Employment / Admissions Counselor - Florida
SUMMARY
The Admissions Counselor role at Empowered 4 Life – Florida plays a key part in expanding the mission of Shepherds College into South Florida. This position serves as both a front-line admissions representative and a regional relationship builder responsible for introducing families, educators, and community partners to a college designed specifically for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
The Counselor will engage directly with prospective students and families, coordinate campus visits and events, and develop new partnerships with schools, agencies, and local organizations. This position requires initiative, relational strength, and the ability to represent Shepherds College with professionalism and care in the community.
Top 3 Job Responsibilities:
- Proactively generate and manage prospective student leads through community-based outreach and relationship building. Focus on establishing Shepherds College’s presence in Florida by cultivating partnerships and generating awareness among schools, agencies, churches, and families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Facilitate high-quality, customer-centered service to prospective students and families through both virtual and in-person engagements. Support families through the admissions process by providing clear communication, personalized guidance, and consistent follow-up.
- Establish and nurture community and professional networks that advance awareness and enrollment for Empowered 4 Life - Florida. Serve as the primary outreach representative for the region by engaging with local organizations, attending events, and developing collaborative opportunities that align with Shepherds College’s mission and recruitment initiatives.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
include the following (other duties may be assigned):
Serve as a conduit of Christ’s love in an effort to point others to Jesus through actions and words
1. Proactively generate and manage prospective student leads
Accomplished By:
- Identifying, engaging, and maintaining relationships with local high schools, transition programs, and agencies serving individuals with IDD.
- Attending transition fairs, resource nights, and community events to represent Empowered 4 Life.
- Hosting information sessions and presentations in schools, churches, and community organizations.
- Promoting campus visit opportunities, including Preview Days and individual tours.
- Executing inquiry and applicant follow-up protocols in collaboration with the Wisconsin Admissions Team.
- Tracking all activity and communications in the Enrollment Management System (EMS).
2. Facilitate high-quality, customer-centered service
Accomplished By:
- Providing individualized guidance to prospective students and families throughout the admissions process.
- Hosting campus tours and small group visit experiences.Coordinating local Preview Days and supporting virtual visit options.
- Ensuring all communication is clear, timely, and mission-aligned.
- Participating in Admissions Team meetings and training sessions virtually with the Wisconsin team.
3. Establish and nurture community and professional networks
Accomplished By:
- Developing a local network of referral partners including educators, agencies, churches, etc.
- Serving as the regional contact for community partnerships and event coordination.
- Collaborating with the Marketing and Advancement teams to increase Shepherds College visibility in Florida.
- Identifying partnership opportunities to support student job readiness, community engagement, and Friday “Community Experience” programming.
- Providing regular updates and insights to the Director of Admissions regarding outreach trends and partnership development.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
Valid driver's license.
ALIGNMENT WITH OUR MISSION
Employee shall commit to the mission of Shepherds College, which is to educate and train students with intellectual and developmental disabilities by equipping them to reach Appropriate Independence™ (Ai) through the development of vocational, social and life skills while inspiring a lasting awareness of God’s plan for their lives. Employee shall have a deep understanding of Ai and its guiding principles, as Ai is the foundation of our education and training programs here at Shepherds College.
ALIGNMENT WITH OUR CULTURE
Employee must be in alignment and in agreement with the eight key behaviors that shape our culture here at Shepherds College: 1) Model Christ-likeness - Point others to Jesus through our actions and words; 2) Be Creative - Practice strategic innovation; 3) Pursue Excellence - Whatever it is, make it better; 4) Maximize Strengths - Cultivate the value and potential of every individual; 5) Promote Professionalism - Present the best you, always; 6) Work Together - Collaborate to fulfill our mission; 7) Embrace Accountability - Own the process and the outcome; 8) Experience Gratitude - Recognize and affirm the good.
ALIGNMENT WITH OUR FAITH
Employee must be in full alignment and agreement with the Shepherds College Statement of Faith and Biblical Responsibilities of Shepherds Staff. Employee must be part of a faith community that is aligned with traditional protestant Christian faith.
REASONING ABILITY
Must have the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Must be able to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle or feel, and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and sit. The employee is occasionally required to walk, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Become a vital part of the Shepherds College mission!