Colorado Nonprofit Association

College Advisor

Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) is seeking a passionate, driven individual with the desire to learn, grow, and excel in a culture that values every member of the team. DSF was named one of the Denver’s Top Workplaces in 2024 (5 year recipient of Top Workplaces), a testament to our team and to our intentionality in co-creating a positive, inclusive work environment. In 2022, DSF was named one of the Best and Brightest Companies to work for by the National Association for Business Resources. When you join the DSF team, you will enjoy a supportive, and innovative environment where your work has a profound impact on the lives of students and their families.

As a nonprofit organization, DSF’s mission is to inspire and empower DPS students to enroll in and graduate from postsecondary institutions of higher education, by providing the tools, knowledge, and financial resources essential for success. By embodying the core values of equity, innovation, leadership, learning, relationships, and integrity in everything we do, DSF strives to be a leader within the community. As we constantly seek to improve our services, we build strong relationships with college staff members, partners, students, team members and the broader community. We are committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, believing in the value and ability of all students and team members.

We seek candidates who will model, live, and reinforce DSF’s mission and core values with colleagues, students, families, and the broader community. If you are passionate about the philosophy and mission of DSF, then we invite you to join us and help make college possible for Denver’s students.

Job Summary

Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) is seeking a College Advisor to guide students through the college readiness, application, and enrollment process through a relationship based holistic lens that supports student’s overall well-being. We are looking for passionate, driven individuals who desire to excel within an evolving organization. When you join the DSF team, you will enjoy a supportive, dynamic, and innovative environment where your work makes an impact. As an organization, DSF strives to be a leader in the community by embodying the values of equity, innovation, leadership, learning, relationships, and integrity in everything that we do. If you do too, then we invite you to join us and help make college possible for Denver’s students.

Job Responsibilities

• Manage a DSF Future Center (i.e. college resource center) that promotes all college pathways including technical, two-year and four-year opportunities
• Deliver high impact college readiness and access services to high school students and their families through individual advising, group facilitation, classroom lessons, and presentations that are strategically grouped by grade-level, focusing on 4 content areas:

1. College and Career Exposure- college representative presentations, academic major exploration, job shadows, interest and aptitude surveys, connecting career interest to academic pathways
2. Personal Development- relationship building, goal setting, decision making, student accountability, navigating systems, communication skills
3. College Readiness- high school academic success, extracurricular involvement,
4. Financial Literacy- how to pay for college, financial aid readiness, scholarship identification and application support

• Support and collaborate on college access programming including, but not limited to, college application submission, career advising, college campus visits, interface with admissions officers, financial aid advising, scholarship assistance, FAFSA submission and college enrollment step completion
• Ongoing support and advocacy for students’ academic and personal development
• Maintain and utilize current best practices in college access advising for diverse, first-generation, and limited income students aspiring to complete a technical certificate, 2-year degree, and/or a 4-year degree
• Collaborate with school administration, counselors, staff and community partners to coordinate and/or deliver specified 9-12th grade services focused on college and career awareness and early preparation
• Maintain accurate and current student data related to college access activities, services, progress toward post-secondary education, college enrollment, mental health and resiliency
• Analyze student progress periodically to establish data-informed daily, weekly, monthly and annual programming and student outreach priorities and strategies
• Maintain healthy, collaborative, and productive relationships with all key stakeholders including students, families, high school staff, district partners, staff from partner organizations, community members, and funders.
• Raise student awareness and participation in the DSF Scholarship program
• Actively participate in Staff, Program, and Advisor meetings and professional development opportunities, assist in the planning and facilitation when appropriate, and manage DSF volunteers/interns to maximize impact
• Other duties as assigned

Required Skills and Abilities

• Experience working with youth (especially those who are traditionally under-resourced) and a demonstrated passion for helping students succeed
• Knowledge of adolescent development theory and practices. Ability to evaluate student knowledge and abilities of academic skills, soft skills, and college readiness and to provide developmentally appropriate support and interventions to promote growth in each targeted area
• Able to effectively utilize student information systems, databases, various software programs, communication tools, internet tools, including but not limited to Salesforce, MAIA Learning, CDHE FAFSA portal, Infinite Campus, Moglii texting platforms, and Google and Microsoft Suites to effectively serve students, track and report on student progress and work with partners and colleagues
• Knowledge of higher education financing, student financial aid, and/or postsecondary education entrance processes
• Strong oral communication, presentation and writing skills
• Strong organization skills, attention to detail, accuracy and timeliness with assigned tasks
• Proactive problem-solver who demonstrates initiative and ability to work individually and on a team
• Ability to operate in a professional manner including proper attire, ethical behavior, and strict confidentiality with student/family information
• Ability to facilitate effective collaboration and to resolve conflict
• A sense of humor, tolerance for change, and a demonstrated ability to create a positive culture and sense of empowerment for students/families
• Engage student voices to design and implement programming rooted in trauma-informed strategies focused on students’ social awareness, relationship skills, self-confidence, self-management, and decisions making (Preferred)
• Engage student voices to design and implement programming rooted in trauma-informed strategies focused on student social-awareness, relationship skills, self-confidence, self-management, decision making and more (Preferred)
• Fluent Spanish speaker (Preferred)