College Counseling & Family Engagement Intern

Job Type
Internship
Description
About Chicago Scholars
At Chicago Scholars we strive to prepare our Scholars for the world and the world for our Scholars. Our dual focus on Scholars and the world are both essential to our strategy. The first part of our work supports college acceptance, matriculation, persistence, and career access for our Scholars. The second part allows Scholars to go beyond surviving to thriving, from achieving to excelling, from attending and working to belonging and exceeding. The first part of our work allows entry, the second truly opens up opportunity and redistributes power. To achieve these goals we center diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and racial justice so that we can launch and lift our Scholars and enable them to lead and leverage their power wherever they are on their journeys.
Chicago Scholars is transforming the leadership landscape of our city by resolving the fundamental barriers to success for academically driven, first generation college students from under-resourced communities. Through College Counseling, mentoring, and by providing a supportive community to our Scholars through each phase of our program: College Access (Launch), College Persistence (Lift) and College to Careers (Lead), we ensure that they realize their full potential as students and leaders.
78% of Chicago Scholars graduate college within 6 years. Per the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research, only 49% of their peers earn a degree within 6 years. Upon graduation, our Scholars move into leadership positions across Chicago, helping to drive the economic future of their communities and our thriving city.
READI Commitment
At Chicago Scholars we strive to prepare our Scholars for the world and the world for our Scholars. Our dual focus on Scholars and the world are essential to our strategy. To achieve these goals, we center racial justice, equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion (READI) in all that we do.
Chicago Scholars' commitment to READI encompasses all of our stakeholders-from our staff to our board, from our volunteers to our partnering organizations, and most importantly our Scholars. This holistic approach is necessary for the sustained, long-term, positive impact that we seek for our Scholars, our neighborhoods, our city, and our world.
To learn more about Chicago Scholars commitment to READI, please visit chicagoscholars.org/readi.
At Chicago Scholars, we believe that education is social justice. That's why we're empowering Chicago's best and brightest first-generation college students and students from low-income communities with the mentors, resources, and opportunities to go to our nation's best colleges and universities, graduate on time, and become Chicago's next generation of leaders. Since 1996, we've impacted the lives of more than 5,000 young leaders in Chicago.
Our Values
These are a set of guiding principles that apply to all stakeholders within the Chicago Scholars ecosystem. We select and retain stakeholders based on these stated expectations for how we achieve our mission and vision. Each are supported with core competencies and narrative for the sake of clarity.
We Dream Big. We speak up, innovate, push the boundaries and keep the creativity flowing. We don't accept the status quo because the stakes are too high. We have an incredible belief that growth and change is possible. While we dream big, we are laser focused on our intended goals and outcomes for our Scholars, our city and the world.
We Show Up. We show up every day; not just physically, but with a positive attitude and willingness to work, connect, challenge, engage, solve problems and have fun. We don't wait for someone to tell us what to do. We take action and get the job done. If we don't know how, we figure it out through our knowledge, exploration or our network.
We Embrace Our Differences. We represent a multicultural nation and our collective backgrounds, experiences, styles, values, perspectives and beliefs are an asset to the world. We recognize that together we achieve better outcomes more quickly. Justice and equity starts with us using our collective voice.
We Model the Way. We exhibit the behavior that we want to see in others and in the world. Titles are granted, but our behavior is what earns us respect. In order to model the way, we must be clear about our guiding principles, celebrate our accomplishments and learn from our challenges and failures.
We Care For Each Other Along the Way. We adapt to the needs of the person in front of us. We pause, reflect and listen. We do our best work when we are in good relationship together. We care personally and challenge directly.
We Keep Our Word. When we commit, we are all in. Whether for events, a Scholar, a peer or ourselves. Our words are as powerful as our actions and are the building block of trust, respect, self-worth and integrity.
Requirements
Position Summary:
The intern for College Counseling (CC) & Family Engagement will support aspects of the College Counseling curriculum by engaging with our full-time college counselors, supporting efforts to decrease Scholar disengagement, and assisting with organization-wide collaboration efforts. The selected intern will complete the internship by creating and presenting a report that provides recommendations to ensure program/intervention fidelity. Focusing on Scholars enrolling in colleges/universities that are the best match, fit, and financial fit for their situation.
Workload Breakdown:

• 75% - Engagement Checks/Training/Tracking
• 15% - Counselor Reporting Tracking
• 10% - Program Report Creation and Presentation

Key Responsibilities:

• College Counseling: Initial Screening Engagement Checks - As advised by the Associate Director of College Counseling & Family Engagement.
• Review case notes with Associate Director of College Counseling & Family Engagement to understand disengaged Scholars trends.
• Review the curriculum as designed and collaborate with Scholar Experience to provide recommendations.
• Identifying Scholars at risk and needing more support or interventions.
• Facilitate Scholar workshop related to College Counseling.
• Support College Counseling team at all-staff evening and weekend events; as available.

Requirements:

• Education: High school diploma, some college
• Experience: Working with low-income, first-generation, and/or underrepresented Chicago youth and their families.?
• Must live in the Chicagoland area.

Technical Knowledge (if applicable):

• Necessary computer skills - including the ability to use college tracking software, college research tools, etc. - and a willingness to learn new technologies as needed.

Core Competencies:

• Collaboration and Teamwork: Demonstrated ability to cultivate and sustain relationships with diverse audiences.
• Problem Solving: Ability to plan and organize tasks and work responsibilities to achieve objectives; allocate and use resources well.
• Accountability: Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Communication: Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Initiative: Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Adaptability: Ability to operate effectively flexibly in changing contexts and operating environments.

Best Offer First Policy: The data nationally show for every $1 paid to white men, women?earn 82, black?men earn 88 cents, and black women earn?76 cents.??Women and black?and brown people?are also?less likely to negotiate?than their white male peers.?Chicago Scholars has decided to offer our best offer first rather than wait for a potential negotiation. This allows us to set salaries based on market data and internal equity and ensure fair and equal pay for every role.?
If you have questions regarding either of the above policies, or any of Chicago Scholars employment policies, please reach out to the Human Resources team at humanresources@chicagoscholars.org with the subject line: Policy Question.
Starting Salary: $16 per hour
To Apply
Please click 'Apply' to submit your application which should include a resume and cover letter.? Please include a cover letter that explains your interest in interning with the College Counseling & Family Engagement team at Chicago Scholars.
Salary Description
$16 p/hr