Coaching in Higher Education Certificate Program

There is a growing need within public colleges for leaders to have the knowledge, skills, and expertise to effectively lead and support individuals and teams. These virtual courses provide an overview of coaching strategies, explore the elements of developing a coaching mindset and approach, and review coaching core competencies and ethics. Specifically targeted for postsecondary leaders, these courses will highlight strategies for coaching that support team-based, organizational change leadership projects and programs, as well as strategies to support individual peer and student coaching.

Coaching strategies have been used nationally by Achieving the Dream, Education Strategy Group, and Jobs for the Future to further support organizational change efforts and projects in higher education. Additionally, the International Coaching Federation (ICF) provides core competencies and ethical recommendations for executive leadership and other individual and team coaching. At the state-level, the first course is an offering of the NYS Student Success Center Coaching Academy. By supporting coaches at all levels in higher education, these courses are designed to develop leaders who can help guide their institutions and support students to enhance success and completion. The courses will utilize online synchronous learning sessions, online discussions, surveys, readings, videos, case studies, and an end of course summary reflection.

See individual course descriptions below for detailed information.

Sponsored by the NYS Student Success Center and the SUNY Center for Professional Development (CPD)

Course Descriptions

Course 1: Coaching Strategies

There is a growing need within public colleges for leaders to have the knowledge, skills, and expertise to effectively lead and support individuals and teams. This virtual course provides an overview of coaching strategies, explores the elements of developing a coaching mindset and approach, and reviews coaching core competencies and ethics. Specifically targeted for postsecondary leaders, this course will highlight strategies for coaching that support team-based, organizational change leadership projects and programs, as well as strategies to support individual peer and student coaching.

At the completion of this course, all participants should be able to:

Describe coaching strategies and identify opportunities for using them in the higher education context
Develop effective coaching and facilitation skills
Identify and share the essential coaching core competencies
Demonstrate and apply specific coaching skills

Completion Requirements: To achieve a completion certificate, you must complete pre, mid and post course surveys, participate in four (4) synchronous sessions and watch recordings for any missed session, participate in three (3) out of the four (4) triad meetings, participate in all online discussions, and submit an end of course summary reflection. For completion with distinction, you can submit a 30 minute recorded coaching session for feedback from instructors. You can expect to spend 3-4 hours/week in the course activities.

Additional Requirements:

Required text: Kimsey-House, K. (2018). Co-Active Coaching. ISBN-10: 9781473674981 | ISBN-13: ‎978- 978-1473674981 Amazon: $18.00 – $19.99

Required Assessment: Clifton Strengths: All participants will complete a Clifton Strengths Top 5 assessment as part of the program. The program fee will cover the cost (approximately $20 per attendee). Information on how to complete the assessment will be discussed within the course.

Course Delivery: Twelve (12) weeks, online asynchronous and six (6) synchronous sessions.

Course Dates:

Summer: May 20th-August 11th, 2025

Summer Synchronous Meeting Dates: Wednesdays 10:00am -11:30am

May 21^st
June 4^th
June 18^th
July 2^nd
July 16^th
July 30^th

Course 2: Developing a Student Success Coaching Mindset

Prerequisite: Coaching Strategies

In today’s dynamic higher education landscape, student success coaching has become a vital tool for supporting holistic student development and enhancing retention and completion rates. This six-week course considers coaching strategies in a student support context and focuses on teaching the skills, and frameworks necessary for effective and holistic student success coaching. Grounded in evidence-based practices, the course emphasizes goal-oriented, strengths-based coaching approaches that empower students to reach their academic and personal goals.

Participants will explore solution-focused coaching methods that can be tailored to address the diverse needs of students. This course complements “Coaching Strategies in Higher Education” by focusing specifically on student-centered coaching techniques and their practical application in driving student success outcomes.

This course offers student success coaches, faculty, staff and campus leadership the opportunity to learn how student success coaching can enhance and inform their work. Participants will engage in two coaching sessions throughout the course to apply learning. These sessions can be completed independently or via an optional synchronous Zoom session.

By course end, participants will have a toolkit for student success coaching promoting the attainment of sustainable academic goals, personal growth, and holistic development among students. The course will include case studies, discussions, and practical assignments aimed at developing scalable, culturally responsive, and goal-driven student coaching strategies. Participants can expect to spend two (2) hours a week on asynchronous readings, videos, and online discussions.

At the completion of this course, all participants should be able to:

Analyze the principles of evidence-based, strengths-based, and solution-focused coaching to support holistic student development and success in higher education.
Design a student success coaching strategies toolkit that addresses diverse student needs, ensuring cultural responsiveness and adaptability for institutional scalability.
Apply strengths-based coaching techniques that empower students to leverage their capabilities to achieve academic and personal growth.
Evaluate the effectiveness of coaching strategies through continuous improvement methods, adjusting approaches to meet evolving student goals.

Course Delivery: Six (6) weeks, online asynchronous with three (3) synchronous 90-minute session.

Course Dates:

Summer: September 23rd-November 3rd, 2025

Fall Synchronous Meeting Dates: Three (3) synchronous Wednesday meetings, 9:00am – 10:30am (dates down below)

September 24
October 8
October 22

Course Completion Requirements: To achieve a course completion certificate, participants must complete all assigned reflection discussion posts, end of course summary reflections, the expected synchronous meetings, as well as participate in at least two (2) practice coaching sessions.

