Coaching Fills Gaps in Student Belonging

One of the most significant drivers of student persistence and completion in modern higher education is the feeling of belonging, and its significance has only increased in the wake of COVID-19 and the surge in distance learning. Students need to feel connected to faculty, staff, and other students. A recent Inside Higher Ed article cites a new report, Listening to Learnings 2023, by Tyton Partners that highlights gaps in belonging in the higher education space. Among the recommendations for increasing belonging are creating more awareness and use of student services, and promoting engagement with academic advising.

Coaching is a targeted answer to these recommendations, in part because the report indicates that what students want more of from academic advising is sharing available resources, which it states "falls outside the traditional job description of an adviser." The coaching conversation provides a key opportunity to listen to what a student needs, share resources, and offer an opportunity in that moment to connect with those resources through an initial communication. Perhaps more importantly, within the coaching space, students have a chance to connect on a human level with an agent of the institution. Nothing builds belonging like knowing someone at your school cares about you and is paying attention to you, and that, in turn, drives persistence and college completion.

Coaches don't have to know it all off the top of their heads. They simply need to be listening to the needs, willing to talk through how the institution can fill those needs, and to support the student's making the inquiries. Join LifeBound to become more intentional with how you build belonging with your students.

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