Student Success Coaching

University College now offers free professional Student Success Coaching to help students gain insight into themselves as they pursue success academically and personally. Through discovery and curiosity, coaches partner with students to develop the necessary tools to create a thriving experience at Ball State and beyond.

Mission Statement

The Student Success Coaching office engages with students who seek to gain insight into themselves as they pursue success academically and personally. Through discovery and curiosity, we partner with students to develop the necessary tools to create a thriving experience at Ball State University and beyond. We support students as they:

  • learn how to learn
  • practice skills and habits for academic success
  • reflect on their ongoing development as scholars

We embrace each student where they are, respecting their culture, values, and lived experiences. We also aim to facilitate student self-confidence and growth, encouraging continuous self-reflection and development.

Student Success Coaching will serve as a resource for all students to achieve their fullest potential academically and personally. We will be collaborative partners with other student supporting departments.

  • Confidentiality: We promise to only share our own experiences. All that is shared between coach and student stays confidential except in case of students being harmed, harming themselves, or harming others.
  • Authenticity: We promise to show up and participate as our whole selves. This space is one of honesty and transparency.
  • Reliability: We promise to fulfill our commitments in the coaching relationship, the plans set up, and provide reflection.
  • Exploration: We promise to arrive with openness to whatever comes up in coaching, including challenges to limits, and observing without judgment.
  • Safety: We promise to allow for a safe space for students to be uniquely and fully themselves.

In addition to one-on-one success coaching with students, the Student Success Coaching Office also offers a series of skills sessions (workshops) and other activities/events throughout the academic year. Success coaches are also available to present in classrooms and to student organizations around a variety of topics including setting goals, fighting procrastination, time management, study habits, motivation, stress management, organization, and more. Skill sessions can be scheduled by reaching out to successcoach@bsu.edu or (765) 285-1178.

Fall Semester 2023 Schedule:

  • Workshop: Success Coaching Kick-Off
    Thursday, August 31, 10 a.m., University Green
    National Eat Outside Day 

  • Workshop: Fighting Procrastination
    Wednesday, September 6, 2 p.m., Multicultural Center

  • Open House: Student Success Coaching Open House
    Wednesday, September 13, 9-11 a.m., North Quad (3rd Floor)
    Stop by at your convenience!

  • Outreach: 60-Seconds with a Coach
    Thursday and Friday, September 14 - 15, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Atrium
    Stop by at your convenience! 

  • Workshop: Motivation Monday: Discovering How to Get (and Stay) Motivated
    Monday, October 2, 3 p.m., Teachers College (Room 121)
    National Smarties Day

  • Outreach: Catch a Coach (On the Way to Lunch)
    Friday, October 6, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Woodworth
    National Coaches Day
    Stop by at your convenience!

  • Workshop: Small Successes Leading to Big Wins
    Wednesday, October 18, 10 a.m., Robert Bell (Room 125)

  • Outreach: Coaching is Never Scary
    Tuesday, October 31, 2-4 p.m., Bracken Library
    Stop by for treats (no tricks) at your convenience!

  • Workshop: Re-Routing for Success
    Monday, November 6, 12 p.m., Robert Bell (Room 125)

  • Workshop: Final Exams Preparation & (Good) Rest
    Wednesday, December 6 at 1 p.m., Student Center (Cardinal Hall A)

Rachel Anderson

Rachel Anderson

Rachel Anderson has decades of experience serving students as a mental health counselor, special education teacher, school counselor, adjunct professor and success coach. In her role as a high school counselor, she has worked relentlessly to encourage and assist first generation and minoritized students in realizing their dreams of attending post-secondary institutions, which she believes can change the trajectory of a person’s life. She is a graduate of Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati. Rachel is a doctoral student in the Adult and Community Education Ed.D. program at BSU. She is a native of Muncie and mother of one son, David, an Architecture student at BSU.

Seth Harshman

Seth Harshman

With a passion for growth (personal, spiritual, or whatever), Seth serves as a Student Success Coach. Seth is a father to four kids, has two M.A. degrees and has been a coffee shop manager, and a professor (among other things). He has been a certified coach for over four years, and he has loved it ever since he started. Seth’s favorite part of coaching is walking alongside his clients as they unfold and unlock parts of themselves that they had a hard time accessing previously, and just becoming better versions of themselves than they knew how to be before. To create good habits of self-care, Seth has set a boundary with himself to not eat an entire jar of queso in one sitting; however, he has not set a similar boundary for his favorite candy, jelly beans.

Frequently Asked Questions

We define coaching as a supported partnership that empowers students to create fulfilling results in their lives, both academically and personally. Through dialogue, assessments, and exploration, students build upon their strengths to deepen their learning and ability to thrive.

  • Learn how you learn and what works best for you
  • Develop and practice skills and habits
  • Discover and harness your strengths
  • Align your life to your values
  • Provide accountability for the goals you set

Ball State University hires professional coaches with coaching certifications recognized by national and international coaching boards.

Follow these steps:

  1. Go to Navigate or click on "Navigate" on my.bsu.edu or download the Navigate Student app.
  2. Click on "Appointments" on the left menu.
  3. Click on the "Schedule an Appointment" at the top right (the blue box).
  4. Use the drop-down options on the left.
  5. What type of appointment: Student Success Coaching.
  6. Choose Service Type - any of them will do.
  7. Pick a date and it will take you to another screen with available times.

North Quad Suite 340
Ball State University
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