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In a recent article, Forbes stated that data literacy, leadership skills, and collaboration are among “The Top 10 Most In-Demand Skills for the Next 10 Years.” But how are job candidates acquiring leadership skills before landing their first manager position? Catalyze coaches with College Possible are gaining many invaluable leadership skills during their AmeriCorps service term.

Let’s take a look at unique leadership opportunities offered during a College Possible Catalyze service year, and why many AmeriCorps coaches renew their service term to double down on marketable skills many hiring managers seek out.

 

Coaches contribute to organizational goals at their university site

 

College Possible Catalyze coaches fulfill their term of service on one campus, serving eligible college students enrolled at that university. Nearly 70 percent of Catalyze coaches focus on supporting incoming college freshmen through that tough first-year transition, a period where many universities experience their largest student population decline.

According to the National Student Clearinghouse, nearly 25 percent of students unenroll from classes after their first year of college. Catalyze coaches work alongside university staff to support long-term strategies to increase the first-to-second-year persistence of students from historically marginalized communities, including those who are the first in their family to attend college. “One of the most prevalent reasons students stop out of school are financial hurdles,” shares Olivia, a third-year returner Catalyze coach at Austin Peay State University. “There’s a lot of misinformation on the types of loans available to students, the FAFSA process, and all the forms they need to complete for financial aid. A lot of my day-to-day with students, especially in the winter months, is spent having conversations about student loan education and renewing their financial aid.”

In addition to supporting persistence and retention goals of the university, Catalyze coaches help increase use of underutilized campus resources, a common goal among university leaders. According to a report by Inside Higher Ed, almost 90 percent of colleges report offering supplemental instruction to students, but 82 percent of students said they’d never taken advantage of such services.

Because Catalyze coaches are often recent alumni of their campus on which they serve, they are especially knowledgeable about all their alma mater has to offer and are able to immediately guide students to specialized support and peer groups. “I’ve always loved the community at Luther College,” says Rachel, a second-year returner Catalyze coach. “I’m still in touch with professors and academic advisors I had when I was in school, and they’re really excited about the College Possible Catalyze program. They want to send students to us and promote the program to Pell-eligible students,” she continues. “I love being able to share my experience as an alumna with current Luther students – it’s a big part of the connection we build as coaches and the insight we can provide.”

 

Returner coaches take on elevated leadership roles

 

Renewing a term of service as a Catalyze AmeriCorps member allows coaches to take on more leadership roles in the organization. Returning team members host campus events, share time management tips with new coaches, and assist coaches with troubleshooting when possible. Returning coaches have cultivated skills in Salesforce data entry, time management of large student caseloads, and effective communication of complex topics. They’re able to share what they’ve learned with incoming coaches, much like a mentor would in a corporate work setting.

“I always tell new Catalyze coaches ‘There’s no one-size-fits-all coaching approach,’” says Olivia. “Every student comes to you with different experiences, a unique background, and a different outlook on college, and you have to adapt yourself to those different needs. It’s almost like you’re a walking encyclopedia – you have to know all of the resources and provide the students with what they need when they ask for it.”

Returning coaches also help to make a more productive work environment for their fellow coaches and a more fruitful learning environment for students. Like leaders of corporate teams are tasked with goals and metrics, returning Catalyze coaches are asked to help increase the efficacy of the coaching programming by constantly providing feedback to College Possible leadership.

During College Possible Welcome Weeks, coaches and College Possible leadership strategize tangible ways to strengthen the coach and student relationship. “It’s really refreshing to be part of a team that is always giving and receiving feedback through surveys, and direct one-on-one conversation,” says Olivia. “This is my third year serving with AmeriCorps and I can tell our leadership has been drawing on our feedback to improve the program for students and our fellow coaches. When they can take and tweak what already works, we can continue to build from our ceiling, to keep improving for the students we serve.”

 

Catalyze coaches hone effective communications skills

Every day, Catalyze coaches have meaningful conversations to facilitate deeper relationship building between the students and faculty, students and their peers, and of course, students and themselves. The ability to build trust and meaningful connections are important skills of a successful leader, and these skills help coaches find solutions to challenges students face.

“There’s so much pressure – on first-generation college students, especially – to ‘break the barrier,’ to get perfect grades, and to graduate with a great GPA and land the dream job right out of college,” explains Olivia. “It’s very easy to get discouraged with all that weight. So, to stand in the gap for them and tell them that they’re doing the hard thing every single day just by showing up, it’s one of the most important things we can do as coaches.”

