By Bianca Sa

Graduating high school and getting ready for college is a very exciting phase in students’ lives. As summer ends and orientation week approaches, students get ready for move in day, think about how they are going to decorate their dorms, look up student organizations they would like to join, and connect with their peers to familiarize with the place they will soon get to call home. As exciting as transition to college living and the first week of classes are, it doesn’t take long for students to realize how academically challenging college is and that certain skills may need improvement: time management, goal setting, stress management, study habits, and exam preparation.

To some, college can indeed be discouraging and success may feel unreachable. However, if there is one thing that students should always remember when facing challenging times is that Lindenwood is an exceptional university for several reasons, one of them being a phenomenal program designed specifically to help students achieve academic success: the Lion Life Coach (LLC) program.

The LLC program is offered by Student Academic and Support Services (SASS) and started in 2018 with the goal to form a supportive and coaching relationship with students. Lion Life Coaches are a network of support persons from SASS who work with students and faculty to navigate the policies, processes, and practices which enhance retention and academic success.

And who are the coaches mentioned above, committed to students’ academic success? They are Dr. Christie Rogers Rodgers, Penny Bryant, Sarah Leassner, Cathy Hart, Jeremy Keye, Brooke VonJensen, and Ryan Yarber. All coaches are assigned to schools where they have a considerable level of knowledge and experience, and their personal connections to the faculty and academic experiences enable them to connect students to resources on campus that will help them with their college journey. 

And what makes the program so incredible and efficacious? In Bryant’s own words, “We work to resolve issues beyond what the student’s advisor is able to do...Students know they can come to their LLC for anything. If we cannot resolve an issue, we will work to find someone who can.” By having a person that one can go to in face of uncertainty and understanding that one’s dreams and goals can be achieved, Lindenwood is positively impacted by “a more informed, competent student who is better prepared to persist in finding solutions inside and outside the classroom,” says Hart.

It goes without saying that every student encounter is a success story. One account reported by Leassner reflects how being an LLC is rewarding and inspiring: “I’ve worked with students who have had 0.17 GPAs and then when they reach their senior year they are wearing honor cords. Seeing them with their families and them telling, ‘you are the reason I am here.’ In my opinion, the students do the work, we are just there as their cheerleaders along the way.” Hart also shares a story worthy of being recounted: a student wanted to ask her professor for help but had no idea how to do so; Hart developed a role play exercise with the student where much of the stress and insecurity to reach out to the professor was alleviated. Hart encouraged the student in a way that never again he needed help to approach the professor. As Hart herself put it, “He went on to get an A in the class, and with that boost to his confidence, he made the Dean’s list the following semester.” These are just two stories out of so many incredible ones.

Some of the goals and visions for the program in the coming years are to encourage students to get to know their LLCs and establish a good relationship with them before they find themselves facing an issue, looking for ways to better equip underfunded students with academic resources such as technology and books, and to have a community of students who can support and encourage one another academically, similar to what athletic teams do. The LLC program supports Lindenwood’s mission statement in its entirety, and it will continue to do so by seeking excellence in advocating for students.