Student Success Coaches

Success Coaches are not trained to be academic advisors. If you only have questions about class registration, 4-year degree planning or other factors related to course selection, your faculty and/or peer advisor are your best resources. Academic Success Coaching supports the academic plan by working on achieving your academic goals. We focus more on building strategies to support your academics such as time management, study strategies, self-care, goal-setting, and more. It is recommended to meet with both your academic adviser and your Success Coach to create the best plan for you.

Coaching helps students determine and achieve goals by asking powerful questions that offer clarity and self-discovery. The coaching relationship is focused on the future and allows the student to self-identify solutions to overcome the obstacles that are blocking goal achievement. A student may also seek out coaching while not feeling that they are experiencing pressing challenges. 

Counseling is focused on emotional or psychological challenges and helps recognize issues such as depression and other mental health disorders. If you feel you would like to schedule an appointment with a counselor, please visit Counseling Health & Wellness Services (CHWS) in the Wheelock Student Center, Room 216, or call 253.879.1555 to make an appointment. 

 Coaching VS. Counseling 

Success Coaches are available for both virtual and in-person appointments. For in-person appointments, we will meet in our offices by default, unless you would like to meet in a different location on campus or need to meet virtually, via Zoom. Coaching appointments can be scheduled by using our scheduling link or by texting us and letting us know you’d like to meet and when. You are also free to swing by the office any time, and we are often available for last-minute drop-ins.

Coaching sessions typically last 30 - 60 minutes. 

Every coaching session is personalized for you and will depend on the areas of focus that are most important for you to discuss. Coaches will start by getting to know you, and your coach will ask you to reflect on areas of your life where you would like to see growth or change. Each coaching conversation is an interactive process in which your coach works with you to explore helpful strategies and resources and to create a plan that will help you to reach your goals. In addition, they will help connect you with any campus or community resources that will enhance your college experience. It is okay if you don’t know where to start; coaches are there to help you figure that out!

Yourself and any questions you have! You do not need to have all of your questions prepared ahead of time as we are available to talk about anything that is most important to you. However, if you do have specific questions please feel free to bring those to your session and let the coach know what you would like to talk about.

There is no maximum number of meetings you are allowed to have with your coach, and we suggest meeting at least two additional times after your first session. Your coach will also occasionally check in with you regarding your progress throughout the semester.

You can talk to a coach about practically any topic related to life at Puget Sound. You don’t necessarily need a pressing reason to visit a coach. We realize that sometimes it can be nice to have someone talk to about your personal or academic experience. Our coaches are available and excited to chat with you about anything that would best support your journey through your first year at Puget Sound. If your coach does not know the answer to your questions, they will refer you to other resources or point you in the right direction. 

The topics below reflect common topics that students may wish to focus on during their coaching session: 

1. Opportunity Navigation: finding on-campus opportunities and resources to maximize your potential.

2. Community-Building: fitting in, belonging, developing trusting relationships with classmates, faculty and staff, feeling connected to the institution.

3. Finances: paying for school and managing personal finances. 

4. Health & Well-being: getting adequate sleep, nutrition, exercise, and stress management.

5. Academics: test-taking, study skills, keeping a schedule, learning preferences, self-advocacy, communicating with professors. 

6. Civic Engagement: service learning, volunteering, advocacy, and engaging with the local community. 

7. Identity and Inclusion: recognizing the personal and social identities that comprise your individuality, developing relationships and managing the transitions associated with a new campus culture. 

8. Balancing Commitments: successfully balancing school with competing priorities (family, extracurriculars, work, etc.) to reflect your values. 

9. Motivation & Values: aligning life choices to personal values (what is important to you) and motivations. 

When you schedule an appointment, you will receive a confirmation email from Google Calendar. From there, you will be able to cancel your appointment or reschedule it to another time. If you do not see this option, please email, call or text us and we can help with cancelling or rescheduling appointments.

We try our best to have different availability throughout the week, but we recognize that might not include every time frame that works best for you. If you would like to schedule a time that is not listed, please email us at successcoaching@pugetsound.edu as we would love to support you in any way we can. 

The coaches at University of Puget Sound undergo an extensive eight-month training program that is accredited through the International Coach Federation.