Role: Associate of Scholar Experience  

Reports to: Director of Scholar Experience 

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, College Success, and Career and Leadership Development, 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 are 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 start 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.

Position Summary

The Associate of Scholar Experience is responsible for ensuring that no Scholar gets left behind throughout the first year of our seven-year program. They accomplish this by maintaining consistent, encouraging, and clear communication with Scholars both individually and collectively. Additionally, this person supports the College Access team to ensure Scholars have the best possible experience from enrollment in the program to college matriculation. Furthermore, the Associate of Scholar Experience co-manages Scholar communications, some event & programming logistics, and data collection & entry for College Access Scholars. Also, the Associate of Scholar Experience will support the College Access team throughout the program year on various projects.

Key Responsibilities 

Scholar Programming (30%): 

• Manage programming for Scholars which includes but is not limited to workshops, writing labs, interview labs, scholarship workshops, and socials  
• Facilitate monthly evening and weekend Scholar workshops and other programming events 
• Update, maintain, and keep all programming supplies organized 
• Co-run the First Year Leadership Council with the Senior Associate of Scholar Experience and create marketing materials to promote the Leadership Council  
• Track volunteer information for Scholar programming with the Volunteer Recruitment & Stewardship team and encourage volunteers to move up in our ladder of engagement  
• Draft and create communications for all optional programming with the Associate Director of Scholar Communications to engage Scholars (and Community Based Organization students when applicable) in all optional College Access programming 
• Co-manage the Get Involved email inbox to track volunteer engagement and answer any volunteer inquiries regarding Scholar programming
   

Scholar Engagement and Outreach (30%): 

• Serve as an engagement contact for 34% of the College Access Scholar class 
• Identify metrics and resources to reengage Scholars who are at risk of disenrollment and disengagement 
• Communicate with Mentors and College Counselors to track Scholar engagement and conduct engagement checks as necessary 
• Utilize workshops to check-in with Scholar cohorts or to try to reach unresponsive Scholars, especially during enrollment verification and college decision seasons 
• Update necessary dashboards and trackers with engagement check outreach notes 
• Conduct outreach for all absent Scholars within 48 hours of uploading mandatory programming attendance 
• Act as a resource and a professional role model for all Scholars who have questions and/or concerns throughout their participation in the Chicago Scholars program
   

Data Entry & Tracking (20%): 

• Log all engagement check notes into Salesforce within 48 hours of outreach 
• Identify metrics to ensure the success of the College Access program and track progress against goals; address risks to remain on track 
• Upload mandatory workshop and optional programming attendance into Salesforce  
• Monitor Scholars’ attendance and engagement to ensure they are on-track to complete College Access programming and are in good standing with program requirements 
• Regularly review Scholar feedback and data and use it to inform Scholar programming
   

Scholar Communications (15%): 

• Oversee the daily management of the team inbox, ensuring all Scholar inquiries are addressed within 48 hours, as directed by the Associate Director of Scholar Communications 
• Draft, create, and send out communications for optional programming with the Associate Director of Scholar Communications to engage Scholars in all optional College Access programming 
• Co-create the Scholar newsletter for College Access Scholars which includes resources, opportunities, and events
   

General Team Support & Additional Responsibilities (5%): 

• Support new Scholar recruitment, selection, and enrollment logistics 
• Support event logistics for New Scholar Orientation and Onsite College & Leadership Forum 
• Support other team projects and logistics on an ongoing basis 
• This role will occasionally work on nights and weekends for Scholar and Development events and programming  
• This role is also required to attend and support mandatory All-Staff & Program team events 
• This role may have the opportunity to manage an intern 
• Other duties as assigned 

Qualifications: 

• Education: Undergraduate degree required
• Experience:  1-3 years of experience  
• Must live in the Chicagoland area

Core Competencies: 

• Communication: communicates in a manner that consistently demonstrates respect, concern, and responsiveness; ability to speak in public and engage with a variety of stakeholders (students, volunteers, families, college representatives) 
• Accountability/Project Management: effectively manages own work; plans and organizes tasks and work responsibilities to achieve objectives 
• Teamwork/Collaboration: works collaboratively in a team environment; listens to ideas from others, even when different from own; works with stakeholders respectfully and effectively 
• Adaptability: operates flexibly and adapts to changing needs and priorities; manages change to support teams and reach intended goals 
• Problem Solving/Critical Thinking: breaks down tasks into manageable sections to make informed decisions and solve problems; able to perceive and resolve a gap and overcome obstacles between a present situation and desired goal; leverages the strengths of self and others to solve problems 

Starting Salary Range: $40,000-$45,000

Best Offer First Policy: The data nationally show for every $1 paid to white men, women earn 83 cents, black men earn 88 cents, and black women earn 80 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 any of Chicago Scholars employment policies, please reach out to the Human Resources team at humanresources@chicagoscholars.org with the subject line: Policy Question. 

To Apply 

• Please visit the Careers page on the Chicago Scholars website and click 'Apply' to submit your application, which should include a resume and cover letter. 
• In your cover letter, please describe how your experience and/or career interest set you up for success in this role.