Get to Know Meredith Success Coaches 

Having reached the midway point of the first year of Meredith’s new Success Coach program, we thought it might be helpful to touch base with our three Success Coaches to clarify their roles and get to know them a little bit better. 

Q: Describe your role as a Success Coach. What does a typical day look like?

A: A typical day in the role of a Success Coach varies depending on the time of the year. Over the summer, we are reaching out to our new students to get to know them on a personal level (major interest, hobbies, what brought them to Meredith, etc.), as well as helping with Registration, StartStrong, and Orientation. Throughout the semester, we contact students about upcoming deadlines and events and answer any questions they may have. We always encourage students to make appointments with us for skill development, academic planning, and holistic check-ins.

Q: How does your work differ from what faculty advisors do? 

A: Success Coaches stay with students throughout their time at Meredith regardless of what major they declare or if they change majors. While faculty advisors provide discipline-specific expertise, Success Coaches support holistic success and help students improve skills that will help them be successful students in any discipline. Success Coaches reach out to students proactively and actively monitor student progress.

Q: What is your favorite part of being a Success Coach?

A: Seeing students accomplish their goals and gain confidence in skills they previously thought they lacked is definitely the highlight of being a Success Coach. We help students strive to reach their potential not only as students but also as individuals. When a student comes into our offices to tell us how they’ve managed to budget their time for a series of upcoming exams after initially struggling to do so at the beginning of the school year, it makes being a Success Coach worthwhile.

Q: How can the campus community support your work with Meredith students? 

A: By encouraging students to make the most of this resource by meeting with their Success Coaches!

Q: What has surprised you in your work as a Success Coach?

A: We wear many hats for our students. We are keepers of knowledge ranