 100% grant-funded position. This position is in-person and is not eligible for hybrid or remote work. Continued employment is contingent upon the renewal of federal funding.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Data Entry, Management, & Reporting

• Coordinate the application process, including data entry, communication with applicants, and eligibility verification.
• Maintain accurate, detailed, and confidential records of all student contacts and progress in the program’s database.
• Serve as the team’s data quality coordinator, ensuring consistency, timeliness, and accuracy through monitoring, validation, and cleanup.
• Assist the Program Director in analyzing and reporting on student persistence, risk factors, and institutional barriers.
• Assist the Program Director in compiling and reporting data related to program objectives for the Annual Performance Report (APR).
  

Holistic Advising & Case Management

• Manage a caseload of 15-20 assigned SSS participants, serving as the main point of contact within the TRIO SSS program.
• Meet regularly with students for one-on-one sessions and to provide proactive academic, financial, career, and personal guidance.
• Develop and monitor students’ Plan for Academic and Career Exploration (PACE) to set goals and track progress toward degree completion.
• Assist students on course selection, major exploration, and understanding degree requirements, working in close collaboration with TRiO colleagues, the Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA), and faculty advisors.
• Support students with financial aid processes, including FAFSA completion/renewal and scholarship searches, to promote financial literacy and reduce loan debt.
• Provide timely and effective interventions for students experiencing academic or personal difficulties, making appropriate referrals to campus partners.
  

Collaborative Student Support

• Work in a highly collaborative team environment with the Program Director and Student Success Specialist to ensure a coordinated and comprehensive support model for all participants.
• Assist the Program Director in the planning, coordination, and assessment of SSS workshops and events.
• Serve as a liaison to key campus partners, including the Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA), the Writing Center, the Registrar’s Office, and faculty advisors.
• Foster a vibrant and supportive cohort community among SSS participants.
• Other duties, as assigned.
  

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in Education, Psychology, Social Work, or a related field.
• A minimum of one (1) year of professional experience in academic coaching, retention services, tutoring, or academic advising in a higher education setting OR student advising in a comparable college success role.
• Demonstrated experience and a genuine passion for working with students from diverse backgrounds, particularly those who are first-generation, low-income, and/or have disabilities.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to use data to inform decision-making and student interventions.
• Excellent problem-solving and organizational skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal, active listening, and communication skills, with a proven ability to build rapport and trust with students.
• Strong desire and ability to work in a highly collaborative team environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 4 or more years of professional experience in academic coaching, retention services, tutoring, or academic advising in a higher education setting OR student advising in a comparable college success role.
• Direct experience working in or history as a participant of a federal TRIO program or a similar educational opportunity program.
• Personal experience in overcoming barriers similar to those confronting the SSS target population.
• Familiarity with student success technologies and early alert systems (e.g., Starfish, EAB Navigate).
• Experience using a student information system (e.g., Workday) and/or a TRIO database.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This is a full time, 1.0 FTE, exempt position, 12 months a year.
• Occasional evening and weekends required as needed to teach various courses or to attend conference events or training sessions.
• $44,167 = salary for the 10-month appointment
  

EEO/DIVERSITY STATEMENT

Hamline University will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation based on race; color; religion; creed; sex; sexual orientation; gender expression; gender identity; national origin; marital status; familial status; status with regard to public assistance; service with a local human rights commission; disability; age; or protected veteran status in its employment and educational opportunities. In addition, a romantic or physical relationship between a student and an employee who is not a student worker is prohibited.