Staff Assistant, Pathway Advisor (grant-funded, 2 positions)

About Worcester State University:

WORCESTER STATE UNIVERSITY is a liberal arts and sciences university with a long tradition of academic excellence dating back to 1874, as well as an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that seeks to reflect the diversity of its community. Our workforce is dedicated to academic quality, student-centered programming, engaged citizenship, open exchanges of ideas, diversity and inclusiveness, and civility and integrity. We are looking for job applicants who share these values and commitment to our students.

Worcester State is centrally located in Massachusetts, about an hour's drive from Boston, Springfield, and Providence, Rhode Island. Our 58-acre campus is nestled in the residential northwest side of Worcester--the second largest city in New England and home to 37,000 college students at more than a dozen colleges and universities. Over 6,000 of those students attend Worcester State--approximately 5,300 are undergraduates and 1,000 are graduate students. Learn more about us at worcester.edu/about.

Job Description:

OFFICIAL TITLE: Staff Assistant, Pathway Advisor
SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Interim Associate Director of Student Success and Retention and Interim Assistant Dean of Academic Services, Retention, and Success
SUPERVISION EXERCISED: N/A

General Statement of Duties: The Pathway Advisor provides proactive academic advising and case management for new/ returning students, with a focus on persistence, academic momentum, and on-time degree completion. This role is designed to support students who are beginning at WSU, continuing their studies, returning from stop-outs, or navigating transitions between majors and pathways. In alignment with SU SUCCESS guidelines, the Pathway Advisor ensures that returning students receive structured academic support, holistic advising, and timely interventions to reduce attrition and strengthen completion outcomes.

Responsibilities:

(E) = Essential

1. (E) Provide proactive academic advising to first-year, sophomore, junior, and senior-level students, ensuring timely degree progression and completion.
2. (E) Develop individualized academic pathways for new/ returning students, including those re-enrolling after withdrawal, stop-out, or leave of absence.
3. (E) Monitor academic momentum by tracking credit accumulation, course completion, GPA, and major requirements.
4. (E) Conduct structured check-ins with assigned students to address challenges in registration, degree planning, and academic progress.
5. (E) Collaborate with faculty and department chairs to resolve complex issues related to major/program requirements, substitutions, and academic recovery.
6. (E) Counsel students considering major changes, withdrawals, or stop-outs and provide resources for persistence planning.
7. (E) Partner with Success Navigators to connect students to resources addressing academic, financial, and personal barriers.
8. (E) Support students flagged through Early Support by providing direct academic advising interventions.
9. (E) Assist students with accessing SU SUCCESS resources, including early registration pathways, supplemental tutoring, and summer/winter courses for credit recovery.
10. (E) Create and maintain advising materials for returning students (degree maps, workshops, and online tools) that emphasize persistence and completion.
11. (E) Contribute to retention programming by designing workshops on academic recovery, degree completion planning, and graduate school/career preparation.
12. (E) Maintain accurate case notes and documentation of advising interactions in Early Support and SIS.
13. (E) Provide evening and occasional weekend advising coverage as needed to support nontraditional, commuter, and parenting students.
14. (E) Collaborate with Enrollment Management, Academic Affairs, and Student Affairs to support SU SUCCESS goals and institutional strategic priorities for student success.
15. Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Higher Education, Counseling, or related field.
• Experience in academic advising, student success, or retention services.
• Strong knowledge of degree requirements, credit evaluation, and academic planning.
• Excellent communication, case management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively with at-risk, Pell-eligible, and first-generation students.

Additional Information:

This is a full-time, grant-funded, benefited, exempt, professional APA position. The firm annual salary for this position is $65,000. Funding for this position is currently available until September 2027. The anticipated start date for this position is August 1, 2026.

Here at Worcester State University, it is strongly recommended that all employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they begin employment.

Worcester State University offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

• a choice of 8 different pre-taxed, health insurance plan options
• a choice of pension or 401(a), and supplemental plan retirement options
• life insurance up to 8x the annual salary
• long-term disability coverage
• dental insurance
• 20 vacation days accrued per year
• 15 sick days accrued per year
• 5 personal days per year
• paid holidays
• tuition remission for self, spouse, and dependent children
• and more...

We are an equal opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. M/F/D/V. Members of traditionally underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Instructions:

Applicants must apply online and may do so by visiting www.worcester.edu/careers, and submitting a cover letter, resume, and the contact information of three professional references.

For assistance with uploading materials, log a ticket via the HelpDesk link, or contact us directly at 508-929-8053.

URL: www.worcester.edu