A presentation by DEISS staff members at a national higher education conference attracted strong interest from student affairs professionals seeking new ways to support student success and retention.

Dr. Barry Hall II, Senior Director of Charter Through College Programs, and Genevieve Reside, Assistant Director of Charter Scholars, presented “From Coaching to Completion: Boosting Persistence Through Student Success Coaching for Urban Scholars” during the 2026 NASPA Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education, held June 10–13 in Austin, Texas.

The session highlighted the student success coaching model the DEISS uses and its role in helping students persist and thrive throughout their college experience, and how distinct coaching practices help students build confidence, strengthen self-advocacy skills, and improve academic performance..

Attendees learned about the infrastructure and resources needed to establish sustainable coaching systems on college campuses. Data demonstrating improved persistence among students who participated in coaching programs was also shared, along with interactive activities designed to help participants identify barriers to student success and develop coaching strategies for their own institutions.

Several attendees expressed interest in launching or expanding coaching initiatives at their own institutions and requested follow-up conversations and resource sharing with the DEISS.

As colleges and universities continue searching for effective ways to increase retention and student achievement, the strong response to the presentation underscored a growing recognition of coaching as a powerful tool for helping students reach graduation and beyond.