This brief, published May 2020, explores the benefits of Success Coaching as reported in focus groups by over 50 students across ten North Carolina community colleges. Students who were assigned Success Coaches shared their candid feedback regarding their experiences and perceptions with respect to the benefits of having a Success Coach. Highlighted are the important roles that Success Coaches play in students’ lives as they support them by fostering personal connections, mentoring through barrier identification and capacity building, being a source of encouragement and accountability, bridging resources, and guiding students to their academic and career goals. It brings to light how much value having dependable advisors, coaches, and advocates are in programs, especially as students navigate through new and complex expectations, systems, and career pathways.

This brief can serve as a helpful resource to college transition and ABE/ESOL programs that are seeking new perspectives and approaches to increasing student success and raising completion rates.