Post-Doctoral Fellowship - Project Coordinator

Job Description:

About The Chicago School

The Chicago School is the nation's leading nonprofit school dedicated to training individuals to be engaged professionals in their communities, approach practice and scholarship from the broader view of innovators, transformers, and problem solvers, and use their disciplines to make positive and lasting impact on the world.  A cornerstone of The Chicago School mission is its commitment to serving and embracing diverse and underserved communities.

This position is for a Project Coordinator within the North Star Project at The Chicago School. The North Star Project aims to increase persistence, completion, and pursuit of graduate study among non-traditional, underrepresented Bachelor of Psychology students through a near-peer mentoring program.

Ideal Candidate

The Chicago School is seeking a highly motivated and skilled individual to join the College of Undergraduate Studies as a Post-Doctoral Fellow to oversee our peer mentorship program. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the academic and professional development of both graduate and undergraduate students through mentorship initiatives. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in designing, implementing, and evaluating a peer mentorship program within the College.  This part-time position is granted funded by the National Science Foundation and is funded for 3 years.

Responsibilities

• Program Development:
  • Collaborate with faculty, administrators, and other stakeholders to develop comprehensive peer mentorship programs tailored to the needs of undergraduate students and graduate mentors.
  • Organize and oversee regular communication plans for recruiting both mentors and mentees, providing occasional insights
  • Coordinate the daily operations of The North Star Project, ensuring alignment with project goals and timelines. 

• Mentor Training:
  • Develop and facilitate training sessions for peer mentors to enhance their mentoring skills, including communication, leadership, and conflict resolution.
  • Develop an Independent Development Plan (IDP) with guidance from mentors. 

• Mentor Support:
  • Recruit eligible mentors and provide guidance and support as they mentor undergraduate students in navigating academic and professional challenges, offering resources and referrals as needed.
  • Meet regularly with mentors to provide guidance and continual training on best practices.

• Program Evaluation:
  • Design and implement evaluation mechanisms to assess the effectiveness and impact of peer mentorship programs on mentees’ academic and professional outcomes.
  • Assist in grant program development, monitoring, and evaluation processes. 
  • Engage in effective teaching practices and evaluate learning outcomes. 

• Community Building:
  • Foster a sense of community among mentors and mentees by organizing networking events, workshops, and social gatherings.
  • Collaborate with project team members and stakeholders to support project activities. 
  • Support culturally inclusive outreach and mentoring practices for non-traditional, first-generation college, and underrepresented students. 
  • Collaborate with other departments and institutions to share best practices and coordinate mentorship initiatives on a broader scale.

• Research:
  • Conduct scholarly research on peer mentorship best practices, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the field of mentorship and higher education. 
  • Design and create datasets, perform data analysis, and contribute to research design. 
  • Participate in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Certified Peer Educator (CPE) Training. 
  • Attend networking events, seminars, and conferences to enhance professional development. 

• Documentation:
  • Maintain accurate records of program activities, participant demographics, and evaluation data for reporting purposes. Provide robust information for a variety of presentations and reports for internal and external entities.
  • Attend project team meetings and provide regular updates to the Principal Investigators (PIs). 

Qualifications

• Completed doctorate (Ph.D., Psy.D., Ed.D.) in a relevant field (Psychology, Criminology, Higher Education Administration, etc.)
• Prior experience in mentoring, advising, or coaching in an educational setting is highly desirable.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to plan, implement, and evaluate complex programs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to e