Success Coaching

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Success Center and Success Coaching

Become an engaged and competent learner with help from our undergraduate Success Centers. Whether you are a new first year student or transfer student, an upper-class student or soon-to-be graduate, our professional and graduate assistant Success Coaches are trained to assist you and connect you to the appropriate campus resources. Success Coaching offers programs to help new students make a strong start academically, and to assist students who need to improve their grade-point average and overall academic standing.

Our offices are open 8 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday and are in Noss Hall (California campus), Becht Hall (Clarion campus) and Barron-Forness Library (Edinboro campus). We welcome students by appointment and walk-in. Students can make an appointment through Starfish.

Questions about any of our coaching resources may be directed to successcoaching@pennwest.edu.
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what can a success coach do for me?

By meeting with a Success Coach or other representative of our office you can learn the academic skills that will allow you to set goals, achieve academic success and become the architect of your own future at PennWest and beyond.

connect with your success coach

Success Coaches are available for face-to-face meetings with undergraduate students on the California, Clarion and Edinboro campuses. Global Online students also have coaches available to them virtually. Appointments can be made via Starfish or log in to the kiosk located in their office at each campus for a walk-in appointment. Students in TRIO and ACT 101 programs also have assigned support networks and should work with their faculty advisor(s) to determine the best appointment type.

Staff can help you with topics such as:

Exploring strategies to identify & commit to your goals and maintain motivation
Time management
Note-taking and study methods
Test-taking strategies
Stress management
Scheduling and registering for classes
Communicating with professors (email and in person)
How your faculty adviser can assist you
Understanding academic policies, procedures and forms
Navigating university communication (social media, myPennWest Portal, email, etc)

The Success Center is here to motivate, encourage, and support students throughout their journey.

Compass Program for Incoming Freshmen

The Compass Program was created for first-year students who are identified as needing some additional support as they start their educational journey. Eligible students are automatically enrolled in the program. Compass includes a combination of resources and services known as “The Compass Core.” We know from experience that students who actively engage with the program are more likely to be academically successful.

All students in Compass are matched with a peer mentor. This is an upper-level student who assists first-year students with the transition to university life both inside and outside of the classroom.
In addition to having a peer mentor and a faculty mentor (through FYS 1000), students in the program create their success network by identifying friends and family who will also support them on their academic journey.
FYS 1000 is PennWest’s first-year seminar course. This course is designed to help first-year students develop core academic skills, build relationships with peers, and engage with campus resources.
Students in Compass receive automatic outreach multiple times each semester with information about tutoring services, success coaching, and the Writing Center.

Academic Recovery Programs

As outlined the Undergraduate Academic Standing policy, academic standing is updated at the end of each semester. PennWest University looks at both the cumulative (or overall) GPA and the term (or semester) GPA. In order to maintain “good academic standing,” students must maintain a cumulative and term GPA of 2.0 or higher.

Please note: Academic Suspension is different than a student’s financial aid status with the university. Our Financial Aid office can share more about Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and financial aid appeals .

Academic Warning

Students who fall below a 2.0 term GPA but have a cumulative GPA greater than 2.0 are on Academic Warning. Students on Academic Warning have access to success coaching and receive outreach communication from the Student Success Center.

Academic Probation

Students on Academic Probation (defined as a cumulative GPA less than a 2.0) are required to work with the Student Success Center (or TRIO faculty if eligible). Students will work with a Graduate Assistant and/or professional Success Coach to develop a personalized plan to improve their grade-point average and receive additional structure and support that may be necessary for students on academic probation, or who were readmitted after academic suspension or dismissal. Students are required to meet with an assigned staff member from our Student Success Center once a week throughout the semester for mandatory meetings to reflect on their progress toward their goals and to develop and strengthen their academic self-efficacy.

academic suspension

If a student on Academic Probation (a cumulative GPA less than 2.0) earns a term GPA less than 2.0, they will fall under Academic Suspension. Undergraduate students who are Academically Suspended from the University may submit an appeal by completing a form provided in their official academic standing letter from the Office of the Registrar. Deadlines for appeals for Spring semesters are Jan. 2 and for Fall semesters are June 10.

Suspension appeals are reviewed by a committee of faculty and staff with decades of higher education experience. Suspension appeals are not guaranteed to be approved.

Students who do not appeal their suspension or receive an appeal denial must take at least one semester off from the university.

Academic Dismissal

A student who has been academically suspended two previous times and who now meets conditions for a third suspension will be academically dismissed from the university. Students may appeal their academic dismissal by contacting the Student Success Center at studentsuccess@pennwest.edu.

Students who do not appeal their dismissal or receive an appeal denial must take off four consecutive regular (fall & spring) semesters following their dismissal.

For questions, contact studentsuccess@pennwest.edu.