SECond Mission VISTA Transition and Support Specialist - CU Denver

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Campus Compact of the Mountain West
Campus Compact of the Mountain West (CCMW) is a membership organization that engages college and
university presidents throughout Colorado and Wyoming as part of a national coalition of more than
1100 colleges and universities across the country. These institutions are passionately committed to the
value service learning and civic engagement brings to higher education and the community. We connect
student needs to community needs by empowering students to get involved in social issues where they
can make a difference - not only in the lives of others, but also in their own growth as students and
citizens of the world.

SECond Mission VISTA AmeriCorps Program
The SECond Mission VISTA AmeriCorps Program focuses on building the capacity of member campuses
and community-based Veteran Serving Organizations to support veterans’ access to and persistence in
higher education and their successful transition to the civilian workforce.
University of Colorado Denver

University of Colorado Denver’s Veteran & Military Service Support Center (VMSS) represents military-
connected students on campus. The VMSS provides support throughout the transition from military life
to the university environment, the entire academic experience, and the progression from college to the
workforce and professional career or advance education.

AmeriCorps Member Benefits
Full-time 35-40 hours/week
* Living stipend of $15,388.80 for the year
* Education award commensurate with the Pell Grant (~$6,000) to be used for current
educational expenses, to repay qualified student loans, or to be used within 7 years for
educational expenses.
* Child care credit for eligible members
* Deferment of existing student loans during term of service
* Repayment of interest accrued on qualified student loans during the term of service
Goal Statement
To decrease the number of veterans living at or below or at risk of living at or below the poverty line by
expanding the capacity of student veterans’ support service offices at institutions of higher education to
provide programming that increases veterans access to and perseverance in higher education.

Objectives and Activities
1) Develop an interactive faculty/staff training program that addresses multicultural competency,
diversity and inclusion issues, campus and community resources, campus policies and
procedures around behavioral health issues, and campus policies and procedure around
disabilities as it pertains to student veterans.
* Identify and map campus-based resources for student veterans
* Identify and conduct information interviews with campus-based service providers that
include but is not limited to career center, tutoring center, counseling center, and
advising center.
* Create and disseminate a survey for general faculty and staff regarding knowledge of
student veterans and cultural competency.
* Research best practices for training at comparable institutions.
* Create training curricula based off of research that includes assessment and evaluation
of the program.
* Coordinate with facilitators as necessary.
* Create marketing and training schedule and disseminate.
* Evaluate and adjust training as necessary based on feedback

2) Develop and manage student veteran mentorship program that supports incoming student
veterans with class designation of freshman and transfer.
* Research best practices for student veteran mentorship programs at comparable
institutions.
* Create and disseminate a survey for student veterans who have been enrolled for at
least two semesters on campus about campus specific transition issues.
* Develop mentorship program materials that include but is not limited to training
documents, student expectations, schedules, policies, and procedures, tracking
procedures, and marketing materials.
* Recruit mentors and mentees for the mentorship program.
* Manage student veterans’ mentorship program.
* Evaluate mentorship program routinely.
* Adjust mentorship program as necessary based on feedback

3) Develop, maintain, and promote resources and best practices that foster a culture of
connectedness among new and existing student veterans.
* Identify resource materials for student veterans that assist in onboarding to campus.
* Research best practices for onboarding student veterans at comparable institutions.
* Develop and implement onboarding program for student veterans.
* Identify and disseminate resource materials for student veterans that assist in academic,
professional, and personal success.
* Establish and maintain up to date website presence.

* Create and disseminate survey to identify student veteran needs, effectiveness of
programs and services available to student veterans, and campus climate for student
veterans.
* Develop and maintain database of on-campus, off-campus local, and off-campus
regional community resources for student veterans and disseminate to all student
veteran.
* Build and maintain connection with on and off-campus resources that provide support
for student veterans.
* Develop assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of all VISTA managed outreach and
engagement activities

Desired Skills & Qualifications
* Understanding of or willingness to learn about higher education systems
* Strong interpersonal skills; ability to work across difference
* Strong verbal and written communication skills
* Ability to work with diverse members of the community
* Adaptability
* Collaborative spirit