College Access Mentor Specialist

Company Description

Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2013 with a mission to increase the number of young men of color who attend and graduate from colleges and universities. IYT works to address academic inequities and create a strong college-to-community pipeline. The organization envisions a world where men of color are over represented in higher education, underrepresented in the criminal justice system, and serve as leaders in their communities.

Guided by resilience, authenticity, and passion, IYT partners with schools, families, and communities to support students’ long-term academic and personal success.

The College Access Mentor Specialist is a full-time, on-site role based in Minneapolis, MN. This role focuses on directly supporting young men of color through academic mentoring, college readiness coaching, and guidance on the college application, financial aid, and enrollment processes. The specialist will facilitate workshops and group sessions, track student progress, and collaborate with school staff, families, and community partners to remove barriers to college access.

Day-to-day responsibilities include meeting individually with students, maintaining accurate case notes and data, coordinating enrichment opportunities, and connecting students to campus and community resources. The role also involves contributing to program planning, participating in staff trainings, and supporting events that promote college-going culture.

• Deliver 1:1 mentorship sessions focused on identity, belonging, brotherhood, confidence, study habits, goal setting, and early college aspiration.
• Build trusting, consistent relationships with students that set the foundation for long-term IYT engagement.

• Lead open and structured study hall by keeping the space open, welcoming, and purposeful; ensure students sign in and identify what they are working on.
• Prioritize students carrying D/F grades or below a 2.5 GPA during study hall; track who is present, who is absent, and follow up with students who are not attending.
• Lead the structured programming day — facilitate Brotherhood rituals (Brotherhood Clap, Creed, Family Love, announcements, energizer) and support delivery of the Member Development Workshop.
• Deliver developmentally appropriate Brotherhood programming focused on identity, belonging, confidence, study habits, goal setting, and early college aspiration aligned to the middle school program design philosophy.
• Support 8th grade transition readiness by incorporating high school readiness conversations and college exposure into programming throughout the year.
• Debrief with the Associate Program Director at the close of each structured programming day to identify student follow-up priorities for the coming week.

• Conduct family touchpoints after mentorship sessions, centering on student strengths and progress.
• Lead quarterly family engagement touchpoints/moments (Q1 Orientation/Welcome, Q2 Milestone, Q3 Mid-Semester, Q4 Celebration).

• Log all mentorship sessions, programming attendance, and family touchpoints in Salesforce within 24 hours.
• Own the 8th grade pipeline handoff process: ensure student data, relationship context, and engagement history transfer directly to the High School College Advising Mentor Specialist before end of year.
• Capture and submit regular site content — photos, short videos, student stories, and impactful program moments to the Associate Program Director, with all required consent and release documentation on file.

• Strong mentoring, coaching, and youth development skills, with a commitment to culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices.
• Experience in college access, academic advising, or counseling, including support with college applications, financial aid, and transition to college.
• Effective communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills with students, families, school staff, and community partners.
• Organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to manage a caseload, maintain accurate records, and use data to inform support.
• Ability to work on-site in the Metro area, and adapt to a school-based environment with occasional evening or weekend events.
• Demonstrated commitment to educational equity, social justice, and the success of young men of color.
• Proficiency with basic office software and student data systems; comfort learning new digital tools.
• Bachelor’s degree in education, social work, counseling, ethnic studies, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience; lived experience in similar communities is valued.