New coaching program challenges every student to reach their full potential
A team of three dedicated faculty coaches guide each new student to grow and learn how to make an impact in the college environment.
Posted by: Megan Kita Thursday, February 15, 2024 10:21 AM
In the new coaching program, each first-year student will have a college life coach and a career coach in addition to a faculty advisor.Photo by Christy Morris, Littlewing Studio
Last fall, Marcelina Palmer, 27, met Sarah Widener, assistant director of career coaching and education, when she visited Palmer's personal and professional development (PPD) class. A required course that introduces new students to the college and its resources now supports Muhlenberg's innovative coaching program.
The program matches each first-year student with a faculty advisor, as well as a college life coach and a career coach. Mr. Widener will serve as a career coach for the PPD section. Mr. Palmer made an appointment to meet her at her career center. There she felt welcomed and comfortable and she wanted to return.
Career Center Mr. Widener and Mr. Palmer
“As new students, we are still trying to figure out who we are and what major we want to pursue. Some people don't consider using the Career Center until their path is solidified,” says Resident Advisor Position said Palmer, who has met with Widener several times since then to review his resume and cover letter. “I feel like it would be more beneficial for me to go to the career center right away and start making connections with the career center so they already know who I am and I need some help. You can build an established relationship with a career center before you start.”
The Class of 2027 will be the first students to benefit from a coaching program designed to meet the needs of students who have experienced extreme academic and social disruption due to the pandemic. The idea for this unique program came from focus groups held by the university in 2022 with students, faculty and staff, said Alison Williams, vice president for College Life and dean of students.
“The coaching program is about more than just connecting with students and offering a bit of advice. It allows every student to start their college career with some connections. The network is focused on helping students discover their passion.''
“This program allows every student to start their university career with several connections. This network allows students to identify their goals and passions, and then find courses to help them achieve them. We are focused on helping people plan.”
—Allison Williams, Vice President for University Life and Dean of Students
Sean Schofield, Executive Director of Career Services, is spearheading the coaching program along with Courtney Stevens, Associate Dean of Students, and Sharon Albert, Director of Counseling and Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies. He says he is leveraging the university's existing strengths.
“This is an example of us looking inward and leaning into what makes us strong,” Schofield says. “When I talk to students, the number one thing I hear is, “I love it here.'' Everybody knows me. People care about me. You're going to learn about me.'' And I think this program reinforces, “You're right,'' from three very important areas of the college experience. That's why you chose this place and we're going to make it even better. ”
Thriving on campus
Sixty-four staff members, from new employees to President Kathleen Harring, have volunteered for the new College Life Coach role. “This program gets to the heart of who we are as a university,” Harring said. “This challenges all of our students, and all of us, to push ourselves to succeed beyond what we thought possible. And to do so without fear of failure. We will provide you with the support you need.”
First-year students were required to meet with a college life coach at least twice (once in September and the second time in November) as part of the required PPD course. At the September meeting, coaches asked adjustment questions (e.g., What connections did you make? How would you rate your first few weeks of college on a scale of 1 to 5? Getting started. What's the one thing that made you hang up? In November, we asked deeper questions (e.g., do you feel part of the Muhlenberg community? Last time we met, we discussed different ways to get involved. What have you tried so far? What one thing are you working on to positively impact your overall health and well-being?
Palmer and college life coach Jess Denke.
Josephine Glass ’27 said that Alyssa Rodriguez, college life coach and assistant director of special housing and multicultural living, was an invaluable guide in her transition to life on campus. “She really eased my anxiety about getting involved in campus life. Being a first year student, I didn't know how much to get involved. He gave me great advice about moving to a different place,” Glass said. After exploring several activities, she focused primarily on her role in performances on campus, her work in the provost's office, and her duties as provost. She is a representative of the student government. “It ended up working out really well for me and I had a great first semester at Muhlenberg.”
“This program gets to the heart of who we are as a university. It demands that every student – everyone – push themselves to succeed beyond what they thought possible. And we will give you the support you need to do it without fear of failure.”