When a student is able to fully trust their Catalyze coach, and come to them with a problem they are facing, coaches are able to support the student – often just in the nick of time. This helps students stay on track to get their degree and might make them ask for help earlier next time.

Catalyze coaches also become effective leaders in a variety of communication channels. One day they may need to text students to check up on academic progress, and another, they may be reporting to their College Possible leaders on student outcomes over video conferencing.

During training and onboarding, coaches practice skills that support successful communication: active listening, speaking with transparency, and using destigmatizing language. When students feel seen and supported by their near-peer coach, they are more likely to ask for help. This leads to improved outcomes for both the university and the student.

Many Catalyze coaches are first-generation college graduates or come from limited-income backgrounds themselves. This allows them to easily communicate effectively with the students they serve. However, learning to problem solve through a variety of communication channels is a unique competency that coaches gain during their service year.

“I could never have anticipated how much I’d grow – both personally and professionally – in this role,” says Rachel. “ In my first year as a coach, I would get frustrated when I would reach out to a student and they wouldn’t respond. Now, I’m able to step outside of myself and really analyze the reasons they might not be responding.” Rachel continues, “I’ve learned how to problem solve without making assumptions, and that we’re not alone in trying to solve the barriers we face, and that’s really what College Possible is all about.”

Renewing a service year as a College Possible Catalyze coach is a practical way to build important leadership skills that hiring managers are seeking out. As companies prioritize interpersonal skills while hiring, College Possible AmeriCorps service members are building their resumes with transferable, practical skills, sought after in any career path.

Nearly 6.5 percent of all college graduates in the United States receive a degree in education. In fact, education is one of the most sought-after disciplines in master’s degree programs across the country, garnering 18 percent of all master’s candidates. With roughly 258,000 education-degree earners graduating yearly, it’s imperative to stand out in a stack of resumes when applying for your first job in higher education.

The University of Denver reports that there are eight major competencies employers are screening for, according to its extensive research in collaboration with the National Association for Colleges & Employers. Included in those competencies are leadership, career and self-development, and equity and inclusion, all skills championed during an AmeriCorps service year with College Possible. Marisa, an alumna coach, shared three ways her year as a college success coach in Omaha helped her sharpen these skills and land a job as director of student leadership and inclusive programming at College of Saint Mary.

1. Expand your professional network through AmeriCorps

As a College Possible Catalyze coach or college success coach, you’ll help enrolled university students stay on track through degree completion, including focused attention on helping students persist from their first to second year of college. One of the many ways coaches support students to and through graduation is by connecting them to faculty who can offer extra assistance, and directing them to campus and community resources like academic advisors, the financial aid office, or even mental health support. Catalyze coaches are typically alumni of the university campus in which they are placed, and thereby tend to develop a particularly deep connection with the university systems, staff and faculty. These connections often open doors into higher education career pathways. In fact, in the last five years alone, 20 of our Catalyze coaches have been hired by universities, including 10 direct hires into our Catalyze partner universities.

These on-campus connections also ring true for college success coaches placed at a College Possible regional site such as St. Paul, Minnesota or Portland, Oregon. Coaches typically have an office at partner campuses, usually within the academic success office, offering a unique opportunity to connect with faculty members who work in or frequent the facility. “I was interacting with my other fellow AmeriCorps members and people outside of College Possible that they brought in to talk with us coaches regularly. I was also interacting with national leadership and students,” said Marisa. “Networking is super simple because it’s already built into service during your time at College Possible.”

In addition to working side-by-side with university faculty, coaches also gain membership to the Employers of National Service, an organization that connects AmeriCorps alumni to more than 600 employers from the private, public and nonprofit sectors, as well as the Schools of National Service.

2. Develop sought-after skills that university leaders prioritize

University hiring managers seek out College Possible coaches because of the transferable experience needed on their campus. From diversity, equity and inclusion training, to leadership skills and relationship building, your service year will be a transformative period of hands-on experience in higher education.

“Monday through Thursday you’re supporting direct service of students, but Fridays are dedicated to your professional development,” said Marisa. “Relationship building was one of the most important skills I learned from College Possible. Learning to navigate working with students, and how to meet students where they’re at—truly helping them figure out their goals instead of telling them what to do—it’s one of the most important things I learned during my service term,” she continued.

