SLS: College Access Saturday Program Intern (2025-26 school year)

Minds Matter connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college, create their future, and change the world.

This position is one of the options for Portland State's Student Leaders for Service program. Please apply to the Student Leaders for Service program to express interest in this opportunity. To access the application to apply for SLS for the the 2024-25 school year, please visit https://pdx.givepulse.com/event/446015 

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Minds Matter Portland provides a three-year academic mentoring program for high school students from low-income backgrounds, helping them get into and succeed in college. Through Saturday programming, mentoring relationships, summer enrichment opportunities, and college-readiness resources, the organization works to bridge opportunity gaps and build educational equity.

About the College Access Saturday Program Intern role:

The majority of the work that Minds Matter does with students happens at our Saturday sessions. By helping sessions run smoothly, an SLS member would be directly supporting the mission of the organization by ensuring an organized and efficient structure for programming to take place. Additionally, Minds Matter aims to support students by ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to successfully transition to college and thrive once there. An SLS member would contribute to this work by updating the curriculum for high school seniors that is focused on the transition to college.

Specific tasks:

• Serving as a site facilitator at Saturday programming sessions by checking in students and volunteers, taking attendance, and supporting lunch set-up and clean-up
  

• Supporting program administration through data collection and entry on student outcomes, volunteer and student recruitment, and communications
  

• Leading a curriculum development project focused on updating Minds Matter’s college readiness and transition curriculum for high school seniors, with planning in fall and implementation in spring

In person or Hybrid Modality: This position requires a combination of in-person and remote service. Saturday programming must be attended in person, while administrative and curriculum development tasks may be completed remotely with supervisor meetings as needed.

Skills and Knowledge Required: 

• Excellent oral and interpersonal communication

• Adaptability and initiative

• Ability to work with youth and volunteers in a friendly, organized manner

• Detail-oriented and organized

• Proficiency in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive)

Preferred Skills:

• Lived experience as a first-generation, low-income, or underrepresented student, as this mirrors the student population that Minds Matter serves

• Bilingual in Spanish or Vietnamese (these languages are the top two most-spoken languages by the parents of the students we werve)

Application, Onboarding, and Training process:  SLS members would be required to undergo the training and orientation for normal volunteers, which includes an online youth protection training class and background check. An in-person training and orientation introduces volunteers to the history of the organization and program, as well as small group activities that highlight the skills and mindsets needed to work with diverse youth. The SLS member will meet with a supervisor 1:1 at least once per week.

Benefits of this Position: Serving at Minds Matter would give an you a first-hand look at how our college-access programming is run. You will:

• hone leadership skills by working with students and volunteers
• learn about the details of non-profit program management.
• learn about the current higher education landscape
• contribute to a program that helps low-income, first-generation youth on their journey to college.

Supervision: The SLS member would report to and be supervised by the Program Director, with additional support from the Program Associate.

Location & Transportation: The primary site for the Saturday Sessions is St. Andrew Nativity School at 4925 NE 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97211.

The site is a 35–45 minute commute from the PSU campus via multiple TriMet bus lines.

Schedule Available: The required time is Saturdays from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM for weekly Saturday Sessions. This schedule is not flexible because our Saturday sessions always occur at this time, with the exception of some breaks and holidays. SLS members would be required to adhere to the normal volunteer attendance policy of attending 80% of sessions (with the exception of sessions that fall during PSU campus-wide holidays and breaks).