Story by Susan Tolleson, JCCC
The transition to college is a pivotal period in a student’s academic, personal, and professional development. Whether students are coming to college from high school, the workforce, or from another college or university, it’s a big adjustment. They must adapt to a wide range of expectations that often extend beyond the classroom.
Each student at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) can find guidance through a team of success coaches, counselors, and career coaches to support them on their educational journey.
Success coaches smooth the move to college, support through graduation
Success coaches work one-on-one with students to transition from high school to college, but students can work with their success coach throughout their entire time at JCCC. They help students to identify their strengths and challenges as a student, recommend healthy ways to balance responsibilities, and set achievable goals.
JCCC success coaches can also help students manage life as a college student, with strategies to:
- Develop healthy habits
- Build momentum and a bias toward action
- Increase resilience despite obstacles
- Learn from failures and celebrate victories
- And discover and use campus resources
“Students are the experts of their own lives, but we can help them discover their needs during college,” said Danielle Gallegos, Lead Success Coach, JCCC. “Our job is to guide them through a plan of action that will help them work towards goals they’ve set for themselves.”
Counselors remove guesswork from course selection
For students who need guidance in selecting classes, JCCC’s counselors advise on next steps and point students in the right direction. Counselors are available to talk with them in person or virtually – in some cases, many don’t require an appointment.
Counselors can also let students know about the available tools and help them:
- Create an educational plan and track graduation progress
- Develop an academic success plan for a specific class
- Improve time management techniques to help them thrive
- Refer them to JCCC’s Student Assistance Programs for mental health support
“The counseling center at JCCC plays a pivotal role in student success,” said Alex Wells, JCCC’s Assistant Dean of Counseling and New Student Retention. “We know students need more than just a list of courses to take. Our holistic approach ensures students have the greatest chance of success for whatever their educational or career goals may be.”
Career coaches help students discover possibilities for their future
More than 60% of freshmen have no idea what they want to do for a career, says Crystal Stokes, JCCC Career Development Center Coordinator. “That’s where we come in. We teach students the skills for lifelong career success so they can be equipped and empowered to make a valuable impact in today’s workforce.”
JCCC students have access to free resources to learn about possible careers and how to prepare for their future through JCCC’s Career Development Center. Career coaches help students discover, explore, and prepare for the world of work through personal assessments and workshops that help students better understand their values, interests, personality, and strengths to find the career right for them.
First, students discover their values/strengths through interactive workshops, career assessments, and online self-discovery tools. Next, supported by their career coach, students take their discoveries and explore career pathways through internships/externships, job shadowing, the Careers & Conversations industry panel series, and more.
As students prepare for the working world, career coaches can help them prepare strong resumes, practice interview skills, create a LinkedIn page, and find more opportunities through Career Development Center-sponsored events.
Learn more
All JCCC students (including high school students who take College Now classes through JCCC) have access to JCCC support team resources at no additional cost to them. Learn about additional JCCC offerings to help students thrive at jccc.edu/student-resources.
