The Penn State Chaiken Center for Student Success, in partnership with other student support offices at University Park, is piloting an Academic Life Coaching program for the 2024-2025 academic year. The purpose of academic life coaching is to empower students to maximize their learning potential, develop effective study habits, enhance academic performance, and achieve their educational goals.
What is Academic Life Coaching?
Academic Life Coaching is a student-driven approach to academic and personal growth, empowering students to build self-confidence, develop key skills, and create actionable goals for success. Coaching serves as an extension of students' other support services and positions the students as the experts on themselves. Academic coaching is especially impactful for neurodiverse, underrepresented, first-generation, and low-income students. Research shows coaching supports persistence and degree completion for these groups.
What happens in a coaching session?
During coaching sessions, which typically last 30-60 minutes, students can expect to discuss topics such as:
- Balancing school and life commitments
- Strengthening communication and academic relationships
- Building motivation, resilience, and self-empowerment
- Setting and achieving academic and personal goals
- Enhancing study strategies and executive functioning skills
At a student's first session, they will take the LASSI (Learning and Study Strategies Inventory) assessment to identify potential areas for improvement. After 3-5 sessions, the student will retake the LASSI to measure progress and determine next steps.
How do students receive academic coaching at University Park?
In the pilot phase of the program, students are assigned a coach by referral only. While we are focused on referrals from partner offices, if faculty/staff are working with a student they believe would benefit from academic coaching, they should contact the Chaiken Center to discuss. The program will be available more broadly at University Park in fall 2025.
Who are the Academic Life Coaches?
The 12 Academic Life Coaches represent a variety of roles and offices across University Park, including the Penn State Chaiken Center, Penn State Learning, Adult Learns Programs and Services, Division of Undergraduate Students, the College of Education, Student Disability Resources, Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center, Veterans Affairs and Services, and Student Care and Advocacy. Coaches have each undergone an extensive six-month training program that is accredited through the International Coach Federation.
To learn more about the Academic Life Coaching program at University Park, please refer to our FAQs or contact the Chaiken Center.