Recent college graduates have the opportunity to work as college advisers to high school students through the AdviseMI program. Benefits include a living stipend anticipated to be $30,000 for 2022-23, education award of $6,495 per year to repay student loans or finance further studies, healthcare coverage, professional development and networking opportunities and extensive training in college access. No prior experience is needed.
The program currently has 45 college graduates who act as college advisers, helping students from their prospective schools learn about and explore options regarding post-secondary education. One of those advisers is 2020 NMU alumna Brooke Baneck.
“In my position as a college adviser,” said Baneck, “I work with high school students to support them in their transition from high school to post-secondary education. I mostly work with seniors; however, I also work with the underclassmen throughout the year to help instill a college-going culture within the school.
“A large portion of the students I work with are first-generation college students and/or come from low-income families. It's really rewarding to see the progress my students make from the beginning of the year to now. A lot of times students don't even know what's possible for them until I sit down and really hear what they have to say and we talk about their goals for the future.”
Northern Michigan University is a partner with Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) through AdviseMI.
The MCAN partnership is also beneficial to NMU as a whole, as it gives the university direct access to AdviseMI resources that help connect high school students to Northern, especially those in underserved high schools. It also guarantees that an NMU has a graduate on the adviser staff.
“From a recruitment perspective, NMU's partnership with MCAN's AdviseMI program provides us an opportunity to be connected to 45 recent college graduates who focus daily on assisting high school students with their college search,” said Gerri Daniels, executive director of admissions at NMU. “The advisers provide us great access to their schools' students, and they focus time and attention on learning details about NMU—during their training and through visits to our campus—that excite them about presenting NMU as a great option.
“We also love providing this opportunity to NMU grads who are exploring a related career. It's a great bonus to know we have NMU grads out there talking to prospective students.”
Baneck added that the college adviser position is excellent for any major and is recommended for anyone interested in high school counseling or higher education affairs.
“I would hands-down recommend this position to any NMU grad,” Baneck said. “Throughout my year of service, I've had a front-row seat to all of the amazing work the school counselors do and helped out with a large portion of it.”
Those that are interested in MCAN's AdviseMI and want to learn more or apply can visit: micollegeaccess.org/initiatives/advisemi/apply