1. The Advising First College Life Coaching Program
LaShae Roberts, M.S.,
Program Manager

2. What is College Life Coaching?
College Life Coaching at FSU is the process in which a trained professional collaborates with a student to facilitate growth in their personal and professional goals, aid engagement in their campus community and support other various topics prioritized by the student.
In addition, students:
Build life and leadership skills
Learn to balance personal and academic commitments
Increase in confidence and marketability
Identify and maintain short and long term goals
Become familiar with campus resources

3. What does a College Life Coach talk about with their students?
Coaches collaborate with students on various topics based on what is important to the student and their immediate (or future) needs. Some topics may include:
Time Management
Community Engagement and Involvement
Navigating Family and Friend Relationships
Academic Study Skills and Techniques
Making Meaning of Experiences through Critical Thinking

4. What does a life as a College Life Coach look like?
Member of a 16 person team
Manage a roster of students
Meet with students every other week
Conduct minute meetings
Attend monthly department and team staff meetings
Attend mentorship meetings with a Senior Coach every other week
Strategize roster management
Individualized training and professional development
Receive feedback on meeting quality and skills

5. Learning how to connect with diverse populations
What makes a good coach?
Learning how to connect with diverse populations
Coaches are trained to connect with characteristics, interests, values, skills, and even concerns that students share during meetings
Part of the connection allows both coach and student to work together with confidence but also transparency, as coaches recognize that they are not the expert in the students’ lives

6. What makes a good coach?
Building a safe environment where challenge, learning, and exploration can take place
Coaches remove anything (verbal or nonverbal) that may be perceived as judgmental
When necessary, coaches provide appropriate self-disclosure to build a connection with the student
Coaches remove authoritative language and focus solely on building a collaborative relationship with the student

7. What makes a good coach?
Engaging the student in the collaboration process by listening and empowering the student through question asking
Coaches are trained to listen and clarify so the student feels heard and valued
Students are asked questions that prompt reflection and critical thinking when facing complex situations
Coaches showcase supportive and challenging language to assist students to move beyond complacency to a mindset focused on success

8. Normalizing experiences that the student feels are atypical
What makes a good coach?
Normalizing experiences that the student feels are atypical
As the coach may validate or normalize experiences or situations, it allows the student to feel less isolated
This also lets the coach and student build upon their working relationship as they share perspectives and note the parallels that other college students feel, think or experience
This aids in the overall transition that students face, as many students come in feeling alone in trying to fit in at a bigger university

9. Coaches guide students to concrete, realistic action items to work on
What makes a good coach?
Encouraging students to be focused on solutions that promote learning and success
Coaches guide students to concrete, realistic action items to work on
Coaches allow students the time and space to articulate strengths and motivation behind completing a task or overcoming an obstacle
Coaches and students collaborate on connecting short-term goals to longstanding values

10. What is unique about the Advising First Coaching Program?
Created an in-house coaching model and program unique to the needs of FSU students
Observe and celebrate student success as goals are reached through the year long coaching relationship
Achieve increased retention rates
Coach populations identified as having a higher risk of attrition
Host trainings and workshops to train others in the skills we use; 2016 FSU College Life Coaching Institute

11. How does Coaching Impact Retention and Risk Taking?