written by Taylor Turner on Apr 21, 2020
Taylor serves as a graduate assistant within the MFOS office
The Life Coach Program is designed for first-generation 3rd and 4th year undergraduate students who are interested in gaining guidance and coaching with their post-graduation plans. These students are paired with a “Life Coach” who can be faculty, staff, or a graduate student. Our Life Coaches help guide these students though specific goals and assignments for their “coachee” to complete. Through regular check-in’s and constant support, these students are given the necessary tools and resources to reach their goals. The program runs for an academic year along with interactive social events hosted by the First-Generation Student Success office. This program is both rewarding for the students along with the Life Coaches that participate.
Left: photograph of a current Life Coach Dr. Rick Kates and his coachee Arianne at Diversity Day with PHHP.
“As the Honors Director at the College of Public Health and Health Profession, I get numerous opportunities to mentor undergraduate students, but only rarely do I get the privilege to mentor a first-generation student. Their aspirations and motivations can be infectious, which as a professional educator, can be exciting. I appreciate that Taylor Turner reached out to faculty about the MFOS/First-Generation Student Success Program to mentor. This year I worked with Arianne “Ari” originally from Venezuela. She is a student from the Department of Anthropology and International Studies. I was incredibly proud of Arianne for taking the initiative to present a poster at PHHP’s Diversity Day.” Dr. Rick Kates
Right: Isabella is a graduating senior this semester and found her experience truly rewarding. She commented the following.
“The Life Coach Program is more than just a way to hold yourself accountable. It is the guidance you didn’t know you needed and the reassurance that it’s all right to not have it all figured out right now. The program gave me a mentor that not only taught me to set goals for myself but also ensured I stayed true to those goals. It made me motivated to want to make my mentor and myself proud.” Isabella Camacho
If you are a current first-generation student that would like to apply for this program or a faculty/staff member interested in applying to be a coach, please click here to learn more. Applications will open in the Fall semester.
