GEAR UP College Advisor

Job Posting Title:

GEAR UP College Advisor

• Hiring Department:

  Curriculum and Instruction

• Position Open To:

  All Applicants

• Weekly Scheduled Hours:

  40

• FLSA Status:

  Non-Exempt

• Earliest Start Date:

  Immediately

• Position Duration:

  Expected to Continue Until Aug 31, 2026

•

Location:

LUFKIN, TX

•

Job Details:

General Notes The Institute for Public School Initiatives (IPSI) is a center within the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin. In support of the mission of the college which is focused on addressing responding to pressing challenges in education and health, IPSI commits resources and services to preparing students to achieve their academic potential; helps students and families increase their college awareness, readiness, and success; and provides educators and leadership with high-quality professional learning by designing and facilitating rigorous, engaging professional development content. The university provides employees a competitive benefits package that includes health insurance (premiums covered 100% for full-time benefits-eligible employees), retirement plans, and paid leave, in addition to other programs and services. There is one opening for this position. The College Advisor will be located in Lufkin, Texas. This is a one-year appointment that will be renewed each year, contingent on funding and performance. The expected end date is August 31, 2026. Purpose To provide in-person direct services and support to

UT GEAR UP

cohort students to help them graduate from high school and achieve postsecondary success. The GEAR UP College Advisor will be responsible for advising students on college and career, assisting them with college and financial aid application processes, helping students complete required actions to enroll in postsecondary, easing students' transition to high school and college, aiding in their persistence and high school graduation, and encouraging their career goals. Responsibilities Function 1: Provide one-on-one grade-level specific college advising to cohort students and families; help students complete and submit summer program applications, college applications, scholarships, and financial aid applications; organize and assist with events and activities such as application workshops and scholarship/FAFSA drives; maintain case management system with individual student portfolios; monitor and support student engagement in their academic work and ensure they are on track to graduate from high school; assist students with steps necessary to successfully enroll in postsecondary; encourage students' participation in summer bridge programs leading up to their first year of post-secondary. Function 2: Provide significant and substantive one-on-one in-person and virtual advising to students on: navigating campus resources to aid them in their academic and social transition to high school and college; choosing a postsecondary path appropriate to their personal goals; degree plans and current/planned course enrollment; seeking tutoring assistance on campus; identifying engaging summer learning, leadership, and internship opportunities; and monitoring and supporting their overall engagement. Mentor a group of students and continue to provide counsel and support through the first year of post-secondary. Function 3: Support students' transition to high school and postsecondary by collaborating with GEAR UP and district staff to help guide students through processes such as freshman orientation, course selection, constructing plans for achieving high school and post-secondary goals, enhancing utilization of academic and student services offices, job shadowing/internships, and success seminars. Monitor GEAR UP awareness and support to all cohort students and parents. Monitor and modify program implementation of activities, as needed, to meet program goals and objectives. Identify and provide appropriate resources for project activities and support their implementation. Function 4: Track student experiences and personal growth. Manage individual student caseloads via regular meetings with students on the following kinds of topics: Current and planned course enrollment; student and family goals for the year; plans and opportunities for summer activities; involvement in extracurricular activities; balancing work and academics; career interests, skills, and abilities; and significant academic, behavioral or situational events. Function 5: Assist the Project Director and other UT Austin GEAR UP staff in identifying, collecting, and interpreting key progress and outcome variables to evaluate the progress of GEAR UP; enter service data on a regular basis; submit monthly progress reports to GEAR UP leadership documenting activities, progress, and outcome data. Serve and assist UTGU at summer camps and summer events and activities. Function 6: Establish productive working relationships with principals, counselors, and teachers in the assigned middle and high schools: Assess, in consultation with the

IPSI GEAR UP

Project Director, GEAR UP Coordinator and school personnel, the particular needs of each school, and adapt programs and activities to meet these needs; Actively seek the advice and counsel of the Principal at each partner school; Support vertical teams with the assistance of the GEAR UP Coordinator, district and school staff to develop a support system for GEAR UP cohort students and to ease the transition between middle school, high school, and college. Function 7: Alongside the GEAR UP Coordinator, submit in-kind match and other supporting documentation as per grant requirements and assist district personnel in identifying match opportunities: Performs a variety of administrative duties in support of the GEAR UP grant, including collection of volunteer and donation forms; Maintain documentation files of all grant activities, correspondence, reports, procedures, and presentations related to the GEAR UP program; Develop outreach materials, including newsletters and social media sites. Function 8: Maintain expertise in college knowledge and readiness; In consultation with the Project Director, seek out and participate in other opportunities for professional development. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree Familiarity with college admissions and financial aid application processes Ability to meet deadlines, plan events, and keep track of data and records Excellent oral and written communication skills Understanding of challenges and barriers facing low-income, first-generation students and families Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate. Preferred Qualifications 1-2 years of experience advising high school students on college and career readiness topics Salary Range $45,000 + depending on qualifications Working Conditions May work around standard office conditions with repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation. Required Materials Resume/CV 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor Letter of interest Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes. Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

• Employment Eligibility:

  Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

• Retirement Plan Eligibility:

  The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

• Background Checks:

  A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

•

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.•

Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.•

Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

• E-Verify:

  The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university's company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following: E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF] Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF] Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in

HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701. Start Here, Change the World At The University of Texas at Austin, tradition meets innovation in the heart of a city that frequents lists of the best places to live and work. Named by Forbes as one of America's Best Large Employers for the sixth year in a row in 2025, UT offers both a dynamic work environment and a gateway to vibrant local culture. Whether you're at the forefront of the student experience, conducting world-changing research or supporting the engine that drives Texas' flagship university, working at UT means making a lasting impact on our city, our state and our world. Our more than 20,000 faculty and staff empower 55,000+ students to challenge ideas, pursue passions and shape their futures. Joining UT, you'll become part of a community dedicated to making a meaningful impact on campus and throughout the world. Looking for a student job? Please see our Student Employment site.

Comments and Inquiries:

Email comments to hrsc@austin.utexas.edu. For questions or concerns regarding equal opportunity only, contact Equal Opportunity Services. Additional information for applicants can be found on the Human Resources web page: Applying for Employment. For more job information, call the Human Resource Service Center at (512) 471-4772, or toll-free at (800) 687-4178. UT Austin is a Tobacco-free Campus