Hello everyone, my name is Melyssa Hernandez and I am a Peer Mentor in the Center for Academic Success and Transition. I’m here with the third post to continue our series in introducing the Success Coaches. 

Taylor Duke

I would like to introduce our Success Coach Taylor Duke. She is studying to get her Masters in Science in Mental Health Counseling. When I asked her why she chose Missouri State she responded saying she was from Springfield and knew a lot of people going to MSU. 

One tip that she had for First-generation students was to not be afraid to ask questions! I think this is a great tip because students can be afraid to ask questions or ask for assistance. Faculty and staff are here to support you in all of your endeavors. Missouri State has a lot of great resources on campus to gain new information. One great resource to utilize would be a Success Coach! Taylor shared that a Success Coach is great to have someone there for you. They provide assistance and overall a positive effect to support your goals and college experience. 

Lastly when I asked Taylor for a personal slogan she said “Life’s what you make it.”

Temi Adeyemi

Next, I would like to introduce our Success Coach Temi Adeyemi. She is pursuing her Masters in Project Management with a certificate in Data Analysis. When I asked her why she chose Missouri State she shared that the coaching position stood out to her and she wanted to be a part of the student’s success stories. GA positions are great opportunities for personal development but to give back to the students as well.

She also promoted meeting with a Success Coach to gain an accountability partner. This accountability partner is someone in your corner who can help you with many skills including time management and studying tips. She also recommended meeting with a Peer Mentor because they are colleagues that are on the same level as you are. They are able to give you a student’s point of view. She emphasizes expanding your support circle!

Lastly when I asked Temi for a personal slogan she said “Be there. Be present.”

Watch for more posts this semester introducing the rest of our Success Coaches!

~Melyssa

(Bio: My name is Melyssa Hernandez, a junior majoring in Psychology, with a minor in Child Family Development. Fun Fact: I am a triplet!)

Welcome back Bears! Now that the semester has had time to come into full swing, I will be continuing the new series introducing our Success Coaches in the Center for Academic Success and Transition (CAST) office. Our Success Coaches are a wonderful and helpful resource for students and this is a great way to get to know them!

What is a Success Coach?

A success coach is a graduate student interested in helping undergraduate students succeed. Our success coaches can help with academic skills such as meeting deadlines, time management, goal setting and reaching, test preparation, and identifying strengths and weaknesses. You can use the form to meet with a success coach. This semester we are lucky to have twelve coaches with a variety of backgrounds and available times to meet that work with you and your schedule.

 

Destiny Henry

Destiny is currently studying master of professional studies with a hospitality focus and chose Missouri State for the degree options available to her.

What advice do you have for First-Generation students? It gets easier, I promise!

(note from Daniel: This is especially relevant right now since we are at the beginning of a new semester in a new year, and it can take a while to adapt to the unfamiliar environment that comes with college life.)

Why should students consider reaching out to a success coach or peer mentor? We can support you, we can guide you, we can help you in many areas.

What is the strangest thing in your backpack? A worry stone

If you were a brand, what would your slogan be? She did it anyway.

 

Fahaad Bin Waheed Al Abbadi

Fahaad is pursuing a master’s degree in computer science and chose Missouri State because it is very affordable and has a high cost-benefit ratio

What advice do you have for First-Generation students? Explore more and ask questions!

(note from Daniel: I think this is great advice, as it can sometimes be difficult to reach out.)

Why should students consider reaching out to a success coach or peer mentor? To explore more options, and to make things easy!

What is the strangest thing in your backpack? Either cookies or an umbrella

If you were a brand, what would your slogan be? Learn Together!

Takeaways

They are only two of the 12 success coaches we have this semester, but you can be assured that they are all very dedicated to making sure students have the tools they need to succeed. Make sure to check the blog for more introductions to learn more about how our success coaches are dedicated to helping students.

~Daniel

(Bio: My name is Daniel Kim, a junior majoring in Microbiology/Biotechnology, with a minor in Chemistry. Fun Fact: I can play more than 3 instruments)

Welcome back Missouri State Bears! This week I wanted to take the chance to start a new series introducing our Success Coaches in the Center for Academic Success and Transition (CAST) office. Our success coaches are a helpful resource to students and this is a chance to meet those who all work in our office. 

What is a Success Coach?

A success coach is a graduate student interested in helping undergraduate students succeed. Our success coaches can help with academic skills such as meeting deadlines, time management, goal setting and reaching, test preparation, and identifying strengths and weaknesses. You can use the form to meet with a success coach. This semester we are lucky to have fourteen coaches with a variety of backgrounds and available times to meet that work with you and your schedule. 

Emily Oster

The first success coach I want to introduce is Emily. Emily received her undergrad at Missouri State University and is continuing to work towards her master’s in Speech-Language Pathology. When I asked Emily if she had any tips for first-generation students her reply was “Be proactive rather than reactive. Advocate for yourself early and get ahead!” 

I find Emily’s tip very timely at this point in the semester because for many students this is the time of year when change is occurring. Grades are coming out, schedules are being made, living arrangements are assigned, and more. In these situations, it is vital that organization and time management are used. Success coaches can help with managing all of these things. 

Emily believes students should reach out to a success coach/peer mentor because “we are here to help with the transition from high school to college life. The new lifestyle changes as a first-time college student can be confusing and hard. We are students just like you, so we were just in your shoes not too long ago. We are just here to guide you along the way, answer any questions, and hold you accountable.” 

To end Emily’s introduction off on the right note I asked her for the strangest thing in her backpack and it was a deck of cards. I also asked for a slogan and Emily created “coffee with a side of life.” Emily, among our other success coaches, does a great job and wants to see all Missouri State Bears succeed. 

 

Kyra Baker

The second success coach I am highlighting today is Kyra. Kyra moved to Missouri State University after completing her undergraduate at a different university. Kyra is here to study Industrial-Organizational Psychology (M.S.). When it was Kyra’s turn for a tip to undergraduate students she said, “Asking for help is a sign of strength and courage, not weakness.”

I personally needed to hear this so I am thankful for Kyra and her wisdom as an asset to our office. Asking for help can seem like an obstacle but it shouldn’t have to. Here in the CAST office, we are here to serve students who need or want help. 

I asked Kyra as well, why students should request a success coach. “College is hard, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Success coaches and peer mentors are a stable source of assistance throughout your college experience, and they genuinely want to help you accomplish your college goals. Never feel bad for advocating for yourself by asking for the help you need to reach your goals!”

The weirdest item in Kyra’s backpack was a pair of soaking wet socks from the torrential downpour of rain. I asked this question because knowing that success coaches are just like us can make us feel more comfortable approaching them. Kyras’s slogan would be, “Unleash your potential” or “Do you have any chocolate?”

 

Takeaways

Although I only introduced two success coaches today, we have fourteen coaches in total. If anything from this post stuck out to you or you want to meet the other coaches, you can navigate our website and find them listed under the staff tab or keep an eye out for future blog introductions. I hope your biggest takeaway from this post is that our success coaches are here for our students and they want to be a helping hand. 

~Aubrey

(Bio: My name is Aubrey Hardy, a junior studying special needs education. Fun fact: I grew up on a farm.)