Academic AdvisorAt — SteppingUP/OCCHC

At Orange County Community Housing Corporation (OCCHC), we provide affordable housing for extremely low-income families across Orange County. But we don’t stop there. Through our SteppingUP program, we also offer free support services to help families build stronger, more secure futures. A key component of SteppingUP is our College Access Program (CAP), which supports low-income, first-generation high school students on their path to higher education. CAP Advisors help make this mission a reality by working directly with a caseload of students, providing personalized guidance, resources, and activities that build the skills, confidence, and motivation to successfully enroll in and complete a degree or certificate program after high school.

PRIMARY DUTIES

• Provide college advising to assigned participants
• Cover topics related to college and career readiness and personal development
• Plan and deliver engaging, relevant curriculum during advising sessions
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of student contact and activities
• Assist with planning and facilitating student workshops, field trips, and enrichment activities
• Refer students to additional resources as needed
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive student information at all times

WHY JOIN US?

This hands-on internship offers:

• Direct experience working with youth in a college access and advising setting
• Mentorship from experienced education and nonprofit professionals
• Opportunities for professional development and leadership
• The chance to make a meaningful impact on students' futures

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

We’re looking for individuals who:

• Are passionate about educational equity and supporting first-generation students
• Are eager to learn, flexible, and self-motivated
• Possess strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Are comfortable leading one-on-one and group advising sessions
• Have intermediate computer skills
• Are fluent in Spanish (preferred)

Tasks:

Provide college advising to assigned participants

Cover topics related to college and career readiness and personal development

Plan and deliver engaging, relevant curriculum during advising sessions

Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of student contact and activities

Assist with planning and facilitating student workshops, field trips, and enrichment activities

Refer students to additional resources as needed

Training:

Orientation with administration, weekly meetings to review progress and provide mentorship, one-on-one check-ins, shadowing, and periodic workshops/skills training

Learning Outcome:

By the end of the academic internship:
\uf098 The student will learn when to ask for supervisory direction for hard to reach/hard to work with students.
\uf098 The student will learn realistic expectations.
\uf098 The student will learn to develop public speaking skills.
\uf098 The student will learn to write and use case notes.
\uf098 The student will learn how to work with at-risk youth and their families.
\uf098 The student will become knowledgeable about higher education opportunities and information.