Director of College Access & Success

Job Opening: Director of College Access & Success 

Job Description: CitySquash seeks a full-time Director of College Access & Success, who will oversee the college application process for all team members, including test prep, school visits, interview prep, applications and financial aid applications. The Director will also provide support to college students through campus visits, regular communication with students and advisors on campus, credit progress meetings and assistance with forms and financial aid. The position reports directly to the Program Director. 

Program Description: CitySquash (www.citysquash.org) is a nonprofit youth program based in the Bronx at Fordham University. The organization helps motivated and talented young people from economically disadvantaged households to fulfill their academic, athletic and personal potential. Founded in 2002, CitySquash serves 200 elementary, middle and high school students. For our participants, CitySquash is an intensive, multi day-a-week commitment that lasts up to 14 years and includes squash, tutoring, mentoring, community service, travel, culture, nutrition, high school placement, employment training and college prep. Over 130 CitySquash students have won scholarships to selective prep schools and colleges, including Avon Old Farms, Berkshire, Blair, Brooks, Canterbury, Eaglebrook, Episcopal, Hackley, Lawrenceville, Loomis Chaffee, Mercersburg, Millbrook, St. George’s, St. Paul's, Taft, Trinity-Pawling, Westover, Bates, Bowdoin, Columbia, Connecticut College, Cornell, CUNY, Franklin & Marshall, Hamilton, Hobart, Middlebury, Mt. Holyoke, St. Lawrence, Trinity, Vassar and Wesleyan. CitySquash looks forward to the opening of its brand new academic & squash facility, the Julian H. Robertson Jr. CitySquash Center, in Spring 2025 in the Bronx. 

Primary Roles and Responsibilities: 

• Manage and advise the college application, financial aid (and, if applicable, squash recruiting) process for all CitySquash boarding and local high school seniors, including developing personal essays and other application work, building balanced college lists and managing the submission of all necessary application and financial aid materials 

• Coordinate with guidance counselors and college counselors in high schools to effectively manage the process of each senior 

• Lead college visits for high school students and put together curricula to educate high school students about college access, affordability and the value of higher education 

• Help coordinate and lead curricula for SAT/ACT prep sessions and coordinate all testing for 11th and 12th graders 

• Communicate regularly with college admissions officers and coaches where applicable about CitySquash applicants 

• Help design college preparatory curriculums for rising freshman, including orientation sessions and college course curricula 

• Maintain regular communication with all college students to monitor academic, social emotional and other progress 

• Visit college students on campuses and liaise with advisors and coaches to provide support and guidance 

• Collect, record, and monitor changes of all student data, including GPA, major/minor, credits etc. 

• Assist college students with annual renewal of financial aid and assist in management of CitySquash Scholarship Fund 

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s Degree required • Experience with teaching and college counseling, especially with at-risk populations, for at least one year after college is highly preferable • Familiarity with the college application and financial aid process, including knowledge of SUNY/CUNY/NY Opportunity Programs and the FASFA/CSS Profile/TAP etc. • Knowledge of Spanish (with proficiency or fluency highly preferred) • Excellent written and oral communication skills • Driver's license required (candidates must be comfortable driving a 15-passenger van) • Must be energetic, upbeat, and enthusiastic about the CitySquash mission 

Hours & Schedule During the school year (Sept to mid-June), the work day typically begins at 10am and ends around 7pm Monday through Friday. Given the travel requirements of the position, flexibility will be given as necessary to best accommodate travel schedule. The Director also works two weekend days a month, leading college trips, visiting students or assisting with other program-wide events. On weeks when there is weekend work, the Director works a half-day on Fridays. The Academic Director will also chaperone up to five overnight team or college trips during the year. During the summer (mid-June to mid-Aug), the work day begins at 9am and ends at 5pm. but includes extensive travel to allow for students to visit and tour colleges. There is typically no weekend work when school is not in session from mid-June through August. 

Vacation: The position includes 6 weeks of vacation annually: 1 in Dec, 1 in Feb, 1 in April and 3 in Aug. Some but not all national holidays are off. 

Compensation: $40,000-$50,000 DOE. Full health insurance coverage.