Yash Gajera
NEWARK, NJ — “When Essex County College launched its Success Coaches program last year, its mission was simple: Focus on student retention,” ECC President Anthony Munroe said, adding that the college has 20 such coaches who work with students in specific academic areas.
Success coach Yash Gajera said he is in constant contact with his students via phone and email. “I’m a graduate of ECC, so I can assist students from the perspective of my own experiences,” he said. Gajera said that prior to the start of the fall 2019 and spring 2020 semesters, he reached out to all students assigned to him. Motivation is one tool he frequently uses.
Fellow success coach Jonathan Ribeiro said, “Our assignment is to keep them on track for graduation and to provide them with all resources they may need to reach their goals.”
Last semester, for example, a former student who had been in the Balance Forgiveness Program, contacted Ribeiro, saying she wasn’t sure about returning to college.
“I told her she was so close to graduating, with only nine credits left for her degree. I was able to motivate her and she completed her requirements in December,” he said.
“In addition to maintaining contact with students, I provide them with available resources,” Gajera said. “They email me whenever questions arise.”
The Success Coaches program is under the direction of Sanjay Ramdath, executive director of enrollment management.
The success coaches also provide to students information on a number of wrap-around services the college offers. These include the food pantry, which addresses student food insecurity; the Wellness Center; and the college’s Vision Care program, which offers discounted eyeglasses to students. Students are also kept aware of financial aid information and services offered through the Educational Opportunity Fund.
The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in many new challenges, as the college has switched to remote instruction only. Ribeiro and Gajera said they preemptively talked to their students about how to prepare for remote instruction weeks before the college had to make the switch. They talked to a number of students who, at first, were uncomfortable taking classes remotely.
“Some students were concerned early on,” Ribeiro said. “They were not used to doing all their work online. I’ve demonstrated to students how to download Zoom. We are trying to make the transition as easy as possible.”
Gajera has also been helping students with remote instruction. Recently, he heard a student was enrolled in a class, but her professor was unable to locate her. It turned out that she wasn’t able to go online for the class. After Gajera tracked her down, he was able to provide her with the assistance to resume her classes.
“It’s tough, as some students are experiencing difficulty at this time,” Gajera said. “But we are working through it.”
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