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Program Advisor at Reading High School - TRIO Upward Bound Programs

Penn State University

Reading, PAFull-time$45–65K/yrPosted 2mo agoStill listed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$45–65K/yr
Location
Reading, PA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

PA State Police Criminal Background Check, requiredFederal FBI Fingerprint Criminal Background Check, requiredValid Driver's License, required

Job overview

Penn State’s Upward Bound Programs seeks a Program Advisor to serve approximately 100 Reading High School students. The advisor supports student recruitment and programming, advises, tutors, or refers participants to student services, and develops academic-year and summer residential programming under federal grant guidelines. The role also involves working with families, community stakeholders, school districts, and university offices. Funding is for one year, with continuation dependent on university need, performance, or funding availability.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

College Preparation Services, requiredWorking With First-Generation Students, requiredWorking With Low-Income Students, requiredFederal Grant Guidelines, requiredOral Communication, requiredWritten Communication, requiredTRIO Programs, nice to haveSecond Language Learners, nice to have

Qualifications

1+ Years Relevant Experience or Equivalent Education, requiredBachelor's Degree, nice to haveBachelor's in Counselor Education, College Student Personnel, Psychology, Social Work, Education, Higher Education Administration, or STEM, nice to havePA State Police Criminal Background Check, requiredPA Child Abuse History Clearance, requiredFederal FBI Fingerprint Criminal Background Check, requiredValid Driver's License, requiredMotor Vehicle Records Check, required

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Match
Paid Time Off
Tuition Assistance

Full job description

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

  • CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

  • CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

  • If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

This position is funded for 1 year(s); continuation past 1 year(s) will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.​

POSITION SPECIFICS​ Upward Bound Programs (UBP), includes five federally funded TRIO grants through the Department of Education: four of them are Upward Bound (UB) in addition to one Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS). Two of these grants serve students at Reading High School. These grants help high-school students gain academic skills and motivation to continue their education beyond high school. At Penn State, UBP is located within The Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity.

UBP is seeking a Program Advisor to work with approximately 100 students attending Reading High School. Office space at Penn State Berks will also be provided and shared with an additional Reading High UBP program advisor. A UBP program advisor assists in organizing, developing, and implementing social, educational, and service-learning programs/activities for Upward Bound Programs’ participants. The successful candidate will be responsible for student recruitment and programming for grant-determined school district population, parent/student events, and community stakeholders.

The counselor will advise, tutor, or refer program participants on various student services including high school course selection, college readiness, financial aid, health and wellness, career services, academic advising, student leadership, and diversity and inclusion. Additionally, the counselor will develop and implement academic year and summer residential programming in compliance with federal guidelines as outlined in the grant and develop and maintain effective working relationships with school districts, community partners, and campus and University-wide offices.

Required Qualifications:

  • Understand and articulate unit policies and federal grant guidelines in oral and written communication
  • Demonstrated experience in providing direct college preparation services to 9th- through 12th-grade students
  • Experience working with low-income, first-generation high school students from different backgrounds

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in counselor education, college student personnel, psychology, social work, education, higher education administration, or a STEM field
  • Knowledge and experience with federally funded TRIO programs
  • Familiarity with second language learners as many of our students are bilingual

This position will require occasional evening and weekend hours, as well as some overnight travel for UBP meetings, retreats, and conferences. The program advisor will also reside in a residence hall(s) during the annual UBP Summer Academy to help implement programming and supervise students.

MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS Bachelor's Degree 1+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted Required Certifications: None

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES This position requires the following clearances in addition to applicable background checks: PA State Police Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form, and Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check. This position requires that you operate a motor vehicle as a part of your job duties. A valid driver’s license and successful completion of a motor vehicle records check will be required in addition to standard background checks.

Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. SALARY & BENEFITS The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $44,628.00 - $64,668.00. Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

EEO IS THE LAW Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.

Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university’s teaching, research, and service mission. Federal Contractors Labor Law Poster PA State Labor Law Poster Penn State Policies Copyright Information Hotlines

How this job compares

Set against the 538 open Student Services jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 10, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$45–65K/yr
  • US median$56–65K/yr226 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $55K, is 10% below the US median midpoint ($61K) — in the middle half of Student Services salary ranges across the US.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 30 open Student Services jobs in Pennsylvania and 538 across the US. 1% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Experience
This posting asks for at least 1 year of experience — less than three in four Student Services postings that state a minimum ask for (median 2 years, across 322 postings).
Education
173 of the 538 open Student Services jobs (32%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 10, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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