TRIO McNair Program Assistant

Position Summary:

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program is a TRIO program developed to prepare high-achieving first-generation and low-income undergraduate students for graduate study, specifically, doctoral degree programs. Each of the McNair Scholars selected for participation receive preparation for the pursuit of a Ph.D. after the completion of their undergraduate program. They participate in a variety of educational activities, such as academic workshops, professional development seminars, and research, and receive faculty mentoring as well as ongoing support from the McNair staff through the completion of their undergraduate studies. Additionally, outstanding McNair juniors and rising seniors are able to apply for faculty-supervised summer research internships while in the program.
Reporting to the McNair Scholars Program Director, the TRIO McNair Program Assistant is an essential support role and will be responsible for assisting the Program Director in multiple areas including but not limited to: recruiting scholars, providing scholars with academic support, assisting with their graduate school preparation, academic counseling, as well as workshop development, coordination and facilitation.

Core Responsibilities

Programming (60%):

• Maintain resource guides regarding graduate schools, research opportunities, scholarships, graduate school funding, and other relevant resources to support Scholars
• Assist in planning and facilitating semester and summer programming that will directly enhance the overall experience of the McNair Scholars Program, such as the Summer Research Institute and Program Orientation
• Outline topics for biweekly workshops during academic semesters relating to personal development, writing and research strategies, graduate program exploration, and funding
• Assist in planning and coordinating graduate school visits, conferences, and other related trips

Student Advising & Recruitment (20%):

• Provide adequate advising services, as outlined in the grant proposal, in areas such as but not limited to: academic, career, social/personal, and financial advising to undergraduate student participants around graduate school application process, providing feedback on students’ resume development, academic writing, academic counseling, and other service referrals
• Utilize intrusive advising methods including meeting with participants multiple times per semester to encourage student success, increase student retention, and graduation rates
• Assist in the recruitment and selection process of McNair Scholars through email and social media outreach, classroom presentations, and interviewing of prospective Scholars

Academic Support (10%):

• Support REAL 399 course for McNair Scholars during the designated academic terms
• Assist in course requirement execution based on the institution’s REAL 399 academic standards
• Utilize university-provided course management systems (i.e., Canvas) to adequately support and enhance curriculum objectives

Professional Development (10%):

• Engage in professional development to enhance job-related skills and remain knowledgeable of best practices and policy regarding higher education, student success, and TRIO initiatives.
• Participate in state, regional, and national TRIO associations.
• Consult and collaborate with University faculty and staff on behalf of McNair participants
• Coordinate partnerships with campus partners to better serve McNair student population
• Maintain a positive working relationship with McNair Scholars, staff, mentors, and stakeholders.
• Provide assistance with recordkeeping, data collection, documentation, and program compliance