Photo courtesy of xavier.edu | Career Coaches are based out of the Career Development Office, which is located on the fifth floor of the CLC.
Xavier students begin their careers at the university by hearing an inclusive pledge with a passionate message. At the opening ceremony during Manresa, the words “We are unique individuals who come together in the spirit of St. Ignatius, to learn together, to serve together, and we will succeed in changing the world together” are first recited by incoming students.
This language of community and success is mirrored in the new Xavier Success Team initiative. On the Xavier website, the Student Success Team page greets visitors with the words “All students at Xavier have a Success Team here to help you adjust to college life, manage your time, keep up on your academics, and navigate sticky situations.”
This success team is a major initiative for 2017. The rollout includes the announcement that every first year and sophomore will have direct access to four coaches. The first, the Success Coach, is described by the Student Success Team page as an adviser from the faculty or staff who can offer support in the areas of “social adjustment, academic support or time management.” These advisers are categorized by major so that students can easily find their coach, but “success coaches are ready and willing to create a plan that ensures every student has the best college experience here at Xavier.” Their concern is for the students’ entire college experience.
The second coach students can reach out to is a Career Coach. Career Coaches, like the Success Coaches, are divided by major for students to easily look up. They are based out of the Career Development Office, and they “can help you figure out career paths and identify strengths and interests that may help you in your career or graduate school journey.” According to the website, Career Coaches also manage the career fairs in the fall and spring, host employers on campus and give students advice on their resumes.
The third kind of coach students have access to is an Academic Advisor. Academic Advisors have been accessible to all students for many years, as students must have their schedule for their next semester approved by their adviser. Academic Advisors are professors in the student’s major and are knowledgeable of the requirements their respective majors.
The final type of coach is the Financial Aid Counselor. Financial Aid Counselors, according to the Success Team page, can “work with you to discuss your FAFSA, scholarships and other financial aid options.” This coach is accessible to students as a result of continuous feedback from the student body.
Sophomore Joe Spirk spoke to the success of this type of kind of adviser in the GOA program. “They do a great job of giving students ways to figure out what their own financial aid plan entails rather than just relying on the choices their parents or guardians make for them,” Spirk said.
Junior Kaitlyn Clyne is a student who missed out on the opportunity and wishes she could have access to such a coach.
“The decisions you make at Xavier aren’t just important academically, but they affect your financial future as well,” Clyne said. “An advisor who could guide you through those important decisions when you’re fresh out of high school would be really helpful.”
Xavier is excited to roll these coaches out with the Student Success Team. First-years and sophomores can find their coaches by clicking here.
By: Max Bruns ~Distribution Manager~