College Life Coach

College Life Coach

Agency: East Texas A&M University

Department: Student Transition & Support

Proposed Minimum Salary: Commensurate

Job Location: Commerce, Texas

Job Type: Staff

Job Description:

The College Life Coach at East Texas A&M University (ETAMU) works under the supervision of the Director of Student Transition and Support and is responsible for addressing individual academic, financial, career and psychosocial issues that affect the success of students. The College Life Coach will provide high-touch support for students enrolled in the University's first-year seminar and through the First-Year Experience and Second-Year programming initiatives. The College Life Coach is expected to provide individualized guidance to minimize barriers to student success and assist in the retention of students, including improving student effectiveness in and out of the classroom by helping students to develop study skills, time management strategies, academic goal-setting, and overall wellbeing. This position will collaborate with other campus departments within the Student Success Center as well as admissions, new student orientation, and student engagement to promote student success and retention. As a proud member of the third-largest institution in The Texas A&M University System, ETAMU fosters a strong professional environment that supports career growth and academic excellence.

ETAMU is a fast-growing public university with a strong reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and student success. With over 140+ degree programs, a 20:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and nationally ranked online and graduate programs, ETAMU is committed to transforming lives through quality education. Our employees benefit from a collaborative community, cutting-edge research opportunities, and outstanding resources.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Instruct up to three (3) courses per semester of the University's first-year seminar as part of a team that consists of a College Life Coach and Peer Mentor; each course consisting of three semester credit hours.
• Provide guidance to a caseload of approximately 100 students, providing individualized care and support towards academic, social, leadership and life skills development.
• Serve as first contact for students' concerns, issues and psychosocial needs including assisting students in navigating and locating and visiting campus resources.
• Track students' academic progress and facilitate their use of campus resources, including using data to identify at-risk trends and interventions in support of early intervention strategies.
• Work with campus partners (including but not limited to other Student Success Center staff, Financial Aid staff, counselors, and Disability Services staff, etc.) to support student success.
• Assist in planning and facilitating academic programming, experiential learning and other educational initiatives aimed at acclimating students to ETAMU to lay a foundation for their academic success.
• Support the development of tools and resources for outward facing workshops, presentations, and resource databases.
• Maintain and update student tracking information, including all interactions with students.
• Support other Student Success Center and Enrollment Management programs and events.
• Serve on Student Success engagement teams and university committees.
• Conduct weekly Peer Mentor meetings and facilitate development of Peer Mentors.
• Conduct outreach and build relationships with entering students from registration for New Student Orientation onward.
• Attend meetings with campus partners to disseminate information on student body, assess resources and deliver support plans, as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

• Education: Master's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Experience / Knowledge / Skills: One (1) year of professional experience in Student Affairs, Counseling, Advising or related field.
• Ability to: Multi-task and work cooperatively as part of a team. Have strong organization and time management skills. Maintain flexibility with program changes. Exhibit excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to interface with various shareholders with various needs. Able to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Licensing/Professional Certifications: Valid Driver's License
• Physical Requirements: Ability to lift up to 30 lbs.
• Other Requirements: May be required to work outside normal operating hours such as evenings and weekends during university events.

Preferred Education / Skills/ Experience:

• College or University teaching experience.
• Experience with advising and/or personal and academic coaching, teaching, advocacy, financial aid, personal and career development, case management/outreach and mentoring of varied populations.
• Knowledge of higher education recruitment, orientation, access, transition, retention, and success.
• Proficiency with Navigate EAB, Emburse, Brightspace (D2L).

Why Work at East Texas A&M University?

Competitive Benefits & Work-Life Balance:

• Employee tuition assistance for master's and doctoral programs.
• Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance.
• ETAMU contributes to employee health and basic life insurance premiums.
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays, plus up to eight hours of paid sick leave and vacation each month.
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), with optional additional retirement plans (ORP).
• Physical wellness program and wellness release time for eligible employees.

Career Growth & Development:

• Access to cutting-edge research opportunities at a designated R2 Research Institution.

Academic Excellence:

• ETAMU is ranked among the top 30% in five online degree programs and offers national recognized academic programs.
• Over 140 degree programs, including nationally ranked online and graduate options.
• First accredited institution to offer a competency-based bachelor's degree in criminal justice.
• Distance education offerings in Corsicana, Dallas, Frisco, McKinney, Mesquite, Bryan, and online.

State-of-the-Art Facilities:

• Work in advanced facilities such as the 113,470-square-foot Nursing and Health Sciences Building, featuring a state-of-the-art simulation hospital and a 1,300-acre agricultural research farm.

Vibrant Campus Life:

• Engage with over 95 student organizations and 14 NCAA Division I athletic teams, contributing to a thriving campus community.

Prime Location & Growth:

• Enjoy the benefits of working in rapidly growing regions, with abundant career opportunities at six locations across Dallas and Northeast Texas.