University of Wisconsin-Madison
Retention Specialist
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Menomonie, Wisconsin, United States, 54751
Retention Specialist
The Retention Specialist provides services and programming to support student retention, engagement, and success in the Multicultural Student Services (MSS) Office. Through advisement, intentional programming, and direct student engagement, this position coordinates initiatives that help students navigate institutional processes, develop academic success plans, and connect with appropriate campus resources. Additionally, this role collaborates with other departments to facilitate student support services, and organizes workshops and activities that foster student belonging, personal and leadership development, and academic success. The retention specialist will report to the MSS Director. Responsibilities include: Providing advisement and support to students in areas such as academic support, career exploration, personal and leadership development, financial literacy, and graduate education. Providing outreach and retention services to high and early support students (academic probation, academic suspension, early intervention, etc.). Meeting with students to assist and guide their college transition, develop an academic success plan, connect them to appropriate services meeting their needs, and work collaboratively across campus to seek resources to support students. Collaborating with faculty and staff to facilitate academic and personal support services and retention initiatives. Utilizing EAB Navigate to monitor student academic progress, schedule advising appointments, and track student contacts. Facilitating workshop and leadership opportunities that enhance student engagement and growth and cultivate supportive environments where students from all backgrounds feel valued and a sense of belonging. Promoting student involvement in university activities and encouraging participation in student organizations. Providing support to affinity group student organization(s) through advisement, leadership development, and guidance with event planning and coordination. Representing MSS on university-wide initiatives including but not limited to committee work and designated projects. Occasional evening and/or weekend work are expected. Other duties as assigned. Focus Area: Grant and Scholarship Coordination Coordinate MSS grant and scholarship programs in collaboration with the Financial Aid office. Monitor and track recipients' academic progress, activities for renewal, retention, and graduation. Maintain Canvas course, including developing online workshops/modules and reviewing activity submissions. Update and maintain grant and scholarship applications and materials, including promoting funding availability and opportunities to eligible students. Respond to inquiries related to grants and scholarships. Key Job Responsibilities:
Partners with academic advisors, faculty, staff, students, and administrative personnel to track analytics, and help identify risk indicators to support data-informed retention and transfer strategies. Monitors, plans, and facilitates student academic progress, student programming, and success plans. Makes recommendations to improve retention efforts. Advocates for campus-wide retention initiatives. Provides referrals to appropriate campus resources. Maintains accurate student records including contact logs, case notes, and files. Adheres to the established plan of operation, curriculum, process policy, program procedures, and all other related federal regulations. Communicates, assists, and monitors progress of students. May assist with Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion and/or provide financial aid/scholarship information. Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree Demonstrated experience working with individuals from all diverse backgrounds and experiences Demonstrated experience in planning, developing, and facilitating programs, events, and workshops from design to implementation Excellent verbal and written communication skills Highly Desired/Preferred Qualifications:
Demonstrated experience in professional advising or retention services within higher education Demonstrated ability to manage conflicts and/or solve complex problems Proven skills in working with student record-keeping databases (i.e. PeopleSoft, Navigate or similar systems) and Microsoft Office Suite University of Wisconsin-Stout, Wisconsin's Polytechnic University, offers an unmatched career-focused education that combines applied learning, theory and research with real-world experience that prepares tomorrow's leaders to drive the future of business and industry. At UW-Stout, our students do more than earn a degree--they do on day one. And we are #StoutProud to produce lifelong learners, ethical leaders, and responsible citizens who succeed in a global society. UW-Stout is recognized nationwide for its operational excellence. We were the first and remain the only full four-year public higher education institution in the nation to receive the Malcolm Baldrige Award, and we are dedicated to a process-improvement model that leverages the power of data and the value of our people. We believe in critical thinking and fact-informed decision making. We pursue sustainability in form and function and collaborate across campus and with our partners to solve problems in industry and society. And providing an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment for our faculty, staff, and students to live, learn, and work is a top priority. We offer 30+ professional certificates to upskill careers and 80+ programs in art, design, and graphics; business and management; education; human and social sciences; IT and communications; and science, engineering, and math. On a campus where labs and studios outnumber traditional classrooms by 3:1, our first-class learning environments and digital infrastructure provide 6,900+ students with every avenue to explore and personalize their success. As the only laptop+ campus among the 13 Universities of Wisconsin, UW-Stout provides laptops