College Access Mentor Specialist

Location: Belzoni

Company Overview:

Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) was founded in 2013 with the mission to increase the number of young men of color (YMOC) to attend and graduate from colleges and universities. We envision a world where men of color are over represented in higher education, underrepresented in the criminal justice system, and leaders in their communities. By embodying our core values of Character, Service, Teamwork, and Liberation we work to combat academic inequities and build a college-to-community pipeline.

Position Overview:

The Mentor Specialist is the primary relationship-builder, college advisor, and college-going culture anchor for students in grades 7–12 at Archway Charter School. This role operates as the site-based leader for IYT programming at Archway — responsible for the daily (and virtual) IYT experience for every student on the caseload, and serving as the consistent human connection between students, their families, and the college-going path ahead.

This is a role that requires deep cultural humility, genuine investment in the Delta community, and the ability to build lasting trust with young men of color who may have experienced broken promises from institutions. Showing up consistently, authentically, and with full presence — is the job.

Key Responsibilities:

Mentorship and Daily Student Support Serve as the senior IYT leader for all programming at Archway; maintain consistent, visible presence — in-person on campus days and active virtual engagement on remote days.

Deliver 1:1 mentorship to all grade levels on the site roster, centering student identity, goals, and connection to a college-going future.

Build trust intentionally and over time — do not rush the relationship; students in the Delta have every reason to be skeptical of adults who promise and disappear.

Virtual and Remote Engagement On remote instruction days, maintain active outreach to students through video calls, phone check-ins, texts, and digital tools to preserve relationship continuity.

Track attendance and engagement patterns during remote cycles; flag students who are disengaging and initiate re-contact within 48 hours.

Document all remote touchpoints in Salesforce within 24  Programming — Campus Days Lead structured programming at Archway on in-person days: own the full Brotherhood experience including rituals (Brotherhood Clap, Creed, Family Love, announcements, energizer) and the Member Development Workshop.

Own and operate open and structured study hall on in-person days, keeping the space welcoming, structured, and purposeful.

Prioritize students carrying D/F grades or below a 2.5 GPA during study hall; track attendance and follow up with students who are absent.

Debrief with the Associate Program Director at the close of each in-person day to identify student follow-up priorities for the remote cycle ahead.

Family Engagement Conduct a family touchpoint after every mentorship session — affirm student growth, share a win, or invite the family into an upcoming opportunity.

Lead quarterly family engagement touchpoints throughout the year (Q1 Orientation/Welcome, Q2 Milestone, Q3 Mid-Semester, Q4 Celebration). Given the Delta context, family outreach may require flexible timing and meeting families where they are.

Approach family relationships with the same humility and patience as student relationships — trust is earned through consistency.

Academic Monitoring and College Readiness Monitor student GPA, college eligibility progress, and attendance across the assigned caseload — both during remote and in-person cycles.

For 12th graders, coordinate FAFSA timelines, college applications, and senior readiness milestones.

Introduce each senior to the College Completion Mentor Specialist by spring semester — this warm handoff is a required deliverable.

Data and Documentation Log all mentorship sessions, programming attendance, virtual touchpoints, and family engagements in Salesforce within 24 hours of occurrence.

Maintain up-to-date academic records for each student — including GPA, college eligibility progress, attendance, and D/F flags — and surface concerns to the Associate Program Director in a timely manner.

Track and…