College Success Coach

The Program – Reaching Forward

Through our “Reaching Forward” programming, we work directly and continuously with the 390 Promise Scholars attending 15 different Connecticut colleges and universities, and growing to 800+ Scholars by the start of the academic school year in August. Our Scholars are 78% students of color, 81% low-moderate income, 68% first-generation, and 100% talented. Reaching Forward staff visit campuses throughout the year for in-person meetings or gatherings, reach out frequently through text and social media, offer “office hours” for Scholars, communicate with key folks on each campus, and encourage Scholars to reach back and ask for help as needed. The Reaching Forward work is grounded in a Cohort model where the Promise Reaching Forward Team connects with Scholars, connects them with each other, and connects them to key people, supports, and services on and off their campuses. Scholars take annual surveys, which are used by staff to better understand their successes, challenges, and needs. Our goal is to increase the number of Scholars who become “Ambassadors” to support our work and each other on campuses across CT. They are an important part of the Promise Cohort. The Reaching Forward Team is also responsible for gathering and analyzing data about our Scholars in order to support them better and to inform our practice. The goals of Reaching Forward are to be engaged with Scholars as they make college decisions in their senior year of high school, assist Scholars during the summer transition before college, be very active and available as a resource during the first weeks and months of college, connect continuously to help Scholars navigate successfully throughout college, work with Scholars in preparing them for internships and careers, and always be viewed as an available responsive resource. Our metrics include high rates of first-year persistence (above 85%), and we will have our first four-year graduates in 2026.

As a College Success Coach, your alignment with the mission and passionate ability to serve our Reaching Forward programming is to ensure that Waterbury Promise Scholars are afforded the skills, opportunities, and resources to succeed in their college journey. Creating a sense of belonging for every scholar and supporting their unique individual needs. You will be part of the Reaching Forward Team to provide support to scholars through coordination with their institutions, community-based organizations, Waterbury Public Schools, and other members of the Waterbury Promise community.

The Job Duties and Responsibilities

1. Primary objective - you will be a part of the Reaching Forward Team that ensures the college success of 600+ active scholars. Specifically, you will be a key point of contact for the new cohort of 2025, which will consist of nearly 275 Scholars, and you will build positive relationships with these Promise Scholars.
2. You will share resources, connect and bridge the transition to college, and be readily available to answer questions concerning financial aid, bursar, housing, campus life, academic advisement, and more.
3. Help to implement a schedule of programming to target scholars' needs at critical points in their college journey.
4. Continuously look for ways to improve/enhance our engagement, connection, and support for Promise Scholars.
5. Be involved in cultivating and managing new and existing relationships with college partner contacts on campus.
6. Be an important “face/spokesperson” of Waterbury Promise and its Reaching Forward programs with various audiences and in various settings.
7. Work with the Reaching Forward team to facilitate a smooth transition to college for first-year scholars.
8. Work with the Director of Development and Community Engagement to help scholars access and prepare for career opportunities.
9. Collect and analyze data (through an integrated online college success platform) on Scholar experience to inform best practices and strategies.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

1. Ability to work creatively with a variety of stakeholders, including WPS, Higher Education entities, community leaders, students, and families.
2. Knowledge about and/or familiarity with education-related issues.
3. Knowledgeable of the barriers many low-income, first-generation students face and have experience working to dismantle those barriers.
4. Excellent writing and communications skills with the ability to inspire scholars, support and measure milestones
5. Strong computer skills, including basic competency in Microsoft Office and other online data management platforms.
6. Well regarded in and connected to the local community and the higher education landscape.
7. Well organized; can operate independently to achieve results and effectively manage multiple tasks.
8. Ability to set clear, measurable, and tangible short and long-term goals.
9. Make connections, determine fits, and solve challenges to create opportunities.
10. Use data analysis to drive strategy and action.
11. Proactively seek feedback, practice active listening, and act on feedback as necessary.
12. Committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
13. Seek to understand and celebrate the unique identities of the individuals you interact with and support.
14. Ability to develop relationships and cultivate partnerships with school faculty, team members, and community partners.
15. Ability to be a team player, a problem solver, to follow complex directions, interpret data and to be a multi-tasker.