George �鶹��Ƶ coaching leaders hold first professional conference

Katarina Benson — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:20:38 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ coaching leaders hold first professional conference Katarina Benson Tue, 12/16/2025 - 13:20

Student Affairs and Academic Advising professionals from across the country attended the first Student Success Coaching Conference: Ignite Your Success Through Coaching in October. The conference, hosted by �鶹��Ƶ’s Student Success Coaching (SSC) unit, provided an opportunity for more than 400 coaching professionals from 100 institutions—including Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, Purdue University, and others—to collaborate and learn from each other.

Envisioned by SSC associate director TJ Pegg and assistant director Michael Ward, the conference was born from a simple idea: to create a space for coaching professionals within higher education to come together. The main goals of the conference were to create a purposeful space for the student success coaching community to learn, share, and collaborate in an ever-changing field, and to offer dedicated time and opportunities to connect with peers and gain new insights.

“We wanted our team to have the chance to host a conference fully,” said Ward. “We envision George �鶹��Ƶ becoming a global hub for the student success coaching field, much like Kansas State is for academic advising.”

“We wanted to make sure that we’re connecting with other coaching communities so that we can learn from each other, as success is a layered achievement,” Pegg said.

Success coaching has grown as a new functional area to support student success within the higher education. Since 2020, the university’s SSC unit has supported more than 20,000 students in achieving individualized success.

The need to support coaching professionals has grown into a collaboration with international associations like the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). NASPA’s Success Coaching Knowledge Community was cofounded by Adrienne White, former SSC director. Pegg and success coach Michael Rybak cofounded ACPA’s Task Force for Coaching.

Conference sessions addressed how to use coaching for student success, best practices of student assessment, and other trending topics. Attendees had opportunities to learn from one another and network through collaboration spaces, all online.

“Attending the sessions expanded my perspective and introduced new strategies and innovations that can be applied to my work,” said Tanzania Cooper, a presenter and attendee from Trinity Washington University. “I left the conference re-energized, connected to new colleagues, and motivated to continue bridging research, practice, and advocacy to elevate student success.”

Nena Rogers, two-time George �鶹��Ƶ alumna and current deputy athletic director for Student Services and Performance, delivered the opening keynote speech focused on the power of coaching to help students thrive.

“This is the perfect time for higher education professionals to come together in this capacity to share the knowledge, tools, and the amazing results that success coaching has on students’ lives,” said Kelly Severo, director of Student Success Coaching. “I’m excited to see this conference grow into an even bigger event in 2026. Coaching in higher education is a rapidly growing field, and the impact on students’ lives cannot be overstated.”

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Meet the �鶹��Ƶ Nation: TJ Pegg

Lauren Reuscher — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:08:43 +0000

Meet the �鶹��Ƶ Nation: TJ Pegg Lauren Reuscher Tue, 07/08/2025 - 11:08

TJ Pegg

Job: Associate Director for Student Success Coaching

TJ Pegg, Student Success Coaching. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Starting college can be an exciting and sometimes overwhelming experience. Life at a university presents new opportunities, challenges, and ways for students to find personal pathways to success. At �鶹��Ƶ, the Student Success Coaching team helps students navigate the transition to college and make the most of their student experience.

TJ Pegg has been part of the Student Success Coaching team for five years. In May 2025, he became the associate director for the unit, working directly with the coaches who serve the general student population. In his prior role at George �鶹��Ƶ, Pegg provided oversight for marketing, communications, and staff training for the department.

Coaching the coaches: An interest in supporting the holistic student experience drew Pegg to student success coaching. Pegg leads and supports the group of success coaches who meet directly with students throughout their university experience. His responsibilities draw upon his previous work at other institutions, which focused on housing and residence life, as well as advising student organizations.

“The work of success coaching translated nicely for me,” said Pegg. “We help students create a sense of belonging and to see how various campus resources can support their success in navigating college and life.”

Goal-oriented: All incoming freshmen and transfer students are assigned a success coach, and all students are eligible to make an appointment with a coach at any point in their academic journeys. Students often reach out for coaching appointments if they are struggling with time management or trying to fostering their sense of belonging on campus, according to Pegg.

Some students naturally seek out success coaching, while others are referred to the office by other campus resources. Since fall 2020, Student Success Coaching has hosted more than 20,000 appointments.

“Student Success Coaching is here to help students make the most of their George �鶹��Ƶ experience inside and outside of the classroom,” said Pegg. “We actively work with students to understand their own definitions of success, create goals, implement action plans, and connect with university resources to best support them.”

TJ Pegg leads and supports the group of success coaches who meet directly with students throughout their university experience. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Setting personal priorities: Appointments with success coaches can cover a range of discussion topics from academic to personal matters—anything a student brings forward that affects their needs and well-being as a student.

“One student I coached for about a year was highly engaged on campus and worked on campus, but was struggling with time management and their own well-being,” Pegg said. After Pegg helped the student reflect on their goals, the student said that the coaching experience truly helped them navigate campus life.

“This student shared that some of the questions I asked helped them evaluate how to prioritize which things they needed to continue, as well as activities or experiences that they have grown out of and are no longer serving the right purpose,” Pegg said.

Group effort: Students may meet with a Success Coach in addition to the academic advisor in their degree program. Student success depends on an entire network of faculty and staff across the university, and success coaches themselves can gain insights and skills by working with other specialists across campuses.

First impressions: To connect with students and campus partners, Student Success Coaching hosts a “Kickoff to Success Resources Fair” during Welcome2�鶹��Ƶ at the start of the fall semester. More than 20 university offices host tables during the event. Students can have an initial conversation with their coaches and speak with representatives from other units on campus. Campus partners can also take the opportunity to collaborate with success coaches on the best ways to support students.

“Students were energized and engaged with campus resources, and our team was activated and connecting with students,” said Pegg. “The event lets students know that they are not alone and have a lot of support behind them.”

Off the bench: Coaching is not just a resource when times are hard—but something Pegg encourages students to access throughout their academic journey.

“One of the biggest challenges is finding the best ways to connect with all students to help them understand the benefits of success coaching,” said Pegg. “We want students and staff to know that we’re here even when things are going well—not just when students need help.”

Can-do spirit: Outside work, Pegg enjoys spending time with his family and friends, traveling, and trying iced coffee at new coffee shops. A team player on and off campus, he also plays kickball and dodgeball in recreational sports leagues in Washington, D.C.

“This summer, I am pushing myself outside my comfort zone and playing volleyball,” Pegg said. Great coaches know that trying something new can open up a whole new set of possibilities.

Learn more about Student Success Coaching

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George �鶹��Ƶ coaching leaders hold first professional conference

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Meet the �鶹��Ƶ Nation: TJ Pegg

TJ Pegg

Job: Associate Director for Student Success Coaching

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