TRIO Student Success Advisor

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts; Clarksburg (MA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Retirement plan

Tuition benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts seeks a TRIO Student Success Advisor to provide individualized support for scholars in TRIO Student Support Services. The role focuses on academic, social, personal development and well-being needs, with event planning and administrative support for the program.

The position is full-time, 10-month and grant-funded, requiring in-person work on campus with a salary of $43,888 per year. Benefits include health, retirement, tuition waivers, and paid time off.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Experience providing direct academic, vocational, or social support in an advising, mentoring, coaching, or similar capacity, preferably in a higher education setting.
• Sensitivity to and familiarity with experiences of first-generation college students, low-income backgrounds, or students with disabilities.
• Proficiency with word processing, databases, presentation tools, and spreadsheet software, specifically Microsoft Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Provide academic and holistic coaching, advising, and support to a caseload of TRIO scholars (first-generation, low-income, or with disabilities).
• Staff the TRIO office: greet students, answer phones, monitor email accounts, and assist with information inquiries.
• Develop and monitor individualized success plans; track progress toward goals.
• Refer students to appropriate campus offices and programs; navigate organizational structures and technology platforms.
• Help students develop self-awareness, confidence, and self-efficacy through assessments and guided reflection.
• Support time management and organizational skills; encourage self-regulation and accountability.
• Document advising notes in software; maintain TRIO program data and records.
• Assist in planning events and programs to build community and promote academic success and well-being.
• Contribute to supervision of student employees as needed; assist with recruiting, interviewing, hiring, training, and evaluating.

Skills

Empathy

Project management

Communication

Problem solving

Teamwork

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

About Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts:

At MCLA, we're here for all, and focused on each of our students.Classes are taught by educators who care deeply about teaching, andabout seeing their students thrive on every level of their lives.In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed toelevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators,fully empowered to make their impressions on the world. In additionto our 132-year commitment to public education, we have fortifiedour dedication to equitable academic excellence. MCLA has appearedon U.S. News & World Report's list of Top Ten Public Collegesfor 11 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of TopPublic Liberal Arts Schools in the nation for 2026. The College'sfocus on affordable education and economic prosperity is reflectedin additional 2026 U.S. News rankings: No. 6 for Top Performer onSocial Mobility for liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 4for Top Performer on Social Mobility for public liberal artscolleges in the country. These rankings measure how well schoolsgraduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants. Learn more at www.mcla.edu

Job Description:

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

The TRIO Student SuccessAdvisor provides individualized, holistic support to scholars inMCLA's TRIO Student Support Services, a federally-funded programthat provides enhanced support for college students who are firstgeneration, come from a low-income background, and/or have adisability. This primarily student-facing position offers regularand drop-in support for TRIO scholars' academic, social, personaldevelopment, and well-being needs. This position also contributesto the planning and delivery of events, programs, and initiativesdesigned to support TRIO scholars and assists with administrativesupport for the program.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Reports to the Director of TRIOStudent Support Services

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

May supervise student employees andinterns.

DETAILED DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide academic and holistic coaching, advising, and supportto a caseload of students from TRIO's target population of 160undergraduates who are first generation, come from a low-incomebackground, and/or have a disability.
• Help staff the TRIO office; greet and work with students whodrop in seeking information or assistance; answer phones; helpmonitor and respond to the TRIO shared email account and otherincoming communications.
• Help students design and implement enhanced academic andholistic success plans that address their individual goals,objectives, and needs. Support successful goal completion andmonitor student progress toward established goals.
• Maintain an awareness and understanding of supports that areavailable to MCLA students; provide guided referrals to campusoffices and programs as appropriate. Assist students in navigatingMCLA's organizational structures and technology platforms.
• Assist students in developing self-awareness, confidence andself-efficacy by identifying strengths, cultural assets, andopportunity areas for growth, including through the administrationand interpretation of formal assessment tools.
• Work with students to develop effective time management andorganizational skills. Motivate students to practiceself-regulation, help-seeking behaviors, and accountability.
• Document advising notes in relevant software platforms;maintain and update data for students in assigned caseload;contribute to overall maintenance of TRIO program data.
• Participate in the planning and delivery of events and programsthat build community and promote academic success and well-beingamong TRIO scholars, included but not limited to summer bridgeprograms, financial literacy workshops, off-campus educational andcultural events, celebrations and commemorations, and new studentonboarding.
• At the request of the director, contribute to the supervisionof student employees, which may include some or all of: helping tocreate and post positions, recruiting, interviewing, hiring,training, and overseeing and evaluating work.
• Participate in outreach and promotion efforts to increaseawareness of TRIO among its target population, the wider campuscommunity, and beyond.
• Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed withinthe scope of related work duties and the priorities of the role andthe office. At times, a flexible schedule may be required beyondspecific business hours. This is a predominantly in person, oncampus, direct student-facing role.

Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Experience providing direct academic, vocational, or socialsupport in an advising, mentoring, coaching, or similar capacity,preferably in a higher education setting.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to and familiarity with theexperiences of college students who are first-generation, come fromlow-income backgrounds, or have one or more disabilities.
• Proficiency in using current technologies such as wordprocessing, databases, presentation tools, and spreadsheetsoftware, specifically Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Employment experience providing student services in highereducation
• Familiarity with principles of appreciative advising and activelearning
• Familiarity with learning management systems, academic planningtools, assessments, FERPA guidelines, and student recordsystems.
• Experience managing institutional social media accounts
• Program or event planning experience

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Empathy and emotional capacity to engage directly with studentswhose needs may be significant and complex
• Ability to organize work and manage projects effectively
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Creative and innovative approaches to problem-solving
• Ability to work collaboratively, accountably, and independentlyin a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Ability to lead workshops and deliver presentations togroups
• Commitment to continuous learning and professionaldevelopment

Additional Information:

This is a full-time, 10-month, grant-funded position within the APAbargaining union. The schedule for this position runs from August1st-May 31, some evenings and weekends are required.

The salary range for this position is $43,888.00. Continuation ofthis position beyond May 31, 2030, is dependent on the continuationof the grant.

Employee Benefits:

• Health Insurance: MCLA offers a variety of HMO, POS, and PPO-typehealth insurance plans for eligible employees. Coverage iseffective on the 1st of the month following the date of hire. Exceptions to employees hired on the 1st of the month, coverage iseffective immediately.
• Retirement: The MA State Employee Retirement System provideseligible employees with a retirement pension following a 10-yearvesting period. In lieu of the retirement pension, eligibleemployees may select the Optional Retirement Plan with a maximum 5%employer matching contribution.
• Tuition Waivers & Discounts: eligible employees, includingspouses and dependent children, receive reduced tuition at MA statecolleges, community colleges, and universities.
• Paid Time Off: employees receive 12 paid holidays and generousvacation, personal, and sick leave benefits.

Until further notice, in response to the Presidential proclamation,issued on September 19, 2025, imposing a significant fee on theentry of individuals with new H-1B visas, this position is noteligible for visa sponsorship.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts complies with the Americanswith Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable accommodations toqualified applicants and employees with disabilities. Should youneed to request a reasonable accommodation for the applicationprocess, please email Brenda Stokes, Executive Director of HumanResources.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is deeply committed tofostering a community of excellence, equity, diversity, andinclusion. We provide equal access to educational, co-curricularand employment opportunities for all applicants, students, andemployees regardless of race, color, religion, national origin,age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity,gender expression, genetic information, marital or parental status,veteran status, or membership in any other legally protected class.Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts does not discriminate on thebasis of sex in any educational program or activity that theyoperate, which extends to admission and employment.

Inquiries about Title IX, Equal Opportunity, or ADA/504 and othernon-discrimination policies may be directed to MCLA's Interim TitleIX and Equal Opportunity Coordinator, to the Assistant Secretary ofthe Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, or both.

Lucas Morrill
Interim Title IX and EO Coordinator
375 Church Street, North Adams, MA 01247
Telephone: [phone]
[e-mail]

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
33 Arch Street, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02119-1424
Telephone: [phone]; FAX: [phone]; TDD [phone]
[e-mail]