Academic Coach

📋 Description

• • As an Academic Coach at Strayer University, Inc., you will be the primary point of contact for learners, guiding them from their initial orientation through the successful completion of their academic programs.
• • Your role is pivotal in managing a pipeline of learners, employing a comprehensive approach that includes coaching, motivation, mentorship, and proactive barrier removal.
• • You will own issues from identification through resolution, developing and implementing strategies to ensure learner progress and program completion.
• • A key aspect of your responsibility involves helping learners clarify critical decision-points, identifying effective solutions and alternatives that are deeply aligned with their personal motivations and overarching goals.
• • This position demands strong relationship-building and influencing skills to foster positive learner behaviors and outcomes, directly contributing to overall learner success and persistence.
• • You will provide highly personalized interactions, assisting learners in navigating their educational journey and achieving their academic aspirations.
• • Regular outreach will be conducted at key developmental milestones and in response to identified learner behaviors throughout their program to ensure they remain on track and to help them overcome any encountered obstacles.
• • Each interaction will focus on exploring learner needs and delivering tailored solutions designed to effectively prepare them for long-term academic and professional success.
• • You will collaborate closely with faculty members and other University partners to address learner concerns, working together to define and implement options that help learners overcome challenges and achieve academic success.
• • **Academic Planning & Engagement:**
• • Assist learners in developing a clear academic plan that encompasses all program requirements, outlines the most direct path to completion, and aligns with their educational and career aspirations.
• • Effectively leverage a suite of tools, systems, and software applications to optimize advising engagement and learner support.
• • Cultivate strong, trusting relationships with learners to foster their success and active engagement in their studies.
• • Utilize program analytics and established outreach protocols to drive purposeful and transformational conversations with learners.
• • Guide learners through any necessary changes in their programs and academic plans, ensuring they understand and can respond effectively to Capella-initiated adjustments.
• • Explore the alignment between a learner's educational and financial plans, ensuring they are on a sustainable path toward degree completion.
• • Provide learners with relevant resources and make appropriate referrals to university support services.
• • Assess learner needs comprehensively to empower them to make fully informed decisions about their academic pathways, while also challenging them to make consistent progress toward their goals.
• • **Progress Monitoring & Academic Risk Mitigation:**
• • Proactively reach out to learners identified as being at-risk, which may include indicators such as lack of engagement, academic standing concerns, slow pace of progress, incomplete course work, or gaps in competency development.
• • Identify and address potential barriers that could impact a learner's persistence, overall success, and timely completion of their program.
• • Encourage learners to develop essential skills and abilities for direct resolution of challenges and issues they face.
• • Coordinate effectively with faculty, academic leadership, and other learner-facing teams to seek resolutions for learner issues.
• • Coach learners through significant disruptive life events and personal challenges, offering empathetic support and practical guidance.
• • Provide learners with a range of viable options based on their unique circumstances and needs.
• • Respond to learners promptly and effectively through a wide variety of communication tools and systems, including phone, voicemail, chat, email, casework systems, and potentially social media.
• • Collaborate closely with faculty, chairs, and other university leaders to manage escalated learner situations and support effective conflict resolution.
• • **Communication & Interaction:**
• • Maintain accurate and appropriate documentation of all learner interactions, adhering strictly to departmental best practices and record-keeping standards.
• • **Program, Process, and Policy Subject Matter Expertise:**
• • Serve as a University Subject Matter Expert on programs, processes, and policies, contributing insights in meetings, committees, and informal discussions.
• • Monitor and communicate emerging trends that impact learner persistence, success, and completion, discussing potential obstacles and challenges with learners.
• • Support the development and delivery of training for faculty and/or staff regarding programs, processes, and policies.
• • Proactively and respectfully identify and provide valuable insights into program, process, and policy opportunities and gaps.
• • Participate in the creation of solutions in partnership with key stakeholders once areas for improvement are identified.
• • Build trusted, professional relationships across various departments and business units.
• • Participate in projects and initiatives that directly support departmental goals and objectives.
• • Support and actively participate in departmental and cross-functional training sessions.
• • Continuously research and stay abreast of issues and trends impacting other institutions of higher education to inform best practices.