How an innovative coaching network met pandemic-sized needs

New report shows true impact of Emergency Coaching Network — with 78% overall retention rate

When COVID-19 turned the world upside down in March of 2020, college students from coast to coast were forced to return home and attend school virtually as campuses closed. Overnight, job loss, childcare issues, health concerns and a cloud of uncertainty became the norm. It was during this time that InsideTrack partnered with two nonprofit organizations — ECMC Foundation and Strada Education Network — to fund the Emergency Coaching Network, allowing schools to provide an additional layer of student support at no cost.

Support for students, support for institutions

The Emergency Coaching Network was created and launched with two main goals:

‍1. To provide opt-in, one-on-one emergency coaching services to students

2. To support institutions through training, community network support, and shared insights

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‍The program ran from September 2020 through December 2021 and supported over 1,000 students at 20 colleges and universities. Students at participating institutions had access to direct, personalized coaching from specially trained InsideTrack coaches. Support staff at network institutions received leadership training offered by InsideTrack, as well as a monthly newsletter and webinars designed to keep staff connected and be able to share ideas.

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Ambitious initiative creates significant impact — for students and schools

The power that came from multi-partner engagement changed the trajectory of more than 1,000 students at institutions across the nation. Here are some key takeaways:

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• The retention rate for students who participated in Emergency Coaching was 78%, compared to the national four-year retention rate of 61%
• 56% of students using the service required crisis coaching from the InsideTrack Crisis Support Services team
• The top reason for seeking support was managing school, followed by transitioning to online learning, food insecurity, and stress/health
• Student impact surveys show transition to online learning, managing school, finance, and childcare/caregiving as the areas of most improvement following coaching
• These same surveys show that coaching helped them most with confidence, hope, planning and focus

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A post-program evaluation by Cicero, a third-party firm, showed that InsideTrack’s Emergency Coaching Network created significant impact for the diverse student and academic institution staff who participated. Read more about the program – and the impact – in our comprehensive report.