Polk State Success Coaches help freshmen start strong

The checklist for enrolling in college can seem daunting, but Success Coaches at Polk State College help with the heavy lifting for freshmen by providing step-by-step assistance with the onboarding process.

To help freshmen start strong and stay on track, success coaching offers personalized guidance from day one and connects first-year students with dedicated professionals on each campus who provide support tailored to individual goals.

“Success coaching is the ultimate college hack,” said Miriam Lopez, a Success Coach on the Winter Haven Campus. “We are here to support and hear each and every one of our freshmen students. We guide them, we support them and we give them the tools they need to be successful.”

From understanding degree pathways and educational plans to building time-management skills and study habits, Success Coaches focus on the full student experience. They help demystify college expectations and provide a consistent point of contact throughout the academic year.

“Coaching is a lot of different things,” said Kathleen O’Donnell, a Success Coach on the Lakeland Campus. “It’s personalized one-on-one time with students to get to know them and what they want to pursue, and talking to them about what to expect from college.”

At its core, the program blends advising, mentoring and resource navigation into one cohesive support system.

“A Success Coach is a fusion of a mentor, guidance counselor and advisor who helps students with academic challenges and also helps them identify goals,” explained April King, Success Coach on the Lakeland Campus.

In addition to academic planning, coaches assist students in navigating essential processes that can sometimes feel overwhelming.

“We help and guide them through the admission process, financial aid and other resources available here,” said Keila Febo, Success Coach on the Winter Haven Campus.

For many students – particularly those who are the first in their families to attend college – having a trusted advocate can make all the difference. Coaches help them build confidence.

“I encourage students to meet their Success Coaches because it can be very overwhelming when you first start college, especially if you don’t have that support outside of college,” said Yanique Mills, Lakeland Success Coach. “We are your guides, your liaisons.”

The impact of the program extends beyond students’ first year.

“We have students who have moved on to their second year or who have graduated and come back and tell us how wonderful it was that we were there for them,” said Vivian Yakpo-Newton, a Success Coach on the Winter Haven Campus. “That means a lot.”

Success Coaches are assigned to students based on campus and the first letter(s) of their last names and can be reached by phone, email, in person or in the Watermark Student app. Students are encouraged to download the app on their devices, log in using their my.polk.edu credentials and go to “Meetings” to schedule a “New Meeting” with their Success Coach.

Lakeland Campus

Yanique Mills (A-Gr)
863.669.2307
yabrahams-mills@polk.edu
LTB 1151

April King (Gs-Ri)
863.669.4992
aking@polk.edu
LTB 1150

Kathleen O’Donnell (Rj-Z)
863.669.4996
kodonnell@polk.edu
LTB 1149

Winter Haven Campus

Vivan Yakpo-Newton (A-Gr)
863.297.1093
vnewton@polk.edu
WLR 237B

Miriam Lopez (Gs-Ri)
863.669.2926
mlopez@polk.edu
WLR 237A

Keila Febo (Rj-Z)
863.298.6866
kfebo@polk.edu
WLR 205E