All students enrolled in College Possible come from underinvested communities. In addition to gaining first-hand experience working with diverse and underrepresented student populations, coaches participate in a myriad of professional development opportunities in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) topics, an experience many universities are searching for in a job candidate. “One of the biggest takeaways I learned from our DEI training at College Possible was to find balance between celebrating our differences and cultures, and honoring the issues and problems these students face,” said Marisa. “To always focus on the issues can be very traumatizing for these underrepresented groups, and it’s important to make space for joy, love, and expression of culture in a positive way, especially in higher ed institutions.”

3. Receive unique career transition support from national leadership

Your year of service as a college coach is just one part of your career journey. That’s why College Possible is committed to helping you hone the skills needed to successfully transition from service into your career. “I actually found my next job toward the end of my service term with College Possible,” said Marisa. “It was really a unique experience, because my leaders knew I was looking for a job, so I didn’t have to hide it, they actually wanted to help me land it!” Marisa continued, “In fact, they helped me with my resume, and my leaders served as references; some even gave me LinkedIn endorsements!”

College Possible AmeriCorps service provides the structured support to develop leadership skills you might not acquire in other entry-level positions. “For so long, I did not see myself as a leader, because I always viewed leadership as a power hierarchy,” explained Marisa. “College Possible completely changed my perspective on what leadership truly is. In my role, I was expected to step up to the plate to lead other coaches in activities, and these coaches were helping empower students across the state. Leadership is all about using your power to amplify the voices of others. This way of thinking really changed my life.” It can often be difficult for entry-level interviewees to call out leadership roles and responsibilities they’ve held previously. College Possible offers tangible experiences to reference when university hiring managers ask about your comfort with managing large caseloads of students or managing college interns.

ST. PAUL, Minn., May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — College Possible Catalyze announced this week that it has launched new partnerships with three California universities to expand its college success support by more than 1,400 students. Catalyze will provide partners with on campus, near-peer coaches to support students from historically underrepresented and underserved communities in their pursuit of a college degree.

College Possible has been intentional in its desire to grow in California. “College Possible is thrilled to expand its footprint with new institutional partners California State – San Bernardino, University of California – Santa Cruz, and Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo,” said Catherine Marciano, College Possible Vice President of Partnerships. “Our place-based coaches will extend the reach of services already existing on these campuses to ensure that first-generation college students and those from lower-income backgrounds receive one-to-one support centered on academic success, financial management and personal development topics.” 

The addition of these three partnerships increases the number of partners in the state from one to four. In 2023-2024 California will host the largest number of Catalyze partners in a single state. 

California State University – San Bernardino (CSUSB) and College Possible are aligned in the mission to improve college access among underrepresented groups. Eighty percent of CSUSB’s undergraduates are the first in their family to attend college, 74 percent are underrepresented minorities, and 56 percent qualify as Pell grant eligible, according to the university’s Office of Institutional Research and Analytics. Catalyze has deployed coaches on the Palm Desert campus, with plans to serve approximately 560 students annually.

University of California, Santa Cruz (UC Santa Cruz), a public liberal arts university, plans to provide Catalyze coaching support to 700 students annually.  Some coaches will work within the Rosa Parks African American Theme House (R.PAATH) a student-initiated living-learning space for students whose interests span historical, present-day, and future experiences of predominantly African, Black, and Caribbean (ABC) peoples.

California Polytechnic State University has placed a concentrated effort on their diversity, equity and inclusion with a focus “to mirror the diversity and demographics of California by supporting everyone’s potential to thrive in our learning community, especially historically underrepresented and marginalized individuals.” Their partnership with College Possible Catalyze will serve 280 students in the College of Liberal Arts each year with a focus on men of color. As the newest Catalyze partner, Cal Poly will launch near-peer coaching in August 2023.

College Possible’s Catalyze coaches are recent college graduates who’ve committed to a year of AmeriCorps service at their alma mater. They bring relevant, recent experience navigating many of the challenges their students face in complex college systems, accessing available campus and community resources, managing the cost of college, and staying on track academically. College Possible’s near-peer coaching model leverages an intensive, evidence-based curriculum to achieve meaningful gains in student persistence and degree completion.

