The Success Advising Center is hiring five undergraduate students to work as academic success coaches.
Success coaches are students who help assist other students schedule classes. They also help students study for tests.
Ken Schueller, director of Success Advising, said a student must have a 2.7 GPA or above and cannot be on disciplinary probation to apply to be a success coach. He said they currently have 16 success coaches working.
“The right student qualified for this position understands the value of helping other people,” Schueller said. “Some of our coaches have been helped in a very unique way and they now have a special place in their hearts to help others.”
A coach assists the front desk of the Advising Center if needed and assists students with their major/career goals. They must also be able to reach out to students about class attendance issues and provide any resources they might need whether it be career or financial advice. Applicants must have skills in word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and class management software.
Applicants must be willing to share some personal experiences with peers and must be willing to work nights and weekends. Academic success coaches earn $7.85 per hour and work irregular hours.
Success coach Tiera Walkenbach, a junior public relations major, said this is a great opportunity to help students.
“I always tell other students that I want to be the person that I wish I had when I was in their shoes,” Walkenbach said. “It’s a nice opportunity to be able to help students through what I wish I could’ve had help in.”
She said when a student needs assistance, it’s nice to be that person there for them. She said she understands what it is like to be too afraid to ask questions and need some help at times.
“The coaches and advisors always have fun working with one another,” Walkenbach said.
Another success coach, Emily Keilholz, said she realized a lot of students deal with the same kinds of problems with schedules and where they should go after the old advising offices closed.
“When the academic success coach job came available, I felt like I could really help students like before because it’s more one on one,” said Keilholz, a junior health studies prephysical therapy major. “There’s more time to focus on what the students need.”
She said what she likes most about her job is seeing students succeed and when they get happy and excited about their progress. She also likes when she is able to watch a student grow as a person.
She said some of the conversations she’s had with students have been eye-opening for her.
“I like the conversations with the students,” Keilholz said. “Some of them are really funny, and they’re willing to talk to me about things.”
Schueller said there is no specific deadline to apply for the job, but the staff will be evaluating candidates and hiring as soon as possible. Like all campus jobs, students cannot work more than 20 hours a week. Coaches average about 10 hours per week.
A success coach can remain at their job unless they choose to leave, fall below the minimum criteria for being a coach or graduate. Coaches who are hired will most likely begin training immediately and begin work next semester.
Applicants must submit a cover letter and a resume when applying for this job online. For more information about the position, visit https://jobs.ucmo.edu/postings/20021.