Ciara Smith

Associate Director of College Success

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

About

Experience

  • Associate Director, College Success at Carolina Youth Coalition
    Aug 2025 - Present · 11 mos

    •Support college Fellows through individualized advising, workshops, and case management to promote persistence, degree completion, and post-graduate success. •Develop and implement career readiness programming that connects students to internships, research opportunities, and professional networks. •Collaborate with staff, partners, and mentors to provide holistic, equity-driven support that empowers under-resourced, first-generation students to thrive in college and beyond.

  • Student Career Coach at Road to Hire
    Dec 2024 - Aug 2025 · 9 mos

    •Deliver individualized academic and career coaching to a caseload of about 90 college students through virtual meetings and monthly on-campus engagements. •Develop and implement tailored career development plans to support student persistence, skill-building, and successful entry into internships and employment. •Monitor student progress, maintain proactive communication, and manage accurate data entry in CRM systems to support student outcomes and institutional reporting.

  • Admissions Counselor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte
    Apr 2023 - Dec 2024 · 1 yr 9 mos

    •Build positive, productive relationships with diverse high school students and their families •Provide advice, resources, and counseling as appropriate to support students’ long-term professional growth and success •Help high school students navigate the admissions process and plan for a smooth transition from high school to college

  • College Advisor at Carolina College Advising Corps
    Jul 2022 - Apr 2023 · 10 mos

    •Maintain direct contact with over 400 senior students to continuously develop plans for after high school •Create monthly events and activities for the student body and their families to participate in focusing on post-secondary options •Be a liaison between the student body and college representatives

  • Greensboro Montessori School (Greensboro, North Carolina, United States)
    • Assitant Teacher
      Feb 2022 - Jun 2022 · 5 mos

    • Support Teacher
      Oct 2020 - Feb 2022 · 1 yr 5 mos

      •Assist staff with transitioning students •Plan and engage in activities in classrooms and playgrounds with children •Created safe environments for children by monitoring at all times and analyzing plans and activities to assure safeness