“We applaud the commitment of these partner universities,” said Marciano. “Together, we are helping ensure that these often marginalized student groups receive personalized care. By working together, we can improve retention rates for these students in the years to come.”

About College Possible: As one of the largest and most successful college access and success programs in the country, since 2000 College Possible has helped more than 80,000 students from under-represented communities get into and through college through an intensive curriculum of coaching and support. Its pioneering model matches students with a near-peer coach and an evidence-based curriculum designed to help students overcome the most common barriers to getting into college and completing their degree – all at no cost to students or their families. Nationwide, College Possible students are three times more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree within six years than their peers from similar backgrounds. Headquartered in Saint Paul, MN, College Possible operates: regional sites in Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; and Seattle, WA; College Forward in Austin, TX; and Catalyze partnerships in California, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee. Learn more at CollegePossible.org.

ST. PAUL, Minn., Dec. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — College Possible, the pioneering nonprofit that connects high school and college students with near-peer coaches, today announced a $300,000 grant from Travelers, a leading property and casualty insurance company. The grant will support the expansion of College Possible’s Catalyze program to the community college level, with the goal of boosting completion rates for first-generation college students and aspiring graduates from low socioeconomic backgrounds.     

“Community colleges can be engines for economic mobility and springboards into bachelor’s degree programs,” said Catherine Marciano, vice president of partnerships at College Possible. “This is about providing students with evidence-based support to achieve their degree objectives, regardless of the path they take. Travelers has played a profound role in expanding our scale and impact over the years, and this grant will enable us to meet the needs of our students with intentionality as we continue to build out our Catalyze program.” 

By integrating near-peer coaching and mentoring solutions directly onto college campuses, the Catalyze program has been instrumental in increasing student retention rates at partner institutions by up to 14% and driving double-digit gains in retention rates among first-year students.

As College Possible’s strategic partner for the last two decades, Travelers has helped the organization broaden its mission to provide students with access to a higher education. 

“Travelers is proud to support College Possible in helping students succeed,” said Tara N. Spain, vice president and chief operating officer of the Travelers Foundation. “We are confident that the Catalyze program and its proven coaching model will continue to address and adapt to the unique challenges that community college students face as they move toward graduation.”

 

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About College Possible

As one of the largest and most successful college access and success programs in the country, since 2000 College Possible has helped more than 80,000 students from under-represented communities get into and through college through an intensive curriculum of coaching and support. Its pioneering model matches students with a near-peer coach and an evidence-based curriculum designed to help students overcome the most common barriers to getting into college and completing their degree – all at no cost to students or their families. Nationwide, College Possible students are three times more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree within six years than their peers from similar backgrounds. Headquartered in Saint Paul, MN, College Possible operates: regional sites in Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; and Seattle, WA; College Forward in Austin, TX; and Catalyze partnerships in California, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee. Learn more at CollegePossible.org.

On Demand Webinar: Learn proven ways to develop and implement successful student success strategies. College Possible’s eight free on-demand webinars provide actionable items that enable leaders like you to retain and inspire more students from underserved backgrounds.

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Empowering Equitable College Persistence in Remarkable Times

According to Inside Higher Education, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been felt most by students of color.

University Leaders assemble to discuss the biggest challenges facing their institutions and share success stories they’ve experienced in supporting equitable persistence in a post-pandemic world.

Some of our many attending participants

• Recognize bright spots of persistence among first-generation and Pell recipient students
• Understand the biggest opportunities for sustained persistence gains, particularly among first-generation and students of color
• Learn how to leverage partnerships to close the attainment gap

Click Here to Watch Full Webinar

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Partnering to Drive Better Retention

Learn how California State University, Stanislaus is leveraging strategic partnerships to support more equitable student outcomes.

Hear from Gabriela Nuño, Director of the Academic Success Center at CSU Stanislaus and unpack the strategic partnerships they used to achieve meaningful student retention outcomes on their campuses in California’s Central Valley. 

Gabriela Nuño discusses the importance of partnerships at Stan State

• Understand how to better support more first-generation college students and students from low-income backgrounds as they persist through degree completion 
• Learn proven techniques shared by the innovative partnership between Stan State, College Possible’s Catalyze program and the trailblazing community-based Stockton Service Corps as they discuss evidence-based, near-peer coaching and support for this critical segment of students

Click Here to Watch Full Webinar

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Driving Student Success

Become a catalyst for increasing the success of students from low-income backgrounds at your institution. Explore how near-peer coaching programs like Catalyze mobilize successful student outcomes across campuses nationwide. 

