Harvard Summer School Student Activities Office College Readiness Guide

Information for 2025 Harvard Summer School College Readiness Guide Applicants

Harvard Summer School (HSS) seeks multiple College Readiness Guides for the Student Activities Office for the summer session in 2025. Serving a diverse population of students from across the nation and abroad, the Student Activities Office (SAO) provides engaging opportunities across specialty areas, such as: film nights, health and wellness, off-campus trips, special events, athletics, college readiness workshops, virtual college admissions programming, and virtual volunteering. 

Harvard Summer School is a rigorous and enriching summer experience with course offerings across several Programs. College Readiness Guides (CRGs) provide workshops that specialize in college guidance, readiness, and admissions for the following HSS Programs:

• The Pre-College Program (Pre-College) offers 3 sessions of non-credit, two-week, college-level courses for high school students. It provides students an introduction to life in college through a structure of daily class meetings, college readiness skill building workshops, academic exploration lectures, and community-building activities and social events. 
• The Secondary School Program (SSP) enrolls high school students in credit-bearing courses of 4 weeks or 7 weeks in duration. The SSP offers students an introduction to the autonomy that characterizes the first year of college, with variable class meeting schedules and the freedom to choose how to allocate time to studying, skill-building, socializing, and more.

Position Description

College Readiness Guides (CRGs) specialize in college guidance, readiness, and admissions: they develop college readiness skills workshops, create student support programming, and provide administrative, and staff support for these efforts. They work directly with groups of high school students, providing a range of support and programming designed to facilitate college exploration and preparedness during students’ time at Harvard. CRGs work as a team and gain valuable experience in school counseling, college advising, and programming in higher education while delivering a signature aspect of the Harvard Summer School experience. College Readiness Guides report to the Assistant Director of Student Engagement and Residential Life. For Summer 2025, the CRG position will be entirely remote, with the option to organize on-campus events considered for local staff on an ad hoc basis.

Responsibilities

(1) Develop College Readiness Skills Workshops 

• Conceive, plan, and facilitate weekly workshops for high school students focused on developing the academic and personal skills necessary for a productive HSS learning experience and for future success in higher education
• Evaluate workshop effectiveness and participant feedback to continuously improve materials and presentations

(2) Create Student Support Programming 

• Develop original group programming to assist students in each stage of the college application process, from exploration to admissions to financial aid and scholarship application, and more
• Develop original group programming that facilitates students’ transition from high school to college
• Develop original programming that supports international students with the adjustment to the American college experience

(3) Provide Administrative and Staff Support 

• Construct workshop assessment tools 
• Provide staff support and assistance for SAO college readiness and college admissions programming
• Assume other responsibilities as assigned

Commitment

• Hours & Dates: CRGs can expect to work remotely ~20 hours/week during the Harvard Summer School session (Monday, June 23- Friday, August 8) in addition to time spent in orientation and training. This is a part-time position with the possibility of occasional evening work required.
• Orientation and Training: Partial-day virtual meetings approximately 2-3 times per week starting in June. 
• All Staff Orientation: Please mark your calendars for this mandatory pre-summer orientation taking place on Friday, June 6, 2025, from 11:30am-1:00pm. 
• Outside Commitments: Pending approval from the Assistant Director of Student Engagement and Residential Life, SAO staff may be permitted to hold another significant commitment (i.e. part-time job, course) outside of their SAO duties. Enrollment in no more than one 4-credit HSS course is permitted.

Qualifications

We invite applications from graduate students, professionals, as well as recent college graduates, with a demonstrated interest in college access, readiness, success, and supporting the transition to the American college classroom. Incumbents may be enrolled in no more than one 4-credit course at Harvard Summer School and may not hold another significant commitment over 20 hours/week. We seek candidates with interpersonal and communication skills, student support experience, cultural competence, flexibility, organization and time management, and technical skills relevant to the role.

Note:  As a condition of employment, all SAO staff must provide immunization records and complete Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) background checks in order to complete the hiring process. College Readiness Guides must also complete several online training modules prior to assuming duties, including modules on Title IX policy, the safety and protection of minors, mental health, non-discrimination and anti-bullying policy, and more.

Compensation

• Payment of $2,500 

Application

• Priority Deadline: Submit an application online via the Harvard Summer School SAO Jobs Application Form or via the ACUHO-I website by Monday, February 3, 2025. Applications received after the priority deadline may be considered on an as-needed basis.
• Position: Applicants apply for one SAO position but can also indicate an interest in an alternate position in the Student Activities Office. 
• Materials: Prepare a brief resume and cover letter that describe relevant education and experience.
• Interviews: Interviews and final selection will be carried out in February and March.

For more information, see the Summer School Opportunities website (opportunities.summer.harvard.edu) or contact Kimberly Calnan (serl@summer.harvard.edu).