Undergraduate students: Student Success Coaching Program

April 4, 2020
Cynthia Barnhart, Chancellor, 2014–2021 | Suzy M. Nelson, Vice President and Dean for Student Life, 2016–2021 | Ian A. Waitz, Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate and Graduate Education |

Dear students,

We hope that all is well with you. We miss seeing everyone on campus, and like you, we have been working remotely for some time now. One way that we hoped we could stay connected is through the launch of the Student Success Coaching Program through which you will be matched with a dedicated MIT staff or faculty member — your coach — who will help you and other students stay connected to the Infinite. Coaches will serve as a resource to help you transition successfully to an online MIT experience.

Your coach will check in with you once a week by a 15-minute Zoom or phone conversation to see how you are doing and to help answer any questions you might have. They can also connect you to virtual offerings, including opportunities for career and professional development, experiential learning, and alumni who share similar interests. Through training and their knowledge of MIT, they will be able to refer you to support resources that can help you thrive in your remote learning.

While coaches may be able to help you adjust to the new academic environment, they are not intended to replace other people who you are already working with, including advisors, deans, clinicians, and friends, and they are meant to complement, but not replace, other campus resources. We also recognize there are many communities that are already offering similar opportunities for their students (including students creating these on their own!), and we expect those to continue.

If you do not want to participate in the coaching program, please respond to your coach’s initial outreach to let them know that you are not interested so we have accurate information about who is involved. You may also email studentsuccess@mit.edu if you would like to be matched with a different coach or have any questions about the program.

We hope you will enjoy the Student Success Coaching Program and will find the resources you need. We look forward to hearing your feedback.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Barnhart, Chancellor

Suzy M. Nelson, Vice President and Dean for Student Life

Ian A. Waitz, Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate and Graduate Education