University of Maryland Global Campus Scales Student Coaching Program Designed to Strengthen Support for Nearly 45,000 Online Learners

In partnership with coaching nonprofit InsideTrack, adult and online education provider University of Maryland Global Campus has trained nearly 200 success coaches to enhance student support

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ADELPHI, MD. (MAY 6, 2025) -- University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC)—the largest public university in the country—today announced results from an institution-wide coaching initiative designed to bolster its proven student success model and increase internal capacity to support its learner population. To help scale the quality and impact of its high-touch coaching and student support programs, the university has enhanced and expanded its in-house success coaching program to train every coach on the evidence-based coaching practices developed by national nonprofit InsideTrack. 

“This partnership strengthens our ability to support adult and non-traditional learners at scale, meeting the growing demand for flexible, career-focused education,” said Susan Hawkins-Wilding, vice president of student success at UMGC. “To truly meet the needs of today’s learners, institutions must also invest in the people that provide tailored support to students. Providing staff with the tools, training, and support to grow in their roles has improved our capacity to deliver personalized guidance, while also boosting staff retention and morale.”

Over the past two years, UMGC has worked to roll out a comprehensive staff training program for all coaches and leaders in the Office of Student Success, bolstering their ability to deliver high-quality, intensive support to online students facing unique challenges such as balancing work with part-time studies and family responsibilities, or adjusting to the demands of college coursework as a first-time student. UMGC’s 189 success coaches serve nearly 45,000 stateside undergraduate and graduate online learners.

As one element of a comprehensive effort to bolster wraparound support for a student population that includes a significant number of adult and online learners, UMGC engaged InsideTrack, the national nonprofit that has served more than 3.5 million learners since its founding in 2001. The organization's coaching model is rooted in more than two decades of serving students and institutions of every type and has been proven to measurably increase student persistence and graduation. 

Over the past year, a core group of UMGC student support staff participated in a series of evidence-based InsideTrack Coach Development & Training programs, which equip staff with the principles of effective student coaching and the skills needed to train peers on best practices, yielding a scalable model that will enable the university to maintain and expand the program in years to come. InsideTrack delivered training, along with the ongoing curriculum, to four cohorts in the first year of the partnership. Over that year, 46 coaches completed InsideTrack Coaching Certification. To build organizational capacity and sustain the training initiative, four assistant directors and the director of training also completed the InsideTrack Trainer Certification program. UMGC has subsequently led five additional training cohorts, so that all members of the Office of Student Success are now fully trained in the coaching methodology.

Success coaching roles are both deeply rewarding and uniquely challenging—often subject to high levels of turnover across the field. At UMGC, the training has proven to be a powerful tool for supporting coaches in their roles and strengthening long-term engagement. Since the program’s implementation, retention among staff has increased by more than 30%, enabling the university to expand its internal capacity and reduce the need for ongoing onboarding.

Coaches report that the training has also correlated with an increase in the number of longer and more in-depth interactions with students that address more than surface-level issues. As of January 2025, coaches who received training had reached out to 71.4% of students of their assigned populations within the past 30 days, and 94.2% of students had an up-to-date term plan. 

As a result of this work, and other student success initiatives across UMGC, course success rates increased by 4% in Fall 2024 compared to pre-partnership levels. Fall-to-spring reenrollment improved by 2.1%, and one-year retention rates for the fall cohort increased by 2%.

UMGC’s student body is reflective of the emerging demographics of today’s modern, adult learner: The average age of UMGC students stands at 31. Approximately 79% of its undergraduates work full-time and 35% are juggling work and family responsibilities. Over half (54%) are from underrepresented demographics. More than 60,000 UMGC students are military-affiliated, including those who are on active duty, in the reserves, veterans, or as spouses and dependents.

“At a time when adult and online students are often grappling with increased uncertainty in the economy, coaching can be a vital source of stability and strength in helping them navigate the challenges that can often throw them off course. It’s not just about helping students complete their education, but also about ensuring they have the support and resources they need to do so successfully,” said Ruth Bauer, president of InsideTrack. “This work is a testament to the fact that staff and learners alike benefit from investing in coaching development and training. This is about providing support that is both scalable and also deeply personalized, allowing institutions to support more students without sacrificing individualized attention in a way that is cost-effective and sustainable.” 

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About UMGC: University of Maryland Global Campus was founded more than 75 years ago specifically to serve the higher education needs of adult learners in the workforce and the military. Today, UMGC is the largest provider of postsecondary education in Maryland and continues its global tradition with online and hybrid courses, more than 175 classroom and service locations worldwide, and more than 135 degrees and certificates backed by the reputation of a state university and the University System of Maryland. For more information, visit umgc.edu.

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‍About InsideTrack: InsideTrack is a mission-driven nonprofit that fuels positive change by empowering and advancing all learners to achieve their educational and career goals through the transformative power of coaching. We help people get the education they need to enhance well-being, create opportunity and secure meaningful employment — ultimately facilitating economic and social mobility. Since 2001, we have served over 3.5 million learners, partnering with more than 380 institutions and organizations to directly improve enrollment, retention, completion, and career advancement — tailoring our coaching outcomes to fit the needs of our partners and the learners they support. Our coaching methodology is evidence-based and research-confirmed, supporting all types of learners at every stage of their journey — especially those who face systemic barriers to postsecondary success. We are a catalyst for transformational impact, ultimately empowering learners and the organizations that serve them. To learn more, visit www.insidetrack.org and follow us on LinkedIn @InsideTrack and X @InsideTrack. 

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