STUDENT & FAMILY EXPERIENCES COORDINATOR

JOB DESCRIPTION

Waukegan to College seeks a Student & Family Experiences Coordinator to lead the planning and execution of meaningful experiences that expose students and their families to college campuses, career pathways, cultural institutions, civic engagement opportunities, and more. This role supports our Expanding Horizons, Supporting the Whole Student, Family Engagement, and New Student Recruitment programs. It is key to helping students see beyond their current environment, imagine new futures, and feel a sense of belonging in our organization.

Under the supervision of our College Readiness High School Team Lead, this person will organize and coordinate local and overnight field trips, build relationships with external partners, and ensure that each experience is engaging, inclusive, and aligned with students’ development. In addition, this role will design and facilitate family engagement events, such as Orientations, Family Forums, and Open Houses, that strengthen school-family-community connections and equip families to support their students’ academic and personal journeys.

WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU

• You initiate. You follow instructions but also see where work needs to be done. You will research solutions and propose them with the hopes of helping our organization operate more smoothly. You don’t just do the status quo.
• You are a communicator. You know how to craft messages to many different audiences, whether it is a student needed help with course selection or building a college list, a parent who is learning about the path to college, or a mentor asking what they can do to help their mentee – you know exactly what to say or who to pass along the information to.
• You care deeply and know why this work matters. We are a resource to the community and essential to helping students reach their potential. Since our approach is holistic, we support the whole person, not just academically. We also work closely with the parents and include them in advising and programming.
• You are collaborative. You come with positive energy and want to work as a team to get things done. You practice vulnerability and aren’t afraid to ask if you don’t know. You trust others and have their back.

Key Responsibilities

Project Management & Planning

• Develop and maintain project plans with clear deadlines, responsibilities, and deliverables for each event or trip.
• Track progress on all tasks using project management tools and ensure timely execution across internal teams and external partners.
• Develop and manage detailed trip budgets, tracking all expenditures and identifying cost-saving opportunities.
• Proactively identify and address risks, gaps, and contingencies in trip logistics or partner communication.
• Create clear run-of-show documents, checklists, and trip packets for staff and volunteers.
• Maintain organized digital records of past trips, budgets, contacts, and feedback to inform future planning.

Event/Program Planning & Logistics

• Plan and organize purposeful, age-appropriate college and career visits, including Campus Visit Days, Admitted Student Days, Summer Preview Programs, and two annual overnight college trips for high school and rising 9th graders.
• Coordinate career exposure experiences by researching, securing, and executing visits to businesses, corporations, maker fairs, start-ups, and regional industries that reflect diverse career pathways.
• Design enrichment experiences in civic engagement (e.g., visits to government offices, legislative sessions), arts, history, and culture to broaden students’ perspectives.
• Partner with advisors across grade levels to ensure alignment with learning objectives, including planning mindfulness and stress-reduction activities.
• Collaborate with our college readiness and access teams and community leaders to co-design and enrich program experiences.
• Lead planning and execution of family engagement activities and events, ensuring inclusive participation across language and access needs.
• Manage logistics including transportation, meals, supplies, chaperones, and safety planning for all events and trips.
• Assist with all new student recruitment efforts, including, but not limited to, organizing and planning new student and family open houses in the fall and spring.

Partnership Development

• Build and maintain strong relationships with college admissions staff, businesses, cultural and civic institutions, and nonprofit partners to support student learning experiences.
• Coordinate and schedule group visits with external partners, ensuring alignment with students’ academic needs and availability.
• Represent Waukegan to College professionally in all outreach, communication, and partner engagement.
• Communicate proactively with families, providing clear and timely details before and after trips or events.
• Negotiate and manage vendor contracts for transportation, lodging, meals, and other trip-related services.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in youth development, education, college access, event planning, or program coordination.
• Exceptional project management skills and proven ability to complete timely manner with high attention to detail.
• Strong organizational systems, file management, and record-keeping habits.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Commitment to educational equity and working with first-generation students.
• Familiarity with the college-going process, especially for underrepresented students.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel as needed.
• Availability for evening or weekend work.

Qualifications: Strongly Preferred

• Experience working with lower-income and first-generation families from underrepresented backgrounds
• Customer-service experience (our main customers are our students, their families, and our volunteers)
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a diverse population of students and colleagues.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

Other Requirements

• Must have reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license, and use of their own vehicle.
• Must be able to pass a background check

Educational Requirements

• A degree in education, business administration/management, project management, public administration, or non-profit management, or equivalent work experience, is strongly preferred.

Hours and Compensation

• Full-time, average 40 hours per week
• Must have a flexible work schedule to support after-school hours.
• Pay rate: Salary range based on experience.
• A laptop and a cell phone are provided

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance – 90% (covered by employer)
• 401K with a 2% annual employer contribution
• $25,000 life insurance policy
• Professional development opportunities
• 15 days of PTO, five sick days, one personal day
• Flexible work schedule
• 8 paid holidays plus the first week of June and the week between Christmas and New Year’s off.

ABOUT US

Waukegan to College is a nonprofit organization founded in 2009 in Waukegan, IL. Our mission is to create brighter futures for first-generation students, their families, and their community by preparing students to enroll in and graduate from a four-year college or university. Our work is focused on three main areas:

• College Readiness - providing academic support, advising, and mentoring for students to maintain their grades and take the necessary courses to be considered college-ready.
• College Access - helping students identify where they would like to attend college and apply for acceptance, financial aid, and scholarships.
• College Persistence - provide advising and mentoring to help students be resilient, succeed in college, and graduate in four years.

The following Core Values guide us:

• Equity - access, opportunity, and inclusivity
• Relationships - local, family, and community
• Collaboration - work together; everyone does their part
• Ambition - strive for excellence, dare to dream
• Leadership - accountability, self-advocacy, and influence

At Waukegan to College, 300+ students and their families are part of our program. Since 2009, we have helped 113 students graduate from college - the first in their families!