College Possible Minnesota - AmeriCorps Access Coach
Employment Status/hours: In-Person; Full-time; Monday - Friday (40-45 hours/week)
Start Date: August 2025
End Date: June 2026
Compensation:
- Living Stipend $1,121.74 paid in biweekly installments
- Segal Education Award of $7,395
- 100% Employer Paid Medical, Dental & Vision Benefits
Who We Are
As one of the largest and most successful college access and success programs in the country, since 2000 College Possible has helped more than 85,700 students from under-represented communities get into and through college through an intensive curriculum of coaching and support. Its pioneering model matches students with a near-peer coach and an evidence-based curriculum designed to help students overcome the most common barriers to getting into college and completing their degree - all at no cost to students or their families. Nationwide, College Possible students are three times more likely to earn a bachelor's degree within six years than their peers from similar backgrounds.
College Possible is a proud AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps is a federal agency that brings people together to tackle the country's most pressing challenges through national service. Our AmeriCorps members commit to a year of service as a College Possible coach in communities throughout the country. Many coaches represent the identities of the students they serve, and each brings a commitment to social justice and closing the college equity divide.
Our near-peer coaching model has earned national recognition: the inaugural Evergreen National Education Award recognized our leadership in increasing access to and success in college for students from low-income backgrounds. It also earns top-of-field results: a Harvard study found that the program more than doubles a student's chance of enrolling in a four-year college, and our students are four times more likely to become college graduates than their low-income peers.
Headquartered in Saint Paul, MN, College Possible operates regional sites in Austin, TX; Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; Saint Paul, MN; and Seattle, WA; as well as Catalyze partnerships in California, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas.
Our Coaches
College Possible Coaches are selected from a diverse group of individuals from various backgrounds across the United States to serve our students as college access and success mentors; each Coach brings their unique skill set to assist students' success. We seek talented, caring, and capable people committed to supporting our students in their path to college. Through this service year opportunity, our Coaches develop leadership skills, participate in professional development workshops, engage in public speaking and much more. This is not only a positive learning experience for our students but for our Coaches as well!
What You'll Do
The College Access Coach (high school coach) service positions focus on coaching and supporting high school juniors and high school seniors who are seeking to earn a college degree. High school coaches will serve primarily inside a partner high school or from the College Possible Minnesota office coaching a caseload of high school juniors and/or seniors as they explore college opportunities and complete the college application process. All high school coaches are required to be in the office every Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM for mandatory ongoing training. Coaches must have reliable transportation to and from the office, assigned school placements, affiliated institutions, and other required locations.
Flagship Access Coach (High School Coach)
Service Location: Local High School in the Twin Cities Community
- Teach college preparatory classes for 40 or more underserved high school students at local high school campus(es)
- Ensure that students consistently receive the highest quality of services, that school partner needs are met, and that each student makes satisfactory progress toward program goals
- Provide 1-on-1 coaching to students to develop their college plan
- Gain and maintain knowledge of all students' interests, needs, and backgrounds
- Perform follow-up parent/student phone calls
- Lead student recruitment at schools in your portfolio; including but not limited to tasks like leading information sessions, communicating with school staff, facilitating interviews, and welcoming students into the program.
- Collect, organize, and maintain student and program documents
- Update the database and spreadsheet files on a weekly basis; maintain student records and statistics
- Provide mid-year and end of year-end progress reports for all students
- Coordinate with the College Success Team to provide college transition services to graduating high school seniors
- Submit weekly timesheets, periodic reports (i.e., monthly reports, self-evaluations, and supervisor evaluations), and other service-related documentation as required
- Attend required programmatic and community service events
Navigate Access Coach (High School Coach)
Service Location: College Possible Minnesota Office
- Support a cohort of about 70 high school Juniors or Seniors at partner high schools in rural communities across Minnesota
- Provide support through virtual 1x1 meetings with students as well as leading monthly after school sessions utilizing College Possible's curriculum (covering content like ACT test prep, the college application process, financial aid). These interactions will be virtual, but the role is based on-site in our College Possible Minnesota office
- Lead student recruitment at schools in your portfolio; including but not limited to tasks like leading information sessions, communicating with school staff, facilitating interviews, and welcoming students into the program
- Support family engagement efforts to better support students through their college access journeys
- Update the database and spreadsheet files weekly; maintain student records and statistics
- Coordinate with the College Success Team to provide college transition services to graduating high school seniors
- Submit weekly timesheets, periodic reports (i.e., monthly reports, self-evaluations, and supervisor evaluations), and other service-related documentation as required
- Attend required programmatic and community service events
Qualifications
- You are a U.S. citizen; AmeriCorps members are required to be U.S. citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent residents
- You are a recent College Graduate and have obtained a bachelor's degree
- You are 27 Years Old or Younger
- You must clear a National Service Criminal History Check and all other security requirements set forth by College Possible and the school district in which you serve before the start of training
Computer/Software Skills:
- Strong computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and other Office Suite programs.
Other Skills, Abilities and Requirements:
- Desire to work in a growing nonprofit organization with a strong commitment to the mission of helping low-income students earn admission to college and persist toward degree completion.
- Expected to embrace our Core Values of inclusive culture, student success, teamwork, impact and growth + innovation and have a significant commitment to the mission of helping all students earn admission to college and persist toward degree completion.
- Adaptability, flexibility, creativity, and commitment to excellence
- Desire to engage in diversity, inclusion and/or equity work.
- Demonstrated ability to work well with diverse types of people in a team environment.
- Strong analytical skills and the ability to effectively interpret data and reports.
- Outstanding attention to detail
- Top quality organization skills, unwavering ability to meet deadlines, multi-task, and handle potentially stressful situations calmly and appropriately.
- Willingness and ability to take initiative and thrive in new environments.
- Motivated and able to work independently as well as with a team.
- Able to establish and maintain cooperative professional relationships.
- Flexibility to work in multiple locations. Time is split between