Students’ confidence is a key part of TCU’s strategy to improve student retention and graduation rates.

For the past several years, TCU has been working to cultivate an atmosphere that boosts students’ well-being and provides them with ample support resources.

Student Success Coaching was developed as an integral part of this holistic support plan.

“The overarching goal of student Success coaching is to be a resource for students, to help them identify challenges, opportunities for growth and to offer support outside of their friends and family,” Brianne Varela, TCU’s director of student success, said.

The program was developed by Varela and a team of TCU staff members in 2018. It launched in February 2019 and has been successful despite COVID-19-related challenges.

Following a solution-focused model, the program focuses on highlighting a person’s strengths, developing effective solutions to challenges and creating action plans.

“We tried to change course as quickly as we could, doing appointments on Zoom,” said Varela. “The appointments themselves seemed to be much more important and impactful at that time.”

Meetings are now held in private spaces found on the garden level of Samuelson Hall. They are available to undergraduate students and included with tuition.

“Student Success Coaching sessions are primarily led by peers who have received the very same training given to our professional staff coaches,” Varela said.

Coaches are trained to connect with students on any subject matter and connect them to the proper resources when needed.

“A large percentage of students who have attended one student success coaching appointment have reported back that they felt an increase in their confidence and at least a one-point decrease in stress,” Varela said.

To accommodate students’ busy schedules and follow the solution-focused model, meetings are only 45 minutes long, designed to make the biggest impact in a brief period.

“I love seeing those light bulb moments,” Varela said.

She said simply having a stranger give a student words of encouragement can be enough to propel them forward.

“We cannot change the past, but we can take steps to recreate our future. No problem is happening 100% of the time,” Varela said.