Senior Fellow – Mental Health, Kentucky Student Success Collaborative (KYSSC)

Positions: Hiring motivated higher education professionals experienced in supporting Menth Health initiatives.
Commitment: Up to ten hours per month. Contract Dates: Oct. 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026.
Location: Remote work; must have a Kentucky workstation.
Travel: Will be invited to attend in-person convenings at Kentucky postsecondary institutions.
Compensation: $50/hr.
Priority deadline for application: Sept. 20, 2025

About the Council

The Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) is Kentucky’s higher education coordinating agency committed to strengthening our workforce, economy, and quality of life. We do this by guiding the continuous improvement and efficient operation of a high-quality, diverse, and accessible system of postsecondary education.

The Kentucky Student Success Collaborative (KYSSC) works with higher education institutions in the state to advance and support efforts to improve student outcomes. CPE, in partnership with the James Graham Brown Foundation, created KYSSC to advance large-scale change and help equip institutions with the tools and techniques needed to drive transformation and improvement.

In May 2024, the Kentucky Student Success Collaborative (KYSSC), in partnership with The Jed Foundation, Healthy Minds Network, and Kentucky campuses, hosted a Mental Health Strategy Development Convening. The event highlighted results from the Kentucky Healthy Minds Study, insights from JED Campus participants, and tools to support campus-based action planning. Building on input from the convening and nine stakeholder groups, KYSSC drafted Kentucky’s statewide mental health strategy: focused on four priority areas—student voice and engagement, faculty/staff engagement and support, resources and crisis response, and campus coordination.

Mental Health Core Team Overview

Mental Health Senior Fellows will work alongside the strategy lead and Mental Health Guiding Team to advance the KYSSC Mental Health Strategy. This project-based role goes beyond advising, with Fellows contributing directly to the design and implementation of initiatives that strengthen student mental health supports. Fellows will collaborate with diverse stakeholders across Kentucky’s community colleges and universities, leveraging data, research, and best practices to promote student engagement and well-being on the path to completion.

In partnership with The Jed Foundation, Fellows will build knowledge and skills across the seven domains of JED’s comprehensive approach to mental health promotion and suicide prevention, while helping to identify and implement actionable strategies on their campuses. They will also learn from promising practices across the Community of Practice and adapt them as appropriate in their own contexts. Additionally, Fellows will support the CLIMB Health initiative dedicated to creating a Community of Practice that supports the mental and behavioral health needs of students with a focus on addiction and recovery services.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the implementation of Kentucky’s statewide strategy to improve mental health of postsecondary students, staff, and faculty.
• Manage projects and coordinate with consultants and national partners to advance strategy goals.
• Co-facilitate the Mental Health Community of Practice to share effective practices across institutions.
• Plan and deliver convenings, trainings, and professional development for faculty, staff, and campus leaders.
• Build engagement with campuses and community partners to strengthen mental health supports.
• Use data and research to identify best practices and inform continuous improvement efforts.
• Serve as liaison across academic departments, student services, and other stakeholders to coordinate initiatives.
• Participate in statewide convenings and events to support strategy implementation and knowledge sharing.

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in mental health, well-being, and other behavioral interventions to support student success.
• Experience convening stakeholders to solve challenges.
• Experience with partnership development and relationship building with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong ability to lead complex projects.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• Experience leading professional learning initiatives.
• Strong skills in facilitation and collaborative action.
• Master’s degree in higher education administration or relevant field preferred.

Application Instructions:

• Submit your Resume/CV and a written response to the following prompt (500 words or less) to CPE.HR@ky.gov, by Sept. 20, 2025, for priority consideration:
  Through your experience, what do you believe are the most promising approaches/strategies to support adult learners in reaching their educational goals?