—President Kathleen Harring
Other students interviewed for this article said their college life coaches have helped them in a variety of ways since arriving on campus. Seeley Andujar, 27, said her coach introduced her to health skills (like deep breathing and journaling exercises) that helped her balance her schoolwork and social life. It is said that Gideon She Israel '27 says her college life coach briefed her on the steps needed to start a new club on campus. Rowan Fry ’27 says Coach Stevens helped her get through the stress and feeling overwhelmed during finals week.
“She brought me coffee. She was really, really nice and we had a conversation. During that time, I felt like everything was going well despite the hectic nature of the semester I was finishing.” ''Fry said. “It was Courtney's compassion and care that saved me in that moment.”
draw the future
Each career center staff member visited several PPD sections and became a career coach for those students. Career coaches work with Muhlenberg Actions, a framework that guides students through her four stages of career development: Exploring a Career, Gaining Experience, Demonstrating Expertise, and Achieving Excellence. I was in charge of implementing the plan (or MAP). The career coach asked questions such as: What problems do you see in the world that you would like to solve? What can you accomplish in the next two weeks? Who should you contact? or what kind of meetings can I attend on campus?
At their first appointment, Palmer and Widener discussed the areas of research Palmer is most interested in (dance and neuroscience), as well as exploratory opportunities such as externships (multi-day job shadowing experiences) that will take place during the break. We discussed the existence of career opportunities.
“Not only does each student have multiple supports, but no one is working alone. We are all part of a real web and network beneath them, so we We can comfortably pass them on to other places with confidence that we can do our part and get them what they need.”
—Sharon Albert, Advisory Director and Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies
First-year students were not required to set up a meeting with a career coach, but all did. In fact, some, like Palmer, returned for a second appointment before the end of the first semester or during winter break.
“[Students are] It gives you the opportunity to think about career development early on,” says Schofield. “The earlier we bring a student on board and start exploring their values and interests and what that means for their career, the sooner they can get back on track compared to the end of their internship, when they experience career development for the first time.” It takes a lot longer to do it. They hate it, and now they're upperclassmen.”
Palmer and her supervisor, Matt Moore, associate professor of theater.
Many first-year academic advisors are first-year seminar instructors. Others were paired with a teacher from another first semester class. This is nothing new, Albert says. This role provided constant academic guidance until the student declared a major and was assigned an advisor for their field of study.
What's new is a team-oriented approach. “Not only does each student receive multiple supports, but no one is working alone,” she says. “We are all part of the real web and network beneath them, so we play our part and send them elsewhere with confidence that they can get what they need.” can be passed comfortably.”
Ongoing support
Support through the coaching program continues throughout a student's time at Muhlenberg. In addition to meeting with academic advisors and selecting courses each semester, students have access to the Career Center as many times as they need, and at least once a semester, she speaks with a college life coach. You can listen. By mid-January, Palmer had already received a text from her college life coach, Jes Denke, a community relations librarian and director of library DEI initiatives.
“I love a good check-in. That's something I really appreciate in coaching,” Palmer says. “[At some schools], students may think that their advisor only cares about your grades. That's not the case here in Muhlenberg. Many of our professors want to know how we are and get to know us as people. I am grateful for that and look forward to maintaining that connection in the future. ”
“Muhlenberg has a way of making you feel like you're somewhere else.” [students] Learn how to make a difference and blossom in a place where you can be yourself. That was always part of the magic. The program allows Muhlenberg to get home sooner and has more resources. I think this program reminds students that they are important and that they belong. ”
—Assistant Dean of Students Courtney Stevens
Feedback from students (and parents) has been overwhelmingly positive, and the coaching program will undergo a formal evaluation this semester to determine if there is room for improvement. Stevens said students appreciate the support the program provides and the sense of belonging it fosters.
“Muhlenberg has a way of making you feel like you're somewhere else.” [students] Learn how to make a difference and blossom in a place where you can be yourself. That was always part of the magic,” she says. “This program will allow Ms. Muhlenberg to go home sooner and resources will be more readily available. This program will remind students that they matter and that they belong. I think you will.”