College Possible Minnesota has recently transitioned to a full-time staff model for the college success team. This shift occurred after considerable data analysis, reflection on the desire to serve our college students better, and the expanding college success portfolio. As we continue to uphold our core values and mission, these changes are designed to enhance our impact and better serve our students.
Carleton College graduate Molly Schwartz joined College Possible Minnesota as an AmeriCorps coach during the summer of 2023. Voted the 2023-2024 College Possible Minnesota High School Access Coach of the Year, Molly served as a Flagship high school access coach working directly with students in schools before making the transition to advising specialist in July 2024.
“I have always been passionate about education and working with young people. Growing up, I really enjoyed school and was fortunate enough to have some incredible teachers and coaches who shaped me to be the person that I am today. Mentorship is so impactful particularly when it lasts over the course of many years and through different periods of life.”
Molly was impressed with College Possible’s mission to provide both high school access and college success coaching, offering students a more comprehensive support network as they navigate higher education. “The commitment to serving students, regardless of the number of years it takes, to earn a degree serves as an important reminder that we work with people whose lives can be complex and don’t always fit into the narrow 4-year scope higher education often expects” says Molly. One of the main reasons Molly was interested in the advising specialist role was the opportunity to engage directly with students in a more sustainable way. As an AmeriCorps coach you can serve for up to two years, but as an Advising Specialist she can build relationships with my students over a longer period of time.
As an advising specialist, Molly will be able to focus on the types of schools the students she serves attend. While her cohort of 190 students spans over 50 schools, many students are attending private liberal arts schools out of state. By working with these students over a longer period of time, she is able to learn more about the different resources available at each school that she can then direct College Possible students to.
“While I am very aware that my personal circumstances and experiences are different from my students, I did also attend a small, private, liberal-arts college out of state from where I grew up” says Molly. She recognizes that private colleges can seem hostile and unwelcoming to first-generation students from lower-income backgrounds is one of the many challenges she finds College Possible students facing. Her approach to coaching involves validating students’ concerns and encouraging them to embrace their lived experiences to make their educational experience their own. Motivational interviewing techniques offer students a chance to foster confidence to pursue their own goals.
Even though the school year just started, Molly has been able to visit one of her schools and has visits scheduled for several others. “While there I was able to both introduce myself as well as form connections between students,” says Molly. “It was incredibly satisfying to sit back and watch upperclassmen and underclassmen bond over their experiences as students. While I am unable to offer in-person coaching for all the students I serve, I do hope that all the students I serve feel empowered to find confidence in their areas of study as well as a sense of community with their peers.”
Want to learn more about the transition from AmeriCorps to Advising Specialists? Read Allison’s story.
