In fall 2023, Rio Salado College launched Avanzar, a transformative program designed to support underserved student populations.
Eligible students will receive communication from one of the dedicated Academic Life Coaches to get started. Coaches are there to guide students through the challenges of college life. Whether it's career planning, figuring out how to balance life, work and school, or just someone to listen, Avanzar coaches are committed to helping students succeed.
“Our approach is personalized and supportive. We reach out via calls, texts, and emails to ensure you know we're here for you,” said Lulu Maldonado, one of the life coaches.
The four coaches - Malonado, John Bastain, Gabriela Holt and Clarice Wziatek - are receiving ICF accreditation for life coaching to help build rapport and offer a mix of guidance and resources to students as they navigate college journey.
“We know college can be overwhelming, but with Avanzar, you are not alone,” Bastain said. “We can help students take the next step toward their academic and personal goals.”
Rio Salado student Vazyla Menard acknowledged that support provided by Bastain in an email to Rio.
“When I received the first call from John Bastian I was not in good spirits,” Menard wrote. “I was stressed out and distraught over my current life situation … I do not remember the details of the call verbatim; however, I remember how understanding and engaged Mr. Bastian was.”
Menard came to Rio after completing high school studies at Arizona Virtual Academy. Struggling with life circumstances - and now living with an uncle and helping a grandmother - Menard noted that Bastain provided advice that is now daily practice.
“I have been learning to focus on my strengths and how to apply my attributes to a career or in my daily life,” Menard said. “Since working with John, I have communicated and practiced articulating my thoughts or feelings more efficiently.”
Students are eligible for the program if they are enrolled in at least six credits while they are seeking a certificate or degree and fit into just one of these categories:
- Pell-eligible
- A student of color
- A first-generation college student
- 20 years or older
“We’re here as support to help them succeed,” Malonado said. “I try to differentiate that we are not their academic advisor. We work with their advisor to help them with whatever they need.”
Avanzar Program Manager Henry Smith was himself a first-generation college student and can relate to many of those in the program.
“I remember when I went to college, I was scared out of my mind and out of my depth,” he said. “I wish someone had called me and said, ‘Hey, I can help you through this.’”
That’s the role coaches hope to fill, from pointing students to available resources on campus or figuring out time management to holding them accountable when they set a goal or guiding them through registration. Participating students also receive free access to the CliftonStrengths assessment to help them identify their strengths and how to use them.
“We want students to be in charge of their decisions,” Bastain said. “We focus on them and developing their lives.”