The Irwin Academic Services & Illini Way Student-Athlete Development staff at the University of Illinois seeks candidates for full-time positions as an Assistant Academic Counselor, an Assistant Learning Specialist, and an Assistant Student-Athlete Development Coordinator. These positions are a part of a Young Professional Development Program (YPDP) that prepares young professionals for entry-level positions in academic support, learning services, and student-athlete development. Professionals that have career interests in student-athlete support services are encouraged to apply.
The YPDP provides opportunities for individuals to gain real-world experiences in a comprehensive athletic academic support and development unit at the Division I level. Young Professionals will be responsible for assisting with all aspects of the Irwin Academic Services Center’s operations. Our staff is committed to developing and equipping Young Professionals with the skills needed to be outstanding professionals and leaders in our profession.
Assistant Academic Counselor:
- Work with a caseload of student-athletes to facilate the development of academic and time management skills.
- Support Academic Counselors in efforts to aid in the retention, development, and graduation of student-athletes.
- Monitor and document student-athlete weekly academic progress as it pertains to NCAA, Big Ten, and institutional guidelines.
- Identify and evaluate student-athlete needs for additional academic support resources.
- Effectively supervise student-athletes in study hall/academic practice while maintaining a positive, effective learning environment for all students.
- Assist with the scholarship textbook distribution processs.
Assistant Learning Specialist:
- Work with a caseload of student-athletes to aid them in building academic, personal, and advocacy skills that promote learning independence and academic achievement.
- Utilize screener measurements to identify and evaluate current academic level to appropriately provide additional resources.
- Communicate appropriately with student-athlete and Counselor regarding any concerns with student-athletes progress.
- Assist caseload with DRES accommodations process and usage and provide stable appropriate interventions for student development.
- Facilitate projects to improve unit operations with best practices for tutoring, academic coaching, and learning specialists.
- Consult with Learning Specialist Team for feedback, recommendations, concerns, etc.
Assistant Student-Athlete Development Coordinator:
- Support programming for student-athletes in alignment with the department’s core values of Unify, Develop, Inspire & Achieve with a particular emphasis on personal development, professional development, leadership development, community outreach, and diversity and inclusion.
- Proactively connect and engage with campus departments, organizations, faculty, and staff to facilitate a positive working relationship, implement relevant programming, and create leadership opportunities for student-athletes.
- Provide personalized education to student-athletes in group and one-on-one settings as it pertains to their professional development and career interests.
- Research industry tools, programming, and practices to best support student-athletes.
- Support student-athlete leaders in their facilitation of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and community service events.
- Assist with Illini Way Student-Athlete Development storytelling, including, but not limited to website communication, social media strategy, and marketing designs.
- Coordinate student-athlete scholarship and award nominations/applications.
- Monitor and document community outreach requests, activities, and student-athlete engagement.