“I’m convinced of this: Good done anywhere is good done everywhere. For a change, start by speaking to people rather than walking by them like they’re stones that don’t matter. As long as you’re breathing, it’s never too late to do some good.”- Maya Angelou

The Art of Advocacy: ‘Who is My Advocate?’

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned was during my Graduate school application process. I was faced with the challenge of financing my education. My decision to apply for a Graduate Assistantship to finance my education taught me basic advocacy skills. This experience taught me the importance of asking the right questions and how academic success is closely tied to a student’s ability to advocate for themselves and develop essential foundational skills to effectively utilize academic resources available on campus. Through this experience, I learned the art of advocacy and advocating for my educational endeavors. What I found out is most of the time, administrators, employers, and admissions committees are interested in hearing how students plan to use their education in their professional careers. How do your goals and dreams make sense to you? Learning to advocate for myself has been one of the most powerful skills that my college education offered me and a skill we are tasked, as coaches, with teaching the students we work with.

Drawing from Anthony Grant’s definition of life coaching, we can view the role of a coach in an academic setting as a collaborative, solution-focused, and result-oriented process. The coach works towards enhancing academic experiences and achieving goals for nonclinical clients. It is also recognized by scholars that there are ‘hidden curriculums’ comprised of unspoken norms, values, and expectations that influence students’ academic journeys. Academic coaching aims to support students in navigating these challenges in higher education by providing them with the necessary tools and resources for success. By equipping students with these tools, academic coaches can effectively assist students on a case-by-case basis as they access student services on campus.

As coaches, it is important to remember that we are coaching students; at first, it is okay to be hands-on and support your students in their academic endeavors, but it is also important to remember the importance of challenging students to develop new foundational skills that promote success on their own. The end goal is to have your students coaching themselves in all aspects of their lives, and being consciously aware of the landscape around them is the most important first step.