Last fall, Cornell Health’s Skorton Center for Health Initiatives launched a Well-Being Coaching pilot program, designed to guide students in setting and pursuing their well-being goals. Well-Being Coaching is a strengths-based approach to support students’ mental health and well-being. To date, the pilot has yielded significant outcomes for participants, garnered positive feedback, and underscored its relevance to the student population. 

Made possible through a generous gift from the Class of 1965, the Well-Being Coaching pilot saw a total of 147 coaching meetings booked, with over 60% representing graduate and professional students. Over 90% of respondent participants reported making progress on their well-being goals.   

Preliminary results show that respondents reported significant improvements in a wide range of well-being domains after engaging in coaching, including happiness and life satisfaction, physical and mental health, character and virtue, close social relationships, and material and financial stability, with purpose and meaning showing the steepest rise.  

“We’re finding that this personalized, strength-based support has been effective in helping students navigate a diverse range of challenges, including academic concerns and interpersonal issues, by setting meaningful goals and pursuing work-life harmony,” said Abigail Dubovi, assistant director for research and evaluation at the Skorton Center for Health Initiatives who manages the coaching program. “By providing this type of tailored well-being coaching and collaborative partnership, the program aims to help students get ‘unstuck’ and identify and pursue what matters to them in the face of life’s inevitable ups and downs.” 

“Regular meetings with my coach helped me thrive at Cornell and work through all the challenges that life and school continue to throw at me,” said one student through an anonymous feedback survey. “Well-being coaching provides a very accessible and personal resource for well-being at Cornell. I would recommend everyone explore it as an option." 

Students complete an initial survey to participate and provide information about their well-being goals, strengths, and reasons for engaging in coaching. Students then schedule an initial meeting with a well-being coach, based on their availability and preference to meet either in-person or through Zoom. There is currently no limit to the number of times a student can meet with a coach.  

There are currently eight part-time well-being coaches, who are full-time employees working at Cornell in other capacities.  Coaches partner directly with students in one-on-one meetings to help them navigate barriers; find and maximize their strengths, values, and motivation for change; and create their own well-being vision and goals. They receive ongoing training and education in evidence-based coaching approaches on how to support students in navigating life challenges and connect students to additional support or resources as needed. 

After each meeting, students are invited to provide feedback to assess their satisfaction with coaching, goal progress, and contribute to ongoing program evaluation and enhancement. 

“Students mention that they feel better after we meet, feeling clearer, more grounded, and calmer due to the coaching meetings,” said Amanda Carreiro, a house assistant dean with the West Campus House System who has worked as a well-being coach for the past year and looks forward to continuing the role into the future. “I find it deeply satisfying to help facilitate a student’s personal growth and discovery, and I feel honored when they trust me with their fears and struggles.” 

For the fall 2024 semester, the Skorton Center is adding additional coaches to expand the program, with the goal of supporting students' holistic well-being and helping them flourish throughout their academic experience at Cornell. The Cornell Tech campus will also be adding coaches this fall.