JOLONDA C. YOUNG
Academic Advisor and Support
Peoria,IL
Summary
Dedicated and highly motivated academic advisor with 20 years of experience helping students from diverse backgrounds navigate secondary and post-secondary systems as they strive to reach their academic, career, and personal goals. Skilled at serving at-risk students with a serious commitment to persistence, retention, and student success. A special talent for facilitating study skills, financial aid, diversit, and other college and career readiness workshops for students and families.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Director
TRIO Talent Search • Illinois Central College
East Peoria, IL
09.2016 - Current
- Oversee all aspects of the TRIO Educational Search grant program including managing an annual caseload of 500 students, hiring and training Success Coaches and tutors to work with students from diverse backgrounds.
- Build college readiness curriculum with weekly engaging activities on topics such as study skills, SAT preparation and placement exams, submitting FASFA, goal setting, networking, completing college applications and scholarships requirements, etc
- Collaborate with program staff, high school teachers, and counselors on a daily basis to provide early college preparation, academic intervention, and connection to school and community resources to eliminate academic and personal barriers.
- Assist staff and students with developing Education Action Plans that outline students individual academic and career goals, identify weaknesses, and detail plans to overcome any barriers.
- Maintain student contact logs and use data and best practices to evaluate and make decisions that are aligned with students’ needs, as well as stakeholders strategic goals.
- Prepare and meet deadlines for weekly, monthly, and yearly reports.
Diversity Retention Advisor - Emerging Leaders
Illinois Central College
East Peoria, IL
12.2012 - 08.2016
- Managed yearly caseload of approximately 250 first-generation college students from low-income families and 150 high school seniors planning to attend ICC upon graduation.
- Assisted students with developing education action plans and course registration.
- Monitored students' academic progress and financial aid status and worked with instructors and various campus and community agencies to develop intervention plans for at-risk students.
- Maintained accurate and confidential student files and recorded student contacts daily using Google Drive and Student Access.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to coordinate and facilitate study skills and other academic, career, financial, and personal workshops.
- Aided students in crafting academic and financial aid appeal letters.
- Remained up-to-date on College policies and procedures and helped students address problems by interpreting them.
- Organized annual Summer Bridge programs and assisted the College with fall and spring orientations.
- Helped revamp the College’s largest annual registration event by devising a system to ensure approximately 500 incoming seniors were appropriately pre-advised before registering for classes.
- Developed detailed process and procedural manual to ensure all students in the Emerging Leaders program received the same quality services in a timely manner.
- Created a weekly women’s support group to meet the social and emotional needs of students via connection with peers and campus and community programs.
Director of Intercultural Programs and Services
Blackburn College
Carlinville, IL
Aug.2000 - Dec.2012
- Built the Department from the ground up, including hiring and training staff; managing the budget and all expenditures; and coordinating and implementing programs and activities aligned with Department and Blackburn College's mission and overall goals.
- Responsible for helping students of color and international students matriculate to graduation by providing guidance in dealing with academic and personal issues.
- Served as academic advisor for at-risk students, including first-generation students from low-income families.
- Monitored students' academic progress and developed intervention strategies to help them stay on track.
- Evaluated and assessed all aspects of the Department and used the data to implement changes.
- Founding member of the Early Academic Support Team, which addressed student referrals made by faculty and staff.
- Taught Freshmen Seminar and Study Skills courses and co-taught Diversity in Education course.
- Served as Primary Designated School Official and acted as liaison between Homeland Security and the College.
- Established peer support groups for women (Sister Circle) and African-American Men (Men of Blackburn) and successfully retained 89% of the members.
Education
Master of Education - Leadership, Higher
Northcentral University
Bachelor of Arts - Communication, Mass Media
University of Illinois at Springfield
Skills
- Student Development and Academic and Career Counseling
- Academic Needs Assessments
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- College Readiness Facilitation
- Multitasking
- Detail Oriented
- Academic Monitoring and Intervention
- Excellent Verbal and Written Communication
- Recording and Analyzing Data
- College Application and Financial Aid Assistance
- Working with Students From Diverse Backgrounds
- Individualized Education Action Plans
- Organization and Problem Solving
- Relationship Building
- Collaborative
- Microsoft Office, PeopleSoft, CAMS, Canvas, Blackboard, and Virtual Platforms
Timeline
Director
TRIO Talent Search • Illinois Central College
09.2016 - Current
Diversity Retention Advisor - Emerging Leaders
Illinois Central College
12.2012 - 08.2016
Director of Intercultural Programs and Services
Blackburn College
Aug.2000 - Dec.2012
Master of Education - Leadership, Higher
Northcentral University
Bachelor of Arts - Communication, Mass Media
University of Illinois at Springfield
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