First-Year-Experience Coaching

First-year-experience coaching empowers students with dedicated coaches offering exclusive one-on-one guidance, maximizing their education and campus experience, and facilitating access to vital support services.

What is First-Year-Experience Coaching?

The first-year-experience coaching offers dedicated coaches who provide exclusive one-on-one, personalized guidance to our students, making their first-year journey at Widener truly exceptional. Our coaches are readily available to support and empower incoming students through phone, text, email, and even video.

Equipped with an arsenal of effective strategies and tools, our coaches ensure that you extract the maximum value from your education and overall experience at Widener. From acing exams to integrating seamlessly into college life, our coaches are your trusted companions, ready to share invaluable insights for success.

And that's not all! As knowledgeable connectors, our coaches swiftly link you with the abundance of support services available on campus. From academic resources to crucial community assistance, our team of coaches has you covered.

Your Coach's Focus Areas of Support

School Community

What community means to you and how we can create that for you here. 

Effectiveness

Navigating all of the to-do’s and go-to’s so you can feel on top of things. 

Time Management

How to structure your days/weeks to set yourself up for success. 

Health & Support

Managing stress, energy, mental health, and your network of support.

Academics

Developing a plan for study habits and strategies.

Motivation/Commitment to Graduation

Connecting your goals and daily actions to your motivation. 

How Do I Participate in the First-Year-Experience Coaching?

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Engaging with Your Coach

Once you receive messages from your assigned first-year-experience coach, we encourage you to respond promptly and keep their contact information handy for future reference.

Throughout the year, your dedicated coach will be actively reaching out to you, providing valuable support and guidance. However, remember that open communication is key! Don't hesitate to reach out to your coach anytime you have questions, concerns, or simply want to discuss anything related to your school experience. 

Do Coaches Differ From Advisors, Counselors & Mentors?

First-year-experience coaching is more effective when it works alongside the existing university services. By supporting and connecting students to the various resources at Widener, this program provides additional tools and support to help them succeed. While coaches, advisors, counselors, and mentors may appear similar, they play unique roles, each contributing to your success in distinct ways.

Widener's academic advisors are dedicated to providing personal support to students, ensuring they have a solid plan for academic success. They offer valuable guidance in selecting classes, pursuing internships, extracurricular opportunities, and hands-on experiences that will enhance students' career prospects. Additionally, they lend a helping hand when students consider changing their major, guiding them toward a new direction.

The Office of Student Success collaborates with advisors on a daily basis to support students. Coaches assist students in identifying potential risk factors and help them develop essential skills to overcome barriers, addressing immediate needs while fostering long-term personal growth and development. Through this process, students acquire valuable skills that empower them to face challenges, overcome obstacles, and successfully achieve their academic goals with confidence.

Widener's mental health clinicians or professionals offer a range of services, including assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, therapy sessions, and prevention programs. They address various personal, emotional, and social concerns, supporting students through issues like loss, sadness, anxiety, socialization difficulties, substance abuse, and interpersonal relationships.

First-year-experience coaches collaborate with counselors to focus on specific aspects of a student's life that could impact their overall well-being and success. This involves helping students develop essential skills like time management and goal setting while addressing any barriers hindering their short- and long-term success. It's important to note that Success Coaches do not delve deeply into mental health issues or replace counseling services. Instead, they are trained to recognize when to suggest counseling and provide appropriate resources when needed.

Within the Widener community, mentors provide students with diverse advice and support drawn from their own life experiences. These mentors, often volunteers, are selected based on their expertise in specific jobs or fields and may introduce their student mentees to influential individuals within industries or organizations. Students often see their mentors as role models who guide them along their desired career paths.

First-year-experience coaches play a crucial role in supporting our mentors by fostering long-term personal growth and development in students. Through small yet meaningful changes and the integration of new strategies, habits, and mindsets, the coaches empower students to thrive and succeed in their lives.

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