TRIO Student Success Specialist

Student Success Specialist

Central Washington University is recruiting a Student Success Specialist to join our Academic Achievement team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhance the vision for the University. The role is a campus-based position, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. We're offering a competitive salary plus the awesome CWU benefits.

We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students' Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams. Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. You'll find robust academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing, health services, police and public safety for the campus population of ~8,300 students.

Central Washington University has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Top Producing Institution for the  academic year. In addition, for seven out of eight years, CWU was a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. Rent Cafe has also named CWU #13 of the Top 20 Best College Towns in the U.S. in 2025.

Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus. Tour our campus in Ellensburg here.

Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program. Learn more:
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The TRIO Student Success Specialist is a grant-funded position responsible for providing holistic academic advising, support for financial literacy and student aid, career and/or graduate school counseling, instruction, advocacy, and support services to first-generation, low-income, and/or disabled students in the TRIO SSS Program. Students Success Specialist facilitate workshops designed to help students develop effective academic habits and practical life skills. This position is also responsible for documenting student participation and progress, giving presentations to faculty, staff groups and/or visiting students.

This position is funded by a federal grant through August 31, 2030. All employees are expected to uphold and contribute to CWU's vision, mission, and values, fostering a culture of student success and institutional excellence.

Student Support:

- Provide academic and career counseling, support services, and resource referrals to a caseload of TRIO SSS students.

- Complete intake and assess students' interests, needs and goals.

- Develop meaningful and appropriate interventions and services.

- Assist students in the development and monitoring of Individual Success Plans.

- Guide and support students in effective communication with CWU student services and academic departments.

- Analyze and interpret student data and placement results and advise students about degree and graduation requirements, course articulation, appropriate course loads and course selection.

- Assist students with the process of pursuing their major, understanding the curriculum and making effective academic progress.

- Collaborate with faculty departmental or college advisors, the Registrar, and Financial Aid to resolve student issues.

- Provide information and direct assistance with locating and applying for Federal student financial aid, state resources, and public and private scholarships.

- Assist students with resumes, cover letters, and scholarship applications and provide nominations and/or letters of recommendation, as appropriate.

- Assist students with researching and applying for graduate school, professional training, summer research, and/or…