College Advisor, Perkins Grant; Part-Time

Job Description

Under the supervision of the Advising Supervisor, the College Advisor is a vital contact for all program students to drive engagement and empower students to achieve their academic and career goals. The Advisor collaborates closely with partners such as Advising Peers, Recruitment, Admissions, Career, Financial Aid, Retention Coaches, Student Life, and faculty to provide coordinated care, academic and non-academic advice, including program orientations, transcript evaluations, course placement, approvals, and registration support.

The Advisor provides academic and non-academic coaching support throughout the student's academic career, engaging proactively throughout the academic year. The goal is to coordinate care, build transformative relationships, and clarify procedures and program requirements. College Advisors monitor academic progression, use milestones to increase retention, and promote student success to ensure students reach key benchmarks.

The College Advisor works within the MATC College Advising team and follows established policies, with general supervision from the Advising Supervisor.

Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) is Wisconsin's largest and most diverse technical college, offering 170+ programs connecting students to careers in one to two years. MATC is committed to eliminating equity gaps in higher education for students and employees.

• Student Advising
  • Perform comprehensive academic advising for current students.
  • Present group workshops and provide individual advising sessions, with a minimum of three contacts during critical periods each semester (Pre‑advise: first four weeks, Mid‑term: weeks 6‑9, Priority registration: weeks 9‑16).
  • Serve as a resource for Pathway/Program faculty.
  • Assess GPA and transcript, review program plans, and teach course registration aligned with academic, financial, and career plans.
  • Advise on academic decisions, career development, dropping courses, changing programs, and refer to Financial Aid specialists.
  • Clarify Academic Plan and other planning documents.
• Education Planning Leadership
  • Assess students' strengths and weaknesses in academic, career, and personal development.
  • Identify alternative pathways and interpret assessment results to guide realistic goals.
  • Stay current on MATC transfer credit policies, agreements, and graduation requirements.
  • Remain knowledgeable of general Financial Aid processes.
• Academic Monitoring, Success Planning & Coaching Support
  • Assess progress, identify strengths and barriers, and support goal setting.
  • Monitor academic plans, progress toward completion, and status of students on warning, probation, or suspension.
  • Provide academic and life coaching via individual and group engagement.
  • Deliver proactive outreach, case management, and referrals to support services.
  • Use student data and institutional reports to identify retention risks and implement solutions.
• Career Exploration
  • Provide career exploration with light‑touch interventions during student interactions.
  • Support students using labor market information and align academic, transfer, and employment goals.
  • Refer to the Career Hub for comprehensive assessment.
• Resource Guidance
  • Identify and refer students to academic resources, career planning, counseling, or special needs.
  • Guide navigation of the student portal for self‑sufficiency.
  • Create and maintain accurate student reports, meeting summaries, and tracking notes.
• Data and Reporting
  • Use EAB Navigate, Ellucian tools, and collaborate with stakeholders to track student engagement.
  • Generate and maintain accurate student reports and tracking notes.
• Customer Service and Engagement
  • Deliver excellent customer service through face‑to‑face, telephone, online, and web‑conferencing.
  • Collaborate with the Pathway team to plan student orientations and success workshops.
  • Facilitate group advising sessions as needed.
• Ethics and Confidentiality
  • Adhere to moral and ethical principles, maintaining confidentiality and respect.
• Continuous Learning & Professional Development
  • Maintain knowledge of best practices in higher education and community colleges.
  • Participate in work groups, trainings, workshops, seminars, committees, and…