First Year Exploratory Advisor

CLASSIFICATION: Administrative; Full-Time; 12-Months

DEPARTMENT: Student Success

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Director of First Year Exploratory Advising & University Foundations

SUPERVISION EXERCISED: Student workers as appropriate

POSITION SUMMARY: The First Year Exploratory Advisor (FYE Advisors) provides advising support to undergraduate students, with a special emphasis on pre-major and first-year students navigating their academic transition to the university. The advisor builds effective relationships with Moravian faculty, staff, administrators, and students and works to maintain and share records effectively with relevant constituents. This position supports the institution’s commitment to student success and retention.

Strategy and Planning:

• Work with the First Year Exploratory Advising team and appropriate departments and faculty for continuous improvement in supporting student success and degree completion, with a focus on academic, degree, and curriculum planning.
• Provide intentional support to a caseload of students while also using coaching and mentoring techniques along with institutional retention initiatives.
• Utilize institutional technology platforms, including, but not limited to, Navigate, Jenzabar, and Oracle Student Management, to manage caseload documentation, monitor student academic progress, and support data-informed advising practices.

General Advising Support:

• Serve as the academic advisor and provide support for a student caseload seeking a variety of majors and career paths, with a focus on maintaining good academic standing and progress toward a degree.
• Facilitate course registration and academic degree planning before declaration, including helping students learn and navigate Moravian systems and processes.
• Utilize the institution’s early alert system (Navigate) to connect students to their success network and document individual engagements with students in caseload.
• Maintain consistent tracking of caseload students in the early alert system in coordination with the larger student success network, including coaches, faculty, and other campus partners.
• Meet regularly with students for academic planning support and guide them toward appropriate skill-building resources, including peer education, problem sessions, and tutoring.
• Refer students to other campus offices and resources (SHARE, Mo’s Cupboard, Financial Aid, Counseling Center, etc.) as needed.
• Provide additional support for academically at-risk students beyond assigned caseload as needed.

Data Analysis and Assessment:

• Work with the FYE Advising team to utilize student self-reported and institutional data to monitor the academic needs of first-year students and ensure appropriate course registration.
• Regularly assess the effectiveness of first-year advising via student and faculty surveys, and contribute findings to the team’s continuous improvement efforts.

QUALIFICATIONS: Master’s degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, Education, or a related field required. Demonstrated knowledge of advising practices and strategies; experience as an academic advisor preferred. Experience with orientation programming or first-year student support preferred. Experience with student information systems and advising technologies such as Navigate, Jenzabar, Banner, or PeopleSoft. Excellent organizational, written, verbal, and presentation skills. Expressed sensitivity to and demonstrated understanding of the needs of a diverse student body, including first-generation, low-income, and historically underserved populations. Ability to work successfully with diverse populations and understand the unique challenges faced by diverse student communities. Ability to work a flexible schedule as needed, including occasional evenings or weekends.