Coach 2 Program
Tripp Powell
COACH (Career Opportunity ACHievement) is a two-year cohort program for young adults with mild to moderate intellectual or developmental disabilities. In addition to an academic focus on reading, writing, math and computer literacy, COACH also promotes social skills, independence and career exploration.
To apply for COACH, submit a completed application, the most recent IEP and two letters of recommendation with at least one from a transition teacher or special education resource personnel. Letters of recommendation should be written by non-family members. Applicants will also complete an in-person interview independently with program staff. Students must be able to be independent on campus during the program and should possess academic skills that generally fall within the 3 to 6 grade range. The application deadline for the fall 2025 cohort is Friday, May 16, 2025.
If at all possible, it is recommended that COACH applications and supporting documents be scanned and emailed to vocs...@cod.edu. If this method of exchanging information is not possible, contact Tracy Kline, Program Coordinator, klin...@cod.edu or (630) 942-3779 to discuss alternative means of submitting application information.
Students review and build skills in fundamental math, literacy and computer technology. They will also begin exploring career paths. This half of the program is cohort-focused, with curriculum designed specifically for COACH students.
In addition, COACH students are encouraged to participate in campus social life by joining a club, attending Student Life activities and participating in campus events. If available, students are also paired with a COD Buddy, who is a student who is trained in working with students with intellectual disabilities. COD Buddies act as ambassadors and mentors to COACH students, providing them a connection to the social aspect of the college experience.
Karla Megow Valerie Ulett Pamela Neuner Carol Dvorak-Mola
Karla Megow is our COACH-Year One morning instructor. Karla has over 40 years of experience teaching students with special needs in the high school and college settings.
Valerie Ulett is our COACH-Year One afternoon instructor. Val has taught at COD for over 30 years. She taught in the Office and Technology Department for 10 years and in the Developmental Education Department for over 20 years.
Pamela Neuner is our COACH-Year Two morning instructor. Pam was a teacher of students with special needs in the high school setting for over 30 years. She has been teaching at COD for five years.
Carol Dvorak-Mola is our COACH-Year Two afternoon instructor. Carol was a teacher of students with special needs in the high school setting for over 30 years. She has been teaching at COD for five years.
The Health Coach Program at the UC Riverside School of Medicine is a community-based collaborative aimed at reducing the number of patients with uncontrolled chronic conditions by training health coaches to support patient care by working with integral healthcare teams in a clinical setting.
At 52, I received my IIN Health Coach Certification. IIN not only provided me with the knowledge and resources I needed for my own hormonal health journey in midlife, but it gave me the tools I needed for the next chapter of my career. I now have the ability to confidently mentor other women in their integrative health journey.
I took a radical leap of faith by enrolling in the IIN Health Coach Certification ... I had no idea how life-changing this experience would be for me! The program was perfect because as I continued to travel, I could take the classes anywhere with an internet connection. What I loved most about my experience with IIN was that the more I transformed my own internal world, the more I could help others.
Yes, it is offered in Spanish, too. The Spanish version of The Health Coach Training Program contains the same curriculum content as the English version. All content within the curriculum will be translated, with Spanish closed captioning or transcripts provided for all lectures. Coaching Circle sessions, the interactive live calls with professional Integrative Nutrition Health Coaches, will be conducted in Spanish with a Spanish-speaking host. The class Facebook group discussion will also be conducted in Spanish. Students in the Spanish program will also have the opportunity to receive support from the IIN Student Advisor team in Spanish.
Some students connected with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) have disability symptomalogy which impacts their executive functioning skills, making things like organization and time management a particular challenge. Other students may have limited experience with the demands of college coursework and could benefit from some additional support to help them meet these demands. To address the needs of these students, the DRC has created the Cardinal Success Coach Program, which offers ongoing one-on-one attention to students to coach them through these challenges and hold them accountable for their own success. The program provides participating students with disabilities the opportunity to meet with a peer academic coach for one to five regularly-scheduled sessions per week throughout the semester. Coaches are experienced University of Louisville students that have been trained by the Disability Resource Center. During these meetings, the peer academic coaches can work one-on-one with students on topics including but not limited to:
Only students with documented disabilities are eligible to receive coaching through this program, and are strongly encouraged to also use academic accommodations. Participating students are expected to share syllabi and grades, fully engage in the coaching process, communicate with the coach if a session must be cancelled or rescheduled, and notify the program supervisor if they have any problems or concerns when working with their coach. Each student is responsible for their own success. Coaches provide support to students as they develop and exercise their academic skills, but students have ultimate responsibility for their own courses, progress, and performance.
Academic coaching is a personal service, not an accommodation provided by the DRC. Therefore, unlike accommodations, there is a fee for participating in this program. Students who are clients of the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation may be able to work with their OVR Counselor to receive funding to participate in this program. The fees to participate in the Cardinal Success Coach Program are structured as follows:
The Disability Resource Center has a Service Fee Memorandum with the KY Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for this program. Students who are clients of KY OVR may be able to work with their OVR Counselor to receive funding to participate. The Disability Resource Center recommends that students speak with their OVR Counselor in advance to verify their eligibility for this funding.
The Engagement Coach Training program is a coaching skills development program aligned to International Coach Federation (ICF) standards. The program has five courses plus a performance evaluation, designed to train participants in the ICF core competencies. This leads to enhanced communication skills, more effective relationships and greater work/life fulfillment skills that can be invaluable in any environment.
In this second course, Expand, participants are introduced to new strategies to assist clients in expanding their perspectives and designing actions to move the client forward. Expand deepens and builds on the foundational learning from the first course, Engage.
In this third course, Experience, participants are introduced to new techniques to help clients be present to a broader range of emotions to experience all aspects of life in a more impactful, fulfilling way. Experience deepens and builds on the foundational learning from the first and second courses in order to integrate all of the components of the Engagement Coaching Model and create coaches with a broadened range.
In this fourth course, participants demonstrate and strengthen essential coaching skills through the integration and application of all components of the Engagement Coaching Model for clients and small groups. Participants implement structures that support the coach to sustain powerful action to realize goals and continue evolving as a coach. Participants deepen, enhance and incorporate coaching skills learned in the previous Engagement Coaching courses, Engage, Expand and Experience.
In this fifth and final coaching course, participants apply new tools and activities in the coaching process. Participants demonstrate an elevated level of professional coaching standards and impact integrating a complete range of coaching skills learned in the previous Engagement Coaching courses.
This performance evaluation is for participants who have successfully completed the five coaching courses in this program and want to pursue the ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) ACTP pathway. Participants will integrate a complete range of Engagement Coaching skills in this performance evaluation and demonstrate an elevated level of professional coaching standards aligned with the International Coach Federation (ICF) core competencies.
Coaching is about supporting people as they move from Point A to Point B and beyond. For participants interested in becoming a certified coach, this program fulfills the 125-hour coach-specific training requirement for the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) Level 2 pathway through ICF. Participants can also complete four coaching course to earn the credit or non-credit Life and Engagement Coach Certificate through AACC.
The Engagement Coach Training Program aligns with ICF standards and trains new coaches in a diverse coaching skill set gleaned from the five courses: Engage, Expand, Experience, Integration and Impact. After completing the five courses, coaches will have an arsenal of skills and tools to use with clients in a range of environments at work, home and beyond.
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