Academic Counselor Early College & Dual Enrollment

About Mount Wachusett Community College:

Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) is a highly regarded educational institution located in Gardner, Massachusetts and accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Established in 1963, MWCC serves the educational needs of the communities of North Central Massachusetts with innovative undergraduate education, early college programs, workforce development, personal enrichment, and community service. With a strong emphasis on academic excellence, MWCC provides a supportive environment for individuals to pursue their educational goals, enhance professional skills, and seek personal growth. As a beacon of opportunity, Mount Wachusett Community College empowers individuals from all walks of life, fostering their development and transformation.

We hope you will consider applying for one of our open positions, and discover all that Mount Wachusett Community College and the North Central Massachusetts region have to offer.

http://mwcc.edu/about-mwcc/

Mount Wachusett Community College embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values and makes it our mission to proactively focus on improving racial equity in our college community. We value equity-minded individuals with commitment to serve student learners from a broad range of cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, abilities, and orientations. Therefore, we strongly encourage applicants who share our commitment and who understand the benefits of culturally relevant practices needed in an educational environment.

Job Description:

General Statement of Duties:

We are looking for a dynamic and energetic Academic Counselor to join our team in support of our growing population of early college and dual enrollment students preparing to take, or taking dual enrollment courses. This person will work directly with partnering high schools, supporting students, college faculty and serving as a liaison with partnering high school guidance and administration as necessary. This position will provide a range of services and supports to Dual Enrollment and Early College (DE/EC) students, including career exploration, dual enrollment course selection and registration, and holistic student support. This person will also provide support to visiting college faculty instructing courses, ensuring that they have clear and timely communication on schedules and schedule changes, and discussion of individual student challenges and successes. The right candidate will also support outreach and recruitment of students within partnering high schools in collaboration with guidance departments and school administration, ensuring intentional and strategic outreach of students who are typically underrepresented in higher education, including low-income, first-generation college, diverse and middle achieving students. The Counselor will also provide information and communication to parents/guardians, and other organizations who may be appropriate in support of a student's success. The Counselor should be comfortable working with a team, but also independently. The right candidate will have experience working with high school-age youth and/or college students, and will be very comfortable with written, visual and verbal communications. This position will work primarily with Athol High School and Narragansett Regional High School students, both at the high schools and the college campus, and will assist with supporting other early college and dual enrollment students as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Provide a broad range of services in support of high school students enrolled in Dual Enrollment and Early College Programs (DE/EC);

• Collaborates regularly with area high school guidance departments/ administration;

• Maintains professional knowledge in topics related to Dual Enrollment and Early College, transfer options, scholarship opportunities, student success, FAFSA, College Board and Common Application;

• Attends MWCC advising trainings and stays current on course prerequisites and catalogue changes.

For complete union specifications please click HERE

Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Education, Counseling, Psychology or closely related field;

• Three (3) years experience and/or training involving college admissions, academic advisement, career development, or program/project management; or

• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Desired Qualifications:

• Comfort working independently and within a team;

• Experience working with high school youth and/or college students;

• Excellent communication skills.

Equivalency Statement

Applicants who do not meet the qualifications as stated above are encouraged to put in writing precisely how their background and experience have prepared them with the equivalent combination of education, training and experience required for the responsibilities of this position.

Additional Information:

Salary: $63,288.00-$107,738.00

(PSM) Actual Salary determined by education, experience, and any applicable grant limitations per the collective bargaining agreement. Applicants should be aware it is unlikely the salary will be at or near the top of the range.

Grade: 5

Employee Status: Full Time Grant Funded

Benefits: Yes

Hours per Week: 37.5

Number of Weeks: 52

Mount Wachusett Community College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, age, veteran status, genetic information, gender identity or sexual orientation in its programs and activities as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes and college policies. The College prohibits sexual harassment, including sexual violence. Inquiries or complaints concerning discrimination, harassment, retaliation or sexual violence shall be referred to the College's Affirmative Action and/or Title IX Coordinator, the Massachusetts Commission against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission or the United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.

Application Instructions:

Candidates for employment should be aware that although the COVID 19 Vaccination Requirement Policy is no longer in effect, all Community College students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to be up to date with vaccination against COVID-19. For additional information related to the status of the COVID19 Vaccination Requirement Policy, please visit: https://mwcc.edu/covid/

The following documents are required:

1.Resume

2.Cover Letter

Anticipated Effective Date: January 2024

Priority will be given to applications received prior to December 22, 2023.

Applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled.

Candidates may be subject to employment screening to include both a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) request and a Sexual Offender Registry Information (SORI).