University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) has long championed adult learners, and in 2021, the university pioneered a system of holistic support designed to accommodate their goals, complex lives, and determination. Success coaches function as the cornerstone.
Dream big: Success coaches guide the way
Darrell Candace Bean, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Management in 2025 while working full-time, is one of many UMGC students who credit success coaches for helping them maintain momentum. As she celebrated graduation, Bean noted the profound role her success coach had played.
“My success coach, Jamey Sweeney, has had the greatest impact on my UMGC journey,” said Bean. “He listened to my goals and never thought my dreams were too big. His encouragement, guidance, and belief in my potential helped me stay focused and confident in achieving academic success while balancing my professional and personal responsibilities.”
Bean’s story is one of many. UMGC students are service members stationed around the world. Parents juggling school and family. Professionals advancing their careers. First-generation college students. Adults returning to the classroom after years away. The common thread is the uniqueness of their paths.
With success coaches providing personalized support, these students prove—again and again—that life’s challenges do not define their limits.
UMGC gets personal: Support beyond academic advising
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Aurel Benedict Alfaro-Buniel Maceda, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing in 2025, explained the differences. “The person at UMGC who affected me most was my success coach, Amanda Grant,” he said. “She consistently encouraged me, guided me through important decisions, and helped me stay confident and focused—especially during some of my busiest semesters balancing work, school, and becoming a new dad. She didn’t just support my academic journey; she reminded me that I had the ability to excel and finish strong. Her belief in me made a huge difference.”
Maceda isn’t alone. Success coaches provide the support students need to focus on their educational pursuits, despite life’s challenges. They help learners find strategies to eliminate stumbling blocks that could slow or stop their progress to graduation.
UMGC President Gregory W. Fowler, PhD, has been one of the coaching program’s staunchest advocates since it launched in 2021. “Some of our students encounter obstacles that are as unique as they are, and we know from personal experience that adult learners typically struggle when ‘life happens,’ not because they can’t master the content,” he said.
“Recognizing that, we are proud to be at the forefront of offering them personalized assistance, which I liken to a relationship between a mountain climber and sherpa; while the sherpa can’t climb the mountain for our learners, they can climb it with them,” Fowler explained. “Coaches offer expert guidance that helps our students reach the summit, or in our case, graduation.”
UMGC coaches help learners start and finish strong
Though success coaching has grown more common at colleges and universities, UMGC’s model stands apart. Coaches are trained to anticipate barriers before they become setbacks. They analyze data, monitoring signs like drops in academic achievement and engagement, and proactively reach out to help students get back on track.
Upon enrolling at UMGC, each student is assigned a success coach, who becomes their primary point of contact as they begin their learning journey. Coaches check in regularly, build rapport over time, and offer encouragement when life gets overwhelming.
If something urgent arises, UMGC support is readily available—by phone, text, email, or chat—which is key in a university with learners around the globe. If the dedicated coach is unavailable, another team member steps in immediately.
“Our success coaches are the backbone of the student experience at UMGC. I am tremendously proud of the positive impact they have on our learners—an impact that helps them forge their own paths to success, on their own timelines,” said Vice President of Student Success Susan Hawkins-Wilding.
While the program has already helped countless learners, the university continues to listen and act on feedback that improves the program. “Every day we learn from our students, take their opinions into account, invest in what works, and strive to improve to better serve them; our learners and their success are at the heart of everything we do,” Hawkins-Wilding added.
The UMGC difference: A commitment to each learner’s goals
Many UMGC success coaches see their role as more than a job. “My passion is inspiring and empowering students to achieve their academic and career goals,” said Success Coach Amanda Grant. “I take pride in treating each learner with professionalism, courtesy, and expertise tailored to their individual situation. My goal is to help learners persist toward achieving their dreams and set them up for future success!”
This dedication is why so many learners credit their coaches as the reason they kept going—why they stayed committed and focused, and ultimately, graduated.
Maceda noted, “If you’re serious about leveling up your career and your mindset, UMGC is the right place to grow.”