Job Title: College Possible AmeriCorps and VISTA Positions
# of openings: 180
Wage/Salary: AmeriCorps Stipend
Cities: Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Milwaukee, Omaha, Portland, Philadelphia
Position Type: Full Time-Entry Level
Position Start Date: 8/4/15
Position End Date: 6/30/16
Job Targets: Community Development; Education - Postsecondary; Education – Secondary
College Possible is a growing nonprofit dedicated to coaching low-income students to-and-through
college, breaking the cycle of poverty and empowering our workforce. Our rigorously-tested model
earns top-of-field results that have helped 98 percent of students served earn admission to college
and supported nearly 80 percent through graduation. A 2011 Harvard study found that the program
more than doubles a student's chance of enrolling in a four-year college.
Our after-school services include (1) academic support through ACT/SAT test preparation; (2)
college application assistance; (3) financial aid consulting; (4) guidance in the college transition; and
(5) support toward college degree completion.
As an AmeriCorps organization, College Possible is recruiting college graduates to serve for one year
to help make a college degree and college success possible for low-income students. With positions
ranging from working directly with students to writing grants to coordinating events, there are many
opportunities offered. Not only do College Possible AmeriCorps members make a difference in
their community, they gain valuable experience for their next job or graduate school endeavor.
I.
Available AmeriCorps and VISTA Positions
Coaching:
A. AmeriCorps High School Coach
Serve as a College Possible coach in a high school. Support juniors by providing ACT/SAT test
preparation and work with students on an individual basis providing subject specific assistance.
Guide seniors as they complete the college application process including: essay writing, applications
for admission, scholarships, and the FAFSA. Reports to Program Team.
B. Virtual Advising AmeriCorps Member
Support a group of high-achieving, low-income students in a virtual environment. Help link
students to information and resources, including college search materials, campus visit programs and
scholarship programs. Create resources to help guide students through the college search,
application and financial aid processes. Develop relationships with students, as well as
representatives from selective colleges and scholarship programs. Assist with planning workshops
for high-achieving College Possible students.
C. AmeriCorps College Coach
Serve as a coach for College Possible student alumni as they transition from high school into college.
Maintain communication and offer services to alums in college either from a college campus or
College Possible Headquarters. Help link students to student services already available on campus,
and plan on- and off-campus events for alums. Reports to Program Team.
Community Partnerships and Program Enrichment:
D. High School Community Partnerships AmeriCorps Member
Support College Possible's high school programming by building and supporting partnerships to
serve high school students. This includes organizing College Prep Talks, college planning
workshops for middle and early high school students; conceiving and organizing two program-wide
community service days for College Possible students; organizing four practice ACT exams for high
school juniors and serving as lead sub for junior coaches; and supporting summer bridge
programming for high school seniors. Research policies, timelines, and resources specific to
Minnesota for partners such as high schools, colleges, scholarships, summer programs, etc.
E. College Community Partnerships AmeriCorps Member
Support College Possible's college partnership efforts via College Possible Connects. This includes
organizing campus visits to College Possible Explore partner colleges; coordinating support services
to College Possible Bridge partner colleges; and working with Leadership Team members to develop
new partnerships for the site. In addition, this person will organize the annual Launch celebration to
be held at a College Possible Connects campus; serve as lead substitute for senior coaches; and
support summer bridge programming for students transitioning from first to second year of college.
Research policies, timelines, and resources specific to Minnesota for partners such as high schools,
colleges, scholarships, summer programs, etc.
F. College Relations VISTA (St. Paul only)
Develop and manage College Possible's new college relations strategy, College Possible Connects,
designed to connect students with colleges that are strategic partners. Develop and integrate a
system that engages colleges at three levels of partnership: Explore, Bridge, and Collaborate. Design
systems and structures to support sites as they execute this strategy, and prepare tools to
communicate with and build college partnerships, including building a new revenue stream for the
organization.
External Relations and Organizational Expansion:
G. Communications VISTA
Serve on the external relations team by providing direct support in media relations, strategic
communications, and marketing. Specific projects include: writing for newsletters, website, and news
releases; graphic design projects; photography of coaches & students for publications; and website
maintenance. Reports to External Relations Team.
H. Development VISTA
Serve on external relations team by providing direct support on fundraising initiatives. Projects
include: event planning, writing for grant proposals and letters; maintaining a grants calendar;
conducting internet donor research, and soliciting in-kind donations from local businesses. Reports
to External Relations Team.
I. National Expansion VISTA (St. Paul only)
Develop the National office's capacity to manage and integrate new College Possible sites. Build
capacity to increase the scale and reach of College Possible services by conducting research on
prospective funders, community based organizations, and local governments to inform expansion
strategy. Build the infrastructure of new sites in early start-up phase by creating opportunities for the
implementation of College Possible's program, culture, and general operations at new sites.
J. High School Program VISTA (St. Paul only)
Create systems that centralize and standardize programmatic initiatives in order to increase the
effectiveness and efficiency of programming. Collaborate with professional evaluators and
Leadership Team members in implementing programmatic evaluation. Draft written materials
outlining organizational efforts and procedures. Plan and sustain exploration efforts for new and
start-up branches.
K. College Program VISTA (St. Paul only)
Create systems that centralize and standardize programmatic initiatives for the College Program.
Draft written materials outlining standardized organizational systems and procedures to increase the
effectiveness and efficiency of the College Program. Plan and sustain exploration efforts for new
and start-up branches. Collaborate with professional evaluators and leadership team in implementing
programmatic evaluation.
L. Human Resources VISTA (St. Paul only)
Serve with the Director of Human Resources (HR) in College Possible's national office to build and
improve our systems for hiring and training College Possible Leadership Team members during this
period of intense growth. The VISTA will utilize the recommendations of College Possible's
Strategic Human Capital Management Plan to build the capacity of the human resources team in a
growing organization.
M. Operations VISTA (St. Paul only)
Expand the scale and reach of College Possible by developing systems and structures that streamline
College Possible operations so that current, and especially new, sites have the necessary information
and tools to operate efficiently and effectively.
N. VISTA Leader (St. Paul only)
Develop the National office's capacity to manage the VISTA program for efficiently and effectively.
Collaborate with the AmeriCorps and VISTA Manager to support 19 VISTAs across the
organization in five states. Increase the effectiveness and efficiency of VISTA recruitment and
reporting practices. **Must have served at least one previous full term as a VISTA to apply**
Required Skills:
College degree required. Ideal candidates will have demonstrated leadership skills, a high level of
achievement in academics, employment and/or other pursuits, and a commitment to the mission of
College Possible. We welcome candidates of all academic majors to apply.
Compensation:
Compensation includes a living allowance, health coverage and a $5,645 Education Award that can
be used to repay student loans or future education expenses. Student loans may be deferred. 10 or
12 month commitment (depending on position) beginning in early August of 2015 required.
Please visit our website, www.CollegePossible.org, to learn more about the organization!
Equal Opportunity Employer
To Apply Visit:
http://www.collegepossible.org/serve/
Application instructions:
Please visit our website to apply: http://www.collegepossible.org/serve/
To be considered for our priority round of applicants, please apply by Nov. 3rd, 2014. Regular
application deadline is March 4th, 2015. We have positions available in the Twin Cities, Milwaukee,
Omaha, Portland, and Philadelphia.
Applicants must submit:
1) Completed online application
2) Resume
3) Two completed reference forms
4) Unofficial transcript