Success Coaches motivate and assist students through supportive relationships, helping them align their everyday actions to their short- and long-term academic and career goals. Using a holistic approach, Success Coaches partner with students by providing guidance along their pathway to academic, professional, and personal success within the context of the college experience. Note: This is a unique role at the College and is not the same as an academic or professional advisor.
Durham Tech is committed to effectively implementing and promoting the Success Coach framework by implementing a “no wrong door” practice. All departments build relational partnerships with students and facilitate “warm transfers” to Success Coaches and other supportive resources, ensuring that the College operates and demonstrates our core values (e.g. student centered, champion equity, collaboration, etc.).
During the 2020-21 strategic planning process, the College defined several key concepts that serve as key characteristics of the Success Coach Model:
- Academic Excellence – The outcome achieved when the College effectively meets the learning needs of its students as it prepares them to successfully transition to a four-year institution or to enter into the workforce.
- One-College – The alignment of the College’s services in support of creating a student-centered experience.
- Student Success – Students progressively achieving their personal, academic, and career-preparation goals through opportunities provided at Durham Tech.
- Student Success Coach Mission – Support students by mitigating barriers and providing essential resources (academic, financial, etc.) to ensure that they persist, progress, complete a credential or appropriate training, transfer to a four-year institution, or secure employment.
Six essential practices outline the framework for implementing Success Coaching at Durham Tech:
- Outreach and Recruitment
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Success Coaches serve an integral role for potential, new, and returning students by assisting them as they transition, attend, or return to college.
Success Coaches:
- assist with providing information sessions, bridging opportunities (e.g., summer bridge/booster programs), and other events designed to recruit and support prospective students by partnering with the College’s resources including but not limited to College Liaisons (high school), recruitment services, Marketing and Communications, and admissions.
- assist with the facilitation of new student orientations (ConnectSessions), supporting incoming students during the initial admissions process.
- support follow-up efforts for current students who may have stopped out due to a life event to ensure that they return and continue progressing towards goal achievement.
- Assessment and Goal Setting
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Success Coaches support students in setting academic, career, and personal goals.
Success Coaches:
- employ assessment tools to assist students with identifying their appropriate career pathway.
- partner with students to develop their short-term and long-term goals.
- assist students with developing comprehensive action plans that integrate strategies that effectively address challenges while maintaining accountability.
- regularly meet with student and discuss their action plans which encourages student to make necessary adjustments that keep them on track to goal achievement.
- Academic Planning and Support
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Success Coaches support academic planning and preparation through comprehensive advising practices designed to support accelerated credential attainment.
Success Coaches:
- encourage students to plan semester-by-semester course work and schedules, based their academic abilities, work and personal commitments, etc.
- rely on learning assessment tools to evaluate students’ learning styles and assist them with implementing the appropriate study strategies.
- Connection to Resources
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Success Coaches collaborate with various on-and-off campus resources to provide students with an effective support system.
Success Coaches:
- develop relationships with students, assessing their needs (academic, technology, housing assistance, food insecurity, etc.).
- share information about available resources (internal and external) allowing students to make informed decisions regarding which resources are appropriate for them.
- follow up with students to ensure that the resources utilized are meeting their needs.
- orient students to college life by connecting them to organizations, clubs, and events.
- Retention and Persistence
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Success Coaches guide students through their chosen career pathway from start through completion.
Success Coaches:
- partner with students, faculty, and staff to ensure real-time access to co-curricular resources (e.g., financial assistance, counseling, etc.).
- utilize the academic alert system to track and monitor students’ progress and performance, within a semester, to ensure that appropriate supports are provided.
- employ progressive advising strategies designed to connect with students within a semester, in subsequent semesters, and through completion/transfer/employment.
- Transition
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Success Coaches ensure that all students have access to resources needed to succeed in their chosen career pathway by engaging students in activities and events that promote networking and planning beyond Durham Tech.
Success Coaches:
- partner with the Transfer Center to support students as they research admissions criteria for their intended universities, as well as, connect with appropriate university personnel for assistance.
- assist students with completing college and financial aid applications.
- partner with Career Services to support students with career preparation.