College Specialist; Contractual

Who We Serve

We LINK students who have been historically underrepresented in higher education, especially Black students, with the resources and support needed for success as they advance to, through, and beyond college.

Chicago’s educational system amplifies persistent inequities, creating a significant college completion gap for historically underrepresented students, particularly Black students. LINK’s goal is to mitigate the effect of these systemic and structural forces by improving and increasing access to educational opportunities and college completion for students who have been historically underrepresented in higher education, especially Black youth in Chicago. By equipping our Scholars with the knowledge, skills, resources, and social equity that further college completion and career placement, LINK is increasing the economic mobility and stability of historically underrepresented students and cultivating a diverse leadership pipeline for our city.

Since 1966, we have successfully supported over 2,500 low- to moderate-income students. In the  academic year, we will serve 300+ Scholars (Jr. LINK, High School & Collegiate Scholars). Our Scholars represent more than 60 Chicagoland neighborhoods, with a focus on ten South and West Side communities:
Auburn Gresham, Austin, Bronzeville, Englewood, Garfield Park, Greater Grand Crossing, North Lawndale, Roseland, South Shore, and Washington Park.

Looking to make a difference by linking students to opportunities so they can take a new path—one that leads to their full potential and our city’s vibrant future? Then join our team!

The College Specialist plays a critical role in supporting the college access programming for our Scholars. The College Specialist is a college access expert who will support and guide a caseload of 10-15 seniors through the college application and admissions journey. College Specialists will support our Project College curriculum, meeting with each Scholar in their caseload monthly to discuss college and scholarship applications, advise on college selection based on LINK programmatic criteria, and offer college counseling services based on Scholar academic profile, interests, family preferences and other fit factors.

College Specialists will work closely with the Director, College Access & Support to ensure our Scholars apply and are admitted to selective or highly selective colleges and universities, setting them up to graduate from college with the least amount of debt.

• Execute the LINK Project College Curriculum.
• Meet with Scholars on caseload monthly for one-hour sessions from September through June to discuss monthly topics and provide college counseling services such as insight on and follow-up around next steps, resource-sharing as necessary, FAFSA support, assessing progress in college and scholarship application goals, etc.
  
  Note:
  
  select sessions include Mentors and/or Families.
• Submit case notes and Scholar progress accurately and on time in Salesforce and/or other trackers.
• Collect and document data related to the outcomes of Scholars’ college applications (e.g. college applications, financial aid & scholarship award letters, etc.) in Excel tracker AND LINK’s online database management system.
• Create college decision reports/suggestions for each Scholar on caseload.
• Lead Scholar/Family/Mentor outreach (including pre-session reminders and post-session homework communications), initial engagement interventions, and decision meetings for caseload.
• Identify Scholars who require additional interventions and work with the LINK liaison to support them.
• Ensure the dissemination and collection of all Scholar feedback surveys after each counseling session.
• Complete all requested feedback forms and surveys.

• Attend 2 mandatory College Specialist orientation + onboarding trainings at the LINK office in downtown Chicago:
  Tuesday, August 11 from 5:30-7:30pm
  Wednesday, August 19 from 5:30-7:30pm
• Attend mandatory in-person meet and greet with senior Scholars on October 17th, 2026, from 2:00p-3:30p.
• Debrief Project College sessions and Scholar progress with LINK staff 3 times per year…