Coaches are on the front lines helping students with common educational barriers like financial aid applications, standardized test preparation, and college applications, but they also help students navigate friendships, time management, and family matters. As we head into the final months of the school year, we asked coaches to reflect on their time with College Possible, asking, “What have you learned about yourself in this journey?” And, “How will knowing those things about yourself help you in your next career move?” Here’s what they had to say about what a service year as a College Possible AmeriCorps coach taught them.
“I’ve learned that I work best when I see my students do better, feel more confident, or see their achievements. I thrive from seeing how impactful my work is. This is a great thing but also a flawed trait because I could easily burn out or feel unmotivated if I don’t immediately see progress or achievements correlated to my efforts. I’ve come to learn that I enjoy giving myself to others. I know myself well and assess when I’ve reached my limit of giving. I will continue to give to others, knowing my capacity, while giving myself grace and intentional time to be alone. Lastly, I love spending time with others and learning more about them. I recently found that I can comfortably enjoy silence with a friend. We can do our own things while just being on a call with one another.” – Minnesota college access coach
“I have learned that I like to support students by making them feel like they have someone in their corner, letting them know that they’re not the first one who has felt overwhelmed, or like they didn’t know what to do. I also want to build them up to believe in themselves, and I want them to believe that I will fight for them and do whatever I can to help them deal with any obstacles they face in continuing college. Those are the things I think make a good coach and help students persist, maybe because those are the things I wish I had had in high school or college.” – Minnesota college success coach
“I believe I’m currently doing well with where I am at. I want to try new things and challenge myself. I’ve recently accepted the fall returner offer with College Possible and am excited to hopefully work as a college access coach. I’ve learned that I love creating relationships and helping students in the way that they would like to be supported. I didn’t know how much my role meant to me until now. In my previous role as a youth worker, I led a class of seconds graders. I thought they had a soft spot in my heart only because they were children. But College Possible made me realize that students and those I mentor are important to me. I’m honored to have such a role to be a leader, mentor, and older sister to this cohort of students. Another thing I’ve learned is that I will continue to help the students I serve. I have students who don’t engage with me much. Because of that, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough for them, I doubted myself as a coach a lot. But I’ve come to learn that students are busy and it’s okay when I don’t get a response. My support and resources will always be available for them when they need me. My next steps are working in education in some way. I love my role, so I want to do something similar. I also find myself working in higher education as an admissions counselor. I hope to strive to help my community to motivate them to pursue higher education and learn about support systems they have around them.” – Minnesota college access coach
If committing to a year of AmeriCorps service at College Possible to help empower the dreams of students in your community sounds like time well spent, join us at one of our upcoming information sessions to learn more. Register today!