Target Audience

Mid to senior level leaders in a wide range of roles across functional areas (administration, faculty and staff) in postsecondary higher education institutions will benefit from this content. Additionally, leaders at all levels who are tasked with leading organizational change projects within their higher education institutions are welcome.

Course Completion Requirements

This is not a passive professional development program and participants should be active learners. Participants must be willing to practice coaching themselves, be coached by others in the program, and be observed while coaching. Reflection and constructive feedback will be required of all participants.

Course Pricing

Course 1: Coaching Strategies (12 weeks)

CPD Member: $400

SUNY Campus: $450

Non-SUNY: $500

Course 2: Developing a Student Success Coaching Mindset (6 weeks)

CPD Member $300

SUNY Campus: $350

Non-SUNY: $400

Both Course 1 and Course 2 (18 weeks)

CPD Member: $620

SUNY Campus: $720

Non-SUNY $820

Group Discounts Available

Additional discounts are available to groups of the following size attending the same program:

5-9 people = 10% discount
10-19 people = 15% discount
20-29 people = 20% discount

Please send your group request to cpdinfo@suny.edu at least 30 days prior to the start of the course/program.

How to Pay

Payment Terms

Full payment is required within 30 days of registration. If the campus intends to cover the registration fee, prior approval must be obtained; otherwise, the registrant remains responsible for payment should the selected method be denied.
Completion badges will not be issued until full payment has been received.

FULL payment is required 30 days from the date of registration. If the campus denies the selected payment method, the registrant will be responsible for payment.

Cancel/Drop Period

Registrants must utilize the course cancellation form (linked in the registration confirmation email) to be officially cancelled from the program.

If you registered for all of the program courses to receive a full refund you MUST cancel no later than the end of the first week (Sunday) of EACH course.
For multi-course registrations that include a discounted rate, cancellation will result in forfeiture of the discount, and standard course fees will apply.

No Shows

Programs have limited space and tend to fill to capacity. Individuals registered have reserved a space in the program. Registrants who do not attend will be charged the full registration fee. Refunds will not be issued for any registration in which a no show occurs, and written cancellation was not received prior to the event.

Click to view SUNY CPD Terms & Conditions Policy.

Click to view SUNY Refund Policy.

Meet the Instructors

Renee Dimino

Renee Dimino is a professor at Monroe Community College and was the SUNY Guided Pathways Project Director. She has served as an alumni college coach as well as a lead coach supporting other pathways coaches. She currently serves as a lead coach for SUNY REACH. She was a participant in the NYS Student Success Center Coaching Academy Cohort 1 and Achieving the Dream’s national coach training. Renee co-designed and co-teaches the SUNY Center for Professional Development (CPD) course Coaching Strategies for Higher Education and Design and Deliver Inclusive Courses. She completed the SUNY SAIL Mindful Leadership and the Career Readiness Champion certificate programs, both with distinction. In her faculty role, she coordinates College Success (COS) courses and adjunct faculty, and she uses her coaching skills in teaching College Success, co-requisite English, Health, and Career Development courses. Renee is a trained reflective practice facilitator who has a passion for student success and faculty development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Education from SUNY Geneseo and a master’s degree in Education from SUNY Brockport. She is currently pursuing her national health and wellness coaching certificate and enjoys spreading mindfulness through her business Mindful Life Connections.

Michele Forte

Michele Forte completed the first cohort of the Coaching Academy and serves as a lead coach for the SUNY REACH project. Dr. Forte also works across several multi-campus, cross-functional communities of practice at the system level and is also a coach with the New York Student Success Center (NYSSC) Coaching Academy as well as for the SUNY REACH initiative. Dr. Forte is also an Associate Professor at SUNY Empire State University and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York State. She has extensive experience in mentoring and coaching diverse organizational and student populations in various educational and not-for-profit settings. Her scholarly interests include competency-based frameworks for assessing learning, high-impact coaching and mentoring models, and connections between grief, loss, and resilience.

Susan Warner

Susan currently serves as the Manager of Online Student Support at SUNY Online. In this role, Susan is deeply committed to fostering collaboration among SUNY faculty and staff to promote the best practices in online student support and empowering SUNY campuses with essential online student support resources.

In her previous role as the Lead Success Coordinator for SUNY Online, Susan spearheaded the training and leadership of the SUNY Online Degrees at Scale student success coaching team, which provided success coaching to online students across seven SUNY campuses encompassing over twenty programs.

Before her tenure at SUNY Online, Susan played a pivotal role in implementing Guided Pathways at Monroe Community College as an MCC School Specialist. Susan has a passion for an appreciative, strengths-based approach to proactive student success coaching and a strong commitment to providing equitable, accessible support to all students.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Susan finds joy in coffee gatherings with friends, cheering on the Buffalo Bills, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Registration For Summer/Fall 2025

Course 1: Coaching Strategies

May 20th-August 11th, 2025

Summer Synchronous Meetings: Wednesdays 10:00am-11:30am

May 21st
June 24th
June 18th
July 2nd
July 16th
July 30th

Course 2: Developing a Student Success Coaching Mindset

September 23rd- November 3rd, 2025

Fall Synchronous Meetings: Three (3) Wednesday meetings, 9:00am – 10:30am

September 24
October 8
October 22

Contact Us

The SUNY Center for Professional Development (CPD) supports a wide range of professional development opportunities for the academic, technical, and leadership communities across the SUNY System.

Phone: 315-214-2440 Email: cpdinfo@suny.edu