Success Coach Stories: See the Impact
Discover the transformative power of our coaching programs through the voices of those who have experienced it firsthand. These testimonials showcase how our personalized approach has empowered students and staff, leading to increased engagement and success and retention of students. Hear their inspiring stories and see the impact of our coaching on their academic and personal journeys.
Kailey Rubinas
Student Success Coach, Northwestern Michigan College
“Before I took the Empowerment Success Coach training, I always felt like I was working triage in an emergency room without all the tools I needed. It was difficult for me to help students effectively because I was always trying to fix their problems instead of allowing them to do it themselves. This training has completely changed the way that I coach and the way that I approach students. When a student comes to me, I no longer feel the pressure to fix everything that they need help with. I now have new strategies that I can use to help them find the answers. This training helped me feel more comfortable and confident in my role and abilities as a student success coach.”
SALLY SMARSTY
Director of Student Success, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, Michigan.
“I just wanted to send a message to you today to thank you for arranging this Empowerment Success Coach Training for our Success Coaching team. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to receive this training together so we can help each other use these important coaching tools. This is my third year as an NMC Academic Success Coach. In all this time, I did not receive any coaching training. I am so excited that we have engaged with Culture Impact to receive their Empowerment Success Coaching Training. It is exactly what I needed three years ago. The training is practical, hands- on, and immediately useful. After the very first week, I put the coaching skills that I learned into action and saw greater outcomes in my sessions with students. We have a very solid team of success coaches and being able to go through this training together has given us the foundation that we need to better serve our students and help each other become the best coaches that we can be.”
Dan George
ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH, MEN'S BASKETBALL GRACE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
“As a college basketball coach and a former K-12 school superintendent for many years I viewed being a coach as being an expert, a person who transferred knowledge, an encourager, a collaborator, a resource. I had some exposure to cognitive coaching in the educational setting, but what I have learned in the Empowerment Success Coach course goes way beyond and is very different from what I knew before I took this course. These coaching methods and strategies are unique in that they enable me to help others discover their own answers and solutions to problems and situations, increasing their confidence and developing a success mindset.”
Kelsey Wright
NMC Success Coach, Northwestern Michigan College
“Before completing Empowerment Success Coaching, my conversations with students felt exhausting. It felt like I needed to have the answers. I would offer advice. I would try to fix their problems for them. I would offer suggestions. I would leave the meeting thinking, “I sure hope that was good advice.” I don’t think my students realized how little help they were actually getting.
The ESC training was quite literally eye-opening. Every week we learned a new method we could implement on the spot. Now, I’m quite literally empowering the student to define and achieve their goals, and I stay with them on this path. I’ve had a couple of students say, “Wow! This was really helpful today!” ESC training is worth its weight in gold.”
JENNIFER STRAUSS
Academic Success Coach, Northwestern Michigan College
“I’ve had 30 years of teaching experience and now own my own consulting business. I was doing coaching my own way, but I know now that it wasn’t really coaching. Now, because of this training, I have the skills to be a college success coach. The training experience was clear, succinct, and practical. It built confidence. Students want to know they have the ability, creativity, and foresight to choose what is best for them, and this coaching process enables that to happen. This training has improved our skills in meeting the needs of our students and has built a stronger coaching team at Northwestern Michigan College. I’m just a better coach now!”
Kevin Murphy
Director of Athletics at New Lothrop High School, Lothrop, Michigan
“Empowerment Success Coaching is a steroid, not an aspirin or a vitamin. ESC skills help place the responsibility for learning where it belongs, with the student. It builds better relationships between teachers and students and motivates students to learn. For principals, and their well-being, it releases the pressure for principals to make the decision. It takes the weight off their shoulders.”
Ashton Shelton
Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, Hope College
“The Success Coach training was an incredibly valuable experience for me and my colleagues. It improved the quality of our advising with students and increased positive outcomes for students by the end of the academic year.“
Coaching for Tomorrow's Leaders
Inspired by these success stories? Take the next step towards transforming your campus and empowering your students—contact us today to learn more about our coaching programs and how they can increase retention of students.
Together, we can make a lasting impact on student success and well-being. Let’s empower the next generation of leaders to reach their full potential.