Job Description
Request to Recruit
Position Title Assistant Director of TRIO Student Support Services Location Boone, NC Faculty Rank Yes Provide Rank Adjunct Instructor Position Number 065891 Department UC Student Success - 202230
Position Summary Information
Primary Purpose
The federally funded TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Program provides comprehensive services to 200 low-income and/or first generation college students. Through its services the program provides opportunities for academic development, assists students with college requirements and serves to motivate students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary education. The focus of the learning community is the individual student and we are committed to supporting students throughout their college career through the following: academic and personal advising, priority tutoring, freshman mentoring program, first-year seminar, first-year composition, as well as courses specifically designed to enhance college success. Additional services include cultural programming, help with financial aid and financial management, career development, and a scholarship program for freshmen and sophomores who qualify for the federal Pell Grant.
Minimum Qualifications
Masters Degree in counseling, education, or related human relations field
License/Certification Required Preferred Qualifications
- Advising experience
- Teaching experience
- Personal experience overcoming obstacles to success or supporting others to overcome obstacles
- Grant-writing experience or training
- Career Counseling
- Academic Coaching
- Program and event planning
- Supervision
- 3 years experience
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Program Responsibilities
- Assisting the Director with the day-to-day operation of the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Program including academic year programming and completing necessary administrative tasks.
- Co-oversee Graduate Student Mentor Training including initial Graduate Student hiring and Graduate Assistant training, bi-weekly training meetings, and oversight of the College Reading and Learning Associate (CRLA) certification requirements and renewal.
- Oversee the SSS Academic Coaching program; individually supervising each Academic Coach, running bi-weekly coaching meetings, and creating/tracking Coaching referrals and attendance.
- Coordinate/support completion of at least one regional graduate school trip per academic year for SSS students.
- Coordinate yearly educational service-learning experience for SSS students through collaboration with campus and community partners.
- Coordinating the evaluation process for the mentor program (fall and spring) and the SSS program (spring only). Provide data to the Director of SSS and other areas as appropriate.
- Providing professional development workshops for SSS students in collaboration with other staff. This includes seeking out campus partnerships and advertising offerings to students. Topics may include career exploration, decision-making, resume and cover-letter writing, preparing for graduate school, career and major information, financial literacy, study abroad, campus involvement, etc.
- Communicating with all SSS students weekly about upcoming deadlines, dates for program activities, and university announcements through a variety of media including creating and sending a weekly email newsletter.
- Coordinate Banner processes for grades at the end of the semester and distributing reports to the appropriate advisors.
- Create a semesterly roster of SSS students utilizing Banner and WebFocus.
- Coordinate and compile data for the University’s annual report and utilize the Blumen platform to write the federal performance report, describing the successes and challenges over the past year.
- Assisting the Director with new student recruitment, application, and selection process.
- Coordinating outreach and campus visits with SSS partners and prospective students.
- Coordinating with the Director and SSS Instructor out-of-class enrichment events for the program freshmen and for continuing students including annual workshops.
- Coordinating the SSS Alumni database project.
- Coordinate the SSS Grant Aid Scholarship Program along with the SSS Director.
- Represent TRIO SSS at campus events as needed.
- Attending professional meetings, seminars, and conferences in order to enhance skills and expertise in working individually with students and to contribute to the overall effectiveness of the program/unit.
- Assisting with research and writing of the SSS grant every five years.
- Teaching a college success skills-focused course as needed.
Advising Responsibilities
- Meeting with all new students in the caseload during the first three-five weeks of each semester in order to develop the advisor-student relationship, to ascertain student’s adjustment to the new environment, to determine potential problem areas, to begin the process of making a decision about a major, and to inform students about campus resources. Meeting with all continuing students to assess progress towards graduation, to discuss use of resources especially tutoring and career development.
- Assisting the students in exploring, selecting, and declaring a major which is appropriate for their goals, and assisting them in becoming connected to their academic departments as soon as possible in order to receive useful and timely advice in their major courses.
- Providing the students with timely and accurate academic information.
- Monitoring and tracking student grades throughout the semester including midterm grade reports.
- Monitoring academic progress of students in the advising caseload, including monitoring any requirements of students in caseload on Academic Probation.
- Keeping accurate records of student contacts for accountability purposes.
- Using retention tools (e.g., Degree Works, Midterm Grade Reports) as appropriate to assist students in evaluating their academic behaviors and to improve their chances of academic success, and make appropriate referrals.
- Referring students to the appropriate resources.
- Serving as an advocate for SSS students.
- Serving as a connection to the University through mentor-student relationships in the first year.
- Providing a personal and warm welcome to the students from the time of New Student Advising until the students graduate.
- Monitoring each student’s academic progress to determine problem areas and high-risk characteristics and intervene appropriately when necessary.
- Serving as a referral source for information on counseling, career planning, financial aid, student activities, and other student support services.
Type of Position Full Time Position Staff/Non-Faculty Staff/Non-Faculty VISA Sponsorship? VISA sponsorship is not available for this position. All candidates must be eligible to work and live in the U.S. Appointment Type 1.0 Work Schedule/Hours Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Number of Hours Per Week 40 Number of Months Per Year 12 Mandatory Staff No Suggested Salary Range $57,000-$59,000 Physical Demands of Position
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
Posting Details Information
Posting Date 10/30/2026 Closing Date 11/15/2026 Open Until Filled No Evaluation of Applications Begins 11/16/2026 Proposed Date of Hire 12/07/2026 Special Instructions to Applicants
Please attach required documents:
Cover Letter
Resume
List a minimum of 3 professional references in the application or attach a List of References with Contact Information. References will not being contacted before notifying the applicant.
Search Chair Name Katharine Johnson Search Chair Email johnsonk4@appstate.edu Quick Link https://appstate.peopleadmin.com/postings/56812 Posting Number 201501877P
