Wallace State’s Success Coaches/Inside Track host advising strategies summit
HANCEVILLE, ALA. – Wallace State’s Success Coaches and InsideTrack hosted a two-day summit workshop during the spring semester in Hanceville, highlighting coaching strategies for coaching and advising teams.
Advisors and employees from multiple colleges in both Alabama and Tennessee attended the summit, which featured advising sessions, methodologies, a pair of roundtable discussions and collaboration among the participants.
“I was excited to host colleagues from across the state to share ideas, to introduce them to our training partner, InsideTrack, and to highlight the successes we’ve seen in our six years as a coaching program,” said Wallace State Success Coach Program Coordinator Christine Wiggins. “The number of colleges represented at the coaching summit provided affirmation that the concept of Success Coaching has gained momentum over the past few years, and is one in which Wallace State places great value. My hope is that institutions considering coaching as a solution will look at a sustainable model like the one we’ve adopted through our partnership with InsideTrack.”
Wallace State’s Director of Advising Dr. Matthew McCrickard was among the presenters during the event. He discussed Wallace State’s Pathways Project initiative and the advising practices and policies utilized on campus.
Wallace State’s Success Coaches made up of Wiggins, Elizabeth Hunt, Susan Peek, Jill Strickland and Julie Grimes participated in a roundtable discussion prior to a student panel sharing their experiences.
“I love this school and love the opportunities we have with the Success Coaches. They try to help you with any area of life. I always have a lot on my plate, and they’ve helped me relax and learn how to balance all of my responsibilities,” said student Gabby Grace. “They opened doors for me I didn’t know were there and helped me get my life on track.”
Student Aaron Holloway commended Wallace State’s Success Coaches for helping him learn about scholarship opportunities and other specific aspects of the college.
“They’ve helped me find the right fit on campus and invested time in me. That makes you feel important and gives you the extra push you need. They want to see you succeed,” Holloway said.
Wiggins was impressed with the student roundtable.
“My favorite part of the two-day summit was the student panel, when Wallace State students shared with the participants what coaching looked like for them. Each student outlined a unique need that was met by the relationship they had with their coach. Each student identified their coach as a resource that enhanced their experience at Wallace State,” Wiggins said.
Ronald McCall, an international student advisor at Calhoun, also benefitted from the two-day summit.
“This has been massively helpful. It has given me insight on better ways to interact with all of our students and to connect with them. We want to help any way we can. It’s important to see where they are now in life and how we get them to reach out to us,” McCall said. “I’ve been told before to never listen to respond. Instead, listen to understand. That’s what we need to do to be successful.”
For more information about InsideTrack and its initiatives, visit https://www.insidetrack.com/
For more information about Wallace State Success Coaching, contact 256.352.8462.
For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu.
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