Mary Lawman discusses how the Coach-Supervisor relationship works in a near-peer model

• Understand how near-peer coaching can be implemented as either a new or complementing student success strategy
• Explore how to launch near-peer coaching within existing infrastructure and support resources
• Learn how near-peer coaches are trained and mobilized to do their work and efficiently interact with the institution’s staff

Click Here to Watch Full Webinar

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Welcoming Students Back

Hear how campuses are innovating to support a safe return to in-person campus student life using near-peer coaches.

Dr. Lisa Holstrom discusses lessons and takeaways from pandemic-era initiatives at UC

• Obtain best practices for working with students from low income backgrounds during this unique and challenging time
• See how near-peer coaches leverage relationships that connect students to in-demand resources on campus and in their communities
• Leave with an understanding of how to leverage near-peer coaches to provide innovative solutions to student retention and respond to rapidly changing needs

Click Here to Watch Full Webinar

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Eliminating Hidden Obstacles: Tactics for Improving Student Persistence in Higher Education

Dig deep and learn proven tactics aimed at improving student persistence to degree completion. Consider actions that address deeper inequities faced by historically marginalized students both on campus and in the larger system. Hear directly from the voices of those who have persisted and grow inspired with valuable takeaways to implement right away.

Dr. Ashley Rondini discusses ways institutions can better serve first-generation students

• Explore their journeys, the mechanisms that helped them persist, and the hidden barriers that continue to challenge their (and other students’) persistence
• Learn from one of our Catalyze coaches the hidden barriers they have seen students overcome
• Acquire a macro-level view of the landscape impacting our student’s persistence

Click Here to Watch Full Webinar

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University Leaders Talk Retention Strategies for Underserved Students During COVID

University leaders share how their student success intervention strategies have changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn practical, high-impact tactics your staff can use to increase retention rates during COVID.

Dr. Amy Gort discusses strategies used during the pandemic to improve student success

• Define strategies that better serve students from first-generation and low-income backgrounds impacted by the pandemic
• Find new ways to help distressed students stay engaged and stay on track to graduate

Click Here to Watch Full Webinar

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Empowering Success: A Near-Peer Coaching Discussion

Hear directly from College Possible Catalyze near-peer coaches as they share the real-life experiences and challenges of students they support.

Dr. Lisa Holstrom discusses how data supports near-peer coaching model

• Understand the powerful role that near-peer coaching plays in helping students overcome these barriers and persist in fulfilling their goal of a college degree
• Identify how to graduate more students from low-income backgrounds using a near-peer coach that provides relatable and recent expertise in navigating the systemic and institutional barriers they face daily

Click Here to Watch Full Webinar

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Investing in Brilliance:  Empowering Students from Low-Income Backgrounds

Campus Leaders and College Possible Catalyze coaches gather to share real-world, practical insights and proven strategies to support persistence among students from low-income backgrounds.

Dr. Lisa Holstrom discusses choosing Catalyze’s near-peer coaching model

• Learn to achieve better retention rates and keep students on track
• Understand the uniqueness of near-peer coaches
• Develop ideas for adapting student support services
• Identify student-level data that can be utilized to improve retention rates

Click Here to Watch Full Webinar

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WHITE PAPER: “Persist: Near-Peer Coaching’s Impact in Closing the College Completion Gap”

Catalyze near-peer coaches help students from low-income backgrounds persist through degree completion. Download the white paper and you will:

• Learn how the systemic challenges that affect college retention among students from low-income backgrounds have grown due to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Understand how near-peer coaches can effectively augment existing student services to help address the most common barriers to college completion
• Explore how the University of Cincinnati used Catalyze to boost semester-to-semester and year-to-year retention among Pell recipient students

Click Here to Download

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About College Possible: As one of the largest and most successful college access and success programs in the country, since 2000 College Possible has helped put more than 59,000 students from disinvested communities on the path to economic mobility via completion of a college degree.

Its proven near-peer coaching model, delivered by recent college graduates serving as AmeriCorps members, provides high-touch interventions proven to help students navigate and overcome the most common barriers to college access, retention and degree completion. Nationwide, College Possible students are three times more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree within six years than their peers from similar backgrounds.