and industry-standard software, open education resources, and other technology-driven advantagesall included in on-campus undergraduate tuition and fees. And we invest in people who share our vision to advance our position as Wisconsin's only Polytechnic University and as a regional, national, and international leader in higher education. Be a part of the future at UW-Stout. Learn more at https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us University of Wisconsin-Stout is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, a community an hour east of Minneapolis-St. Paul. A pillar of Wisconsin's Chippewa Valley and recognized as one of the best small towns in America, Menomonie provides an idyllic combination of natural beauty, outdoor recreation, boutiques, and arts and culture with access to a metropolitan area. For more information about the UW-Stout community and region visit: https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us/our-community Guidelines to ensure consideration: Applicants must complete all required fields and attach all required application materials. Within your cover letter, address each of the Minimum/Required Qualifications specified for this position. For each required qualification, describe your relevant experience, using specific examples from your work history to illustrate how your experience satisfies the requirement. It is the policy of UW-Stout to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance, or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact us using the information below. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodation for a qualified individual's disability. The Universities of Wisconsin provides an excellent benefits package including participation in the Wisconsin State retirement plan, demonstrating our commitment to the diverse needs of our employees. Employee Benefits: https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/ To calculate the estimated value of your total compensation, use the Health & Retirement Contributions Estimator | Employee Benefits (wisconsin.edu) Employment is contingent upon the final candidate's completing a criminal background check and being cleared to work by the Human Resources Office. Employment is also contingent upon the final candidate passing reference checks and an essential job function test, as applicable. The reference check process includes asking the final candidates' professional references questions regarding employee misconduct, sexual violence, and sexual harassment. Reference checks must be conducted at a minimum with three professional references, at least one of which must be a prior supervisor. Final candidates with previous employment within the Universities of Wisconsin and State of WI agencies will be subject to additional reference checks. In response to a public records request, the Universities of Wisconsin will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in their online application, except that the identity of the successful final candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). UW-Stout is committed to providing safety and security of all members
The Retention Specialist provides services and programming to support student retention, engagement, and success in the Multicultural Student Services (MSS) Office. Through advisement, intentional programming, and direct student engagement, this position coordinates initiatives that help students navigate institutional processes, develop academic success plans, and connect with appropriate campus resources. Additionally, this role collaborates with other departments to facilitate student support services, and organizes workshops and activities that foster student belonging, personal and leadership development, and academic success. The retention specialist will report to the MSS Director. Responsibilities include: Providing advisement and support to students in areas such as academic support, career exploration, personal and leadership development, financial literacy, and graduate education. Providing outreach and retention services to high and early support students (academic probation, academic suspension, early intervention, etc.). Meeting with students to assist and guide their college transition, develop an academic success plan, connect them to appropriate services meeting their needs, and work collaboratively across campus to seek resources to support students. Collaborating with faculty and staff to facilitate academic and personal support services and retention initiatives. Utilizing EAB Navigate to monitor student academic progress, schedule advising appointments, and track student contacts. Facilitating workshop and leadership opportunities that enhance student engagement and growth and cultivate supportive environments where students from all backgrounds feel valued and a sense of belonging. Promoting student involvement in university activities and encouraging participation in student organizations. Providing support to affinity group student organization(s) through advisement, leadership development, and guidance with event planning and coordination. Representing MSS on university-wide initiatives including but not limited to committee work and designated projects. Occasional evening and/or weekend work are expected. Other duties as assigned. Focus Area: Grant and Scholarship Coordination Coordinate MSS grant and scholarship programs in collaboration with the Financial Aid office. Monitor and track recipients' academic progress, activities for renewal, retention, and graduation. Maintain Canvas course, including developing online workshops/modules and reviewing activity submissions. Update and maintain grant and scholarship applications and materials, including promoting funding availability and opportunities to eligible students. Respond to inquiries related to grants and scholarships. Key Job Responsibilities:
Partners with academic advisors, faculty, staff, students, and administrative personnel to track analytics, and help identify risk indicators to support data-informed retention and transfer strategies. Monitors, plans, and facilitates student academic progress, student programming, and success plans. Makes recommendations to improve retention efforts. Advocates for campus-wide retention initiatives. Provides referrals to appropriate campus resources. Maintains accurate student records including contact logs, case notes, and files. Adheres to the established plan of operation, curriculum, process policy, program procedures, and all other related federal regulations. Communicates, assists, and monitors progress of students. May assist with Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion and/or provide financial aid/scholarship information. Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree Demonstrated experience working with individuals from all diverse backgrounds and experiences Demonstrated experience in planning, developing, and facilitating programs, events, and workshops from design to implementation Excellent verbal and written communication skills Highly Desired/Preferred Qualifications:
Demonstrated experience in professional advising or retention services within higher education Demonstrated ability to manage conflicts and/or solve complex problems Proven skills in working with student record-keeping databases (i.e. PeopleSoft, Navigate or similar systems) and Microsoft Office Suite University of Wisconsin-Stout, Wisconsin's Polytechnic University, offers an unmatched career-focused education that combines applied learning, theory and research with real-world experience that prepares tomorrow's leaders to drive the future of business and industry. At UW-Stout, our students do more than earn a degree--they do on day one. And we are #StoutProud to produce lifelong learners, ethical leaders, and responsible citizens who succeed in a global society. UW-Stout is recognized nationwide for its operational excellence. We were the first and remain the only full four-year public higher education institution in the nation to receive the Malcolm Baldrige Award, and we are dedicated to a process-improvement model that leverages the power of data and the value of our people. We believe in critical thinking and fact-informed decision making. We pursue sustainability in form and function and collaborate across campus and with our partners to solve problems in industry and society. And providing an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment for our faculty, staff, and students to live, learn, and work is a top priority. We offer 30+ professional certificates to upskill careers and 80+ programs in art, design, and graphics; business and management; education; human and social sciences; IT and communications; and science, engineering, and math. On a campus where labs and studios outnumber traditional classrooms by 3:1, our first-class learning environments and digital infrastructure provide 6,900+ students with every avenue to explore and personalize their success. As the only laptop+ campus among the 13 Universities of Wisconsin, UW-Stout provides laptops and industry-standard software, open education resources, and other technology-driven advantagesall included in on-campus undergraduate tuition and fees. And we invest in people who share our vision to advance our position as Wisconsin's only Polytechnic University and as a regional, national, and international leader in higher education. Be a part of the future at UW-Stout. Learn more at https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us University of Wisconsin-Stout is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, a community an hour east of Minneapolis-St. Paul. A pillar of Wisconsin's Chippewa Valley and recognized as one of the best small towns in America, Menomonie provides an idyllic combination of natural beauty, outdoor recreation, boutiques, and arts and culture with access to a metropolitan area. For more information about the UW-Stout community and region visit: https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us/our-community Guidelines to ensure consideration: Applicants must complete all required fields and attach all required application materials. Within your cover letter, address each of the Minimum/Required Qualifications specified for this position. For each required qualification, describe your relevant experience, using specific examples from your work history to illustrate how your experience satisfies the requirement. It is the policy of UW-Stout to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance, or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact us using the information below. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodation for a qualified individual's disability. The Universities of Wisconsin provides an excellent benefits package including participation in the Wisconsin State retirement plan, demonstrating our commitment to the diverse needs of our employees. Employee Benefits: https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/ To calculate the estimated value of your total compensation, use the Health & Retirement Contributions Estimator | Employee Benefits (wisconsin.edu) Employment is contingent upon the final candidate's completing a criminal background check and being cleared to work by the Human Resources Office. Employment is also contingent upon the final candidate passing reference checks and an essential job function test, as applicable. The reference check process includes asking the final candidates' professional references questions regarding employee misconduct, sexual violence, and sexual harassment. Reference checks must be conducted at a minimum with three professional references, at least one of which must be a prior supervisor. Final candidates with previous employment within the Universities of Wisconsin and State of WI agencies will be subject to additional reference checks. In response to a public records request, the Universities of Wisconsin will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in their online application, except that the identity of the successful final candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). UW-Stout is committed to providing safety and security of all members