Career Center

Drawing on national best practices and trends in student transition, retention and engagement, the First Year Success Advising (FYSA) Team ensures new students' success in their critical first year of college, with the aim of supporting students through the transition to college to declaring a major, in a holistic way.  As part of the Engagement & Belonging team within the Division of Student Success, the FYSAs holistically engage and collaboration across the University, serve as case managers for student concerns, supports Orientation, and supervise the Peer Mentor program providing a circle of support around each incoming student.  

FYSAs serve as incoming students' primary contact person beginning the summer before enrollment, supporting students' holistic transition into the Clark community through their first year and into their sophomore year until major declaration. The unit intentionally integrates academic and student life to guide new students through their first year, including summer advising and registration, orientation, and the first year academic experience with a holistic and inclusive lens. Each adviser carries a caseload of approximately 150-200 first-and second-year undergraduate students and partners with faculty, residential life and housing, CARE, counseling and wellness, inclusive academic excellence, and student engagement and belonging to connect, support, and engage students throughout their Clark journey.

Holistic Advising for Undeclared Students

• Provide academic and holistic advising to students to help them realize their academic, professional, and life goals and passions; 
• Manage and support a caseload of first-year students from at the time of the deposit through pre-enrollment engagement and requirements until a major is declared;
• Serve as primary users of CRM including assisting with the implementation of a new system, participating in training, updating select student records daily, and utilizing data for the purposes of intervention, student success, and retention;
• Engage in the necessary and ongoing training and development needed to be an effective First Year Success Adviser and have a sound understanding of the curriculum and academic policies and procedures, and an awareness of campus services and resources, multicultural competence, holistic and trauma-informed support, and activities;
• Meet with students, individually and in groups, regularly throughout the year; 
• Evaluate and monitor student success progress and the impact on the achievement of goals (e.g., GPA, retention, engagement record, and standards of progress);
• Serve as an active member of the CARE Team, triaging complex student issues and concerns, providing support, resources, and mentorship 
• Monitor advisees' academic progress in the LEEP curriculum and the Program of Liberal Studies until major declaration; monitor schedules after the add/drop period to ensure all advisees are registered for full-time course load or have received permission for part-time course load throughout the year;
• Refer students to co-curricular events and activities on campus to assist with student engagement efforts;
• Collaborate with other offices to offer and advertise workshops for first- and second-year students, on topics such as academic success, goal setting, career readiness, co-curricular leadership opportunities, etc.;
• Support students with transfer or advanced placement credits or schedule changes 
• Understand FERPA rules when working with families/guardians;
• Work with faculty regarding advisees' needs and course-related matters;

Support the Onboarding of Undergraduate Students

• Facilitate students' onboarding, including summer advising, orientation, and transition to college in partnership with the Engagement & Belonging Team and Orientation staff;
• Supervise the student Peer Mentors and Navigator programs as compliments to the FYSA advising model, including hosting staff meetings, one-on-ones, and conducting selection and evaluation processes for student mentors
• Develop, organize, and implement first-year student workshops, events, drop-in hours, and experiences that support student success (e.g., major exploration and selection, time-management workshop, mindfulness, social navigation, study hall, etc.);
• Collaborate with campus partners (e.g., offices within the Division of Student Success, academic departments, and Dean of the College) for a variety of activities, including but not limited to Orientation and pre-orientation programs, Involvement fair, first six weeks programming, residential curriculum activities, and living-learning communities, and the Majors Fair;

Serve as a member of the Division of Student Success

• Participate in Student Engagement and Student Success meetings, trainings, and activities to support student success, engagement, and belonging
• Serve as a responsible committee representative as requested on University task forces and committees to support student retention, programming, and persistence
• Maintain a flexible schedule to accommodate for staffing late night/weekend events as needed
• Support key initiatives and experiences within the University, such as opening weekend, commencement, family weekend, traditional events, etc. 
• Serve as a responsible committee representative as requested
• Promote efficiency and courtesy throughout the University community and ensure that it is consistent with the engagement team and student success's mission and values
• Remain cognizant of the University's mission and identity, the constant promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the importance of student voices

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Development, Student Affairs or equivalent preferred;
• At least two years of experience working closely with students on a college campus; experience in academic advising, preferred experience in student engagement, orientation, and new student programs, or supervision or mentoring student leaders; 
• Demonstrated multicultural competence and experience working with and contributing to a diverse workplace with the ability to interact effectively with a broad range of constituents on campus;
• Demonstrated expertise in written and oral communication skills, and organizational, planning, and multi-tasking skills with an attention to detail; 
• Ability to connect with students and build rapport, challenge, and support students, and have critical conversations;
• Ability to foster a collaborative work environment and serve as a team player;
• Ability to work with staff, administration, and faculty across the university to support students' holistic development and success; 
• Ability to problem-solve and resolve student issues;
• Knowledge and commitment to the principles of advising practices and theory, student development theory, identity development theory, and high impact practices; 
• Knowledge of Microsoft environment including MS Word, Excel, Teams, and experience using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems such as Slate, Anthology, and/or Starfish and other higher education software such as Advocate or Maxient
• Demonstrated cultural competence and experience supporting a diverse student population
• Experience embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion in your work with students and colleagues 

Clark University currently requires all employees and students to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Exemptions will be made for medical or disability reasons or religious beliefs, and could be made, at the sole discretion of the University, for other well-documented reasons.

Clark University embraces equal opportunity as a core value: we believe that cultivating an environment that embraces and promotes diversity is fundamental to the success of our students, our employees and our community. This commitment applies to every aspect of education, services, and employment policies and practices at Clark. Our commitment to diversity informs our efforts in recruitment, hiring and retention. All positions at Clark share in the responsibility for building a community that values diversity and the uniqueness of others by exhibiting integrity and respect in interacting with all members of the Clark community to create an atmosphere of fairness and belonging. We strongly encourage members from historically underrepresented communities, inclusive of all women, to apply.

Clark University offers a generous benefit package for full and, if applicable, part-time employees that include; paid time off, generous retirement plan, group health and dental insurance, life insurance, and tuition, along with use of many campus amenities. For a complete list of benefits for eligible employees visit here.

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About Clark University

Founded in 1887, Clark University is a liberal arts-based research university committed toscholarship and inquiry that addresses social and human imperatives on a global basis. It is the place where Robert Goddard invented the modern rocket, where Sigmund Freud delivered his only lectures in the United States, and where current students stake their claim to the Clark motto, “Challenge Convention, Change Our World,” which is the rallying cry that inspires our community every day. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, Clark University educates its undergraduate and graduate students to be imaginative and contributing citizens of the world, and to advance the frontiers of knowledge and understanding through rigorous scholarship and creative effort. The University’s engages students in such areas as biology, chemistry, economics, geography, psychology, urban education, management, environmental science and policy, Holocaust and genocide studies, and international development and social change. Clark University’s pioneering model of higher education, LEEP (Liberation Education and Effective Practice) compels undergraduate students to thrive in authentic world and workplace settings, and prepares them for lives and careers of consequence.

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