Headquartered in Saint Paul, MN, College Possible operates: regional sites in Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; and Seattle, WA; College Forward in Austin, WA; and has Catalyze partnerships in California, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee. Learn more at CollegePossible.org.

As  College Possible’ Catalyze team kicks off our 2022-23 program year, we just wrapped up our welcome weeks by welcoming nearly 40 coaches to serve at nine of our partner institutions of higher education across the United States. College Possible is looking at serving up to 24,000 students this year alone with 5,000 being served by a Catalyze coach.

College Possible’s hard working and dedicated AmeriCorps members show up every day to support the students they serve. This year we have three coaches who will be in their third year of service with AmeriCorps and College Possible. These coaches have supported their students through a global pandemic and helped with the transition back to in-person learning while keeping a positive attitude every step of the way. We were able to interview two of these coaches, Asia Pace serving at Austin Peay State University and Rachel Riojas at CSU, Stanislaus. Here, they share why they choose to return for their third year of service.

What initially inspired you to become a CP success coach and AmeriCorps member?

Asia: I became a coach because I want all my students to be aware of everything there is to do on campus. When they graduate, I want them to say that the reason they didn’t do something was because they didn’t want to, not because they didn’t know about it. It would have been nice to have someone there for me during school so now I can be that person for my students.

Rachel: I was a teen mom and a college drop-out who returned later to finish my degree. I struggled, but I also met a lot of great mentors at CSU, Stanislaus. I wanted to be that same support person I needed back then to someone else. I was inspired to become a beacon of light to other college students who come from similar backgrounds as myself. Being a coach allows me to pay it forward and make a difference in my community.

This is your third year serving with College Possible. Why did you choose to serve for a third year? And what has been your biggest accomplishment while in this role?

Rachel: I felt like I struck gold when I started serving with College Possible which made it an easy decision to serve for a third year. I have an amazing team of fellow coaches, a supportive supervisor, and a wealth of knowledgeable professionals at College Possible who ensure we have all the tools necessary to become successful in our position. My biggest accomplishment while being in this role has been the amount of growth I have experienced both professionally and personally.

Asia: I’d like to take the experience I gained over the past two years to really flesh out the College Possible program on my campus. We know what works and what doesn’t work so now we can take this knowledge and do even better. My biggest accomplishment was receiving an award for my leadership skills from the African American cultural center on my campus!

What is your favorite part/memory working with College Possible?

Asia: I really enjoy being able to talk to coaches at other institutions. I feel like this job attracts people with really unique personalities. Everyone I’ve worked with has been so fun and interesting and it makes our meetings a lot of fun. I’ve even made a really good friend from my time at College Possible.

Rachel: My favorite part of working with College Possible is meeting all the fellow Catalyze success coaches. We each have our own strengths and I love hearing their ideas when it comes to supporting students. It feels like we are our own little community within College Possible, even if we are states apart from one another.

As a near-peer success coach, how might you be able to engage with students differently than other people on campus? And how does that impact their college experience?

Rachel: Having a near-peer success coach is like having an older sibling on campus. My students and I can relate to one another since I am a recent college graduate. The level playing field from a near-peer success coach makes them more approachable and makes their experiences more relevant. Near- peer success coaches can offer advice on issues such as who to talk to at school about a problem, how to communicate with professors, how to prepare for independent living, and how to make friends in college.

Asia: During my undergrad years there were a lot of things I missed out on because I didn’t want to do it alone. I have students like this, and I tell them that I’m more than happy to go to events on campus with them if they don’t want to go by themselves. Being there for a student so they aren’t alone could help them be more involved and help them feel more connected on campus. And in the long run, it could help them find the courage to go to events by themselves once they realize it’s not so scary after all.

Where do you see yourself (career wise) after your time with College Possible and AmeriCorps?

Asia: I already have a graduate certificate in academic advising and in August I’ll be starting an M.A. program in Adult and Higher Education. After my time with College Possible I want to work as an academic advisor on a college campus. College can be a scary, lonely time for many students. It was, at times, for me. But having a supportive advisor who actually cares can make a difference, and I want to be that difference in as many students’ lives as possible.

Rachel: I have had an incredible journey with College Possible and I learned so much about myself throughout each term of service. I am excited to see what the future holds as I have started working on my Master of Social Work with a concentration in mental health. This fall I will begin a clinical internship at the Counseling and Psychological Services department on my campus. This will be a stepping stone into my career as a licensed clinical social worker. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life serving my community and working towards alleviating the stigma around mental health.

Collaboration with College Possible’s pioneering Catalyze program will tap alumni as coaches to help first-generation and transfer students thrive on campus

Saint Paul, Minn. (FEBRUARY 10, 2022) — Metropolitan State University (Metro State), a federally-recognized Minority-Serving Institution that is ranked as the best social mobility college in Minnesota and in the top three percent in the nation announced an ambitious, new initiative to boost retention rates among first-generation and transfer students. Through a partnership with College Possible, a national nonprofit that connects students with near-peer college mentors, Metro State will provide nearly 1,400 incoming transfer students with access to coaching and mentoring programs starting in February 2022.

College Possible has a 20-year history of training AmeriCorps service members as college access and success coaches to help aspiring college students from low-income backgrounds enroll in — and complete — college. The near-peer coaches are recent college alumni who provide targeted and proactive, one-on-one support as students navigate the complex world of college completion. Designed to scale its proven model of college success programming with colleges and universities, College Possible’s Catalyze program now works with 8 institutions and nearly 5,000 of students around the country. Catalyze partner institutions have seen up to a 14 percent increase in student retention rates and up to a 16 percent increase in retention rates amongst first year students.

“Through Catalyze, College Possible is bringing an effective, research-based program to our campus. The 88 percent of our student population who have transferred to Metro State have boundless potential. But we know that one-to-one support and mentoring are key to their success,” said Amy Gort, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. “Catalyze’s near-peer model allows us to add another layer of personalized support to make the transition to Metro easier for an ambitious and diverse student population. It will enable us to tap the collective power of an exceptional group of alumni who will serve as the near-peer coaches to enhance and strengthen our campus culture and community.”

Metro State currently serves more than 10,000 students throughout Minnesota and more than 50 percent of their students identify as Pell-eligible and first-generation students. Metro State’s Catalyze partnership builds on the institution’s ongoing efforts to provide support to transfer students eligible for financial aid, and first-generation college students that may have barriers towards acclimating to university life.

“For more than two decades, we have seen the transformative effects of near-peer coaching on not just college access, but outcomes,” said Craig Robinson, CEO of College Possible. “We look forward to working with Metro State and being part of the continued push to help transfer students navigate the challenges of transferring colleges to ensure they complete their degree.”

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About College Possible: As one of the largest and most successful college access and success programs in the country, since 2000 College Possible has helped put more than 59,000 students from disinvested communities on the path to economic mobility via completion of a college degree. Its proven near-peer coaching model, delivered by recent college graduates serving as AmeriCorps members, provides high-touch interventions proven to help students navigate and overcome the most common barriers to college access, retention and degree completion. Nationwide, College Possible students are three times more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree within six years than their peers from similar backgrounds. Headquartered in Saint Paul, MN, College Possible operates: regional sites in Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; and Seattle, WA; College Forward in Austin, WA; and has Catalyze partnerships in California, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee. Learn more at CollegePossible.org.

About Metropolitan State University: Metropolitan State University, a member of Minnesota State, is the Twin Cities public, urban, comprehensive state university providing lifelong learning, and competitive academic and professional degree programs at the bachelor, master and doctoral levels. Learn more at metrostate.edu.

 

Following a thoughtful and collaborative process, College Possible is excited to announce that five senior executives have joined its national board of directors. The national board are critical advisors to the health and sustainability of the organization. In expanding its board, College Possible aimed to recruit members that represent a diversity of experience, expertise and perspectives that will help it continually adapt to the evolving needs of students, while strengthening its ability to close the access and attainment gap through strategic partnerships and critical insights.

Our New National Board Members Include:

• Dr. Fayneese Miller, President of Hamline University
• Dr. Jenny Rickard, President and CEO of Common App
• Dr. Suzanne Rivera, President of Macalester College
• Dr. Doreen James Wise, nurse entrepreneur and Co-Founder of College Forward
• Adam Wray, Founder and CEO of AstrumU

With these new appointments, the College Possible national board now has representation from four university presidents, including schools with a history of College Possible program implementation and/or strategic priorities for improving completion rates among underrepresented groups. These leaders will continue to serve as critical advisors to inform holistic program evolution, helping ensure high-impact investments and innovation to achieve better outcomes and success for students.

Further, with the appointments from Common App, AstrumU, and the Co-Founder of College Forward, College Possible is expanding its capacity to leverage strategic partnerships in service of closing the access and attainment gap. These leaders join a talented and experienced group of leaders committed to the College Possible mission and the value of empowering a diverse population with a college degree and a path to economic mobility.

A Q&A with Ashley Mansfield, Student Success Coordinator and College Possible Program Lead and Gabriela Nuño, Director of the Academic Success Center and Program Champion.

On each campus where College Possible coaches serve, they are equipped with a campus Program Lead and a Program Champion. Program Leads provide supervision, training and support to College Possible coaches and ensure effective delivery of the program to students. Program Champions manage the relationship with College Possible and serve as primary advocate for the partnership within the institution. Both play major roles in our effective near-peer coaching model to provide support and resources for coaches to best serve their students.

Q: What is your position at CSU Stanislaus, and how long have you been working in higher education?

Nuño: I am the Director of the Academic Success Center, which includes General Advising, Educational Opportunity Program, Promise Scholars, and Transfer Student Services. July marks 15 years working in higher ed.

Mansfield: I am the Student Success Coordinator for the Stockton Campus- I work with a majority of the Transfer Students and of course, the College Possible cohorts. I have been working in higher ed since I was in my grad program in 2015- yikes! So, 6 years. I have loved every minute of it.

Q: What has your experience been like as a College Possible Program Lead/ Program Coordinator? Is there one specific thing you would recommend to others thinking about implementing programs like this?

Mansfield: My experience with College Possible has been nothing short of amazing. I have been able to partner not only with AmeriCorps members, but become more engaged with the Stockton community and Stockton Scholars. What I would recommend to others thinking about implementing programs like this on their campus- do it. Try it out; this model of near-peer coaching has really brought something special to our campus.

Nuño: It has been a wonderful experience partnering with College Possible and Stockton Scholars (a community organization in our service area) to implement the near-peer coaching program. Because of this, my recommendation would be if you are able to partner with a community/school organization it provides a unique insight into the needs and assets of your community and students.

Q: How have you partnered and/or collaborated with College Possible in training coaches on supporting first-generation students?

Nuño: I have found that the training provided by College Possible provides a strong foundation for our coaches. What we have done at the campus level is provide campus-specific training on our programs, services and affinity groups that speak to the intersectional identities of our first-generation students.

Mansfield: Besides checking-in at the monthly program lead community practice meetings and learning what other campus leads may do; I always aim to have the coaches collaborate with other campus resources. Together we complete training from different departments and learn ways we can holistically serve all of our students. For example, last year the coaches were certified in Youth and Mental Health First Aid- in addition to participating in the Undocu-Ally Training

Q: What new initiatives is CSU, Stanislaus trying to help support first-generation students? What kind of impact has the pandemic had on these or other initiatives?

Nuño: What is unique about Stanislaus State is our large first-generation student population, about 75% of our undergraduate students identify as first-generation. So, we are focusing on high-touch services that help build community. For example, for the fall 2021 we are matching every first-time freshman with a peer mentor by partnering with existing and new support programs. The pandemic has actually fueled our efforts to be bold and work together across campus to create a coordinated network of support.

Mansfield: Stanislaus is constantly creating and implementing new policies around first-gen students. What is really cool about Stan State, is that a majority of our undergrad students identify as first-gen- if anything the pandemic did not hinder these initiatives, but rather fueled the fire even more to make sure we are serving all of our students holistically and really fostering these high-touch services.

Please feel free to share any examples of the impact that the work you’ve done with College Possible has made.

Mansfield: I think having students attend events that the coaches host, virtual (or when we were in person), really attest to the work that they are doing. Having students feel supported and comfortable enough to show up to registration workshops, or even pop-in to virtual walk-in hours, really shows that their services are making a difference.

Nuño: We entered this partnership to help students through graduation, and we are seeing indicators of success. In our first cohort, 2019-2020, retention rates to the following year were on par with the overall student population. In addition, after spring 2020 – during the pandemic – the College Possible cohort’s term GPA was higher than the GPA for all students. My favorite example of impact is how one of the mentees from year 1 became a coach upon graduation, this speaks to the impact coaches are making on the student experience. As we prepare for year 3, we also have three out of four coaches returning (the fourth already served two years), which speaks to the value and rich experience of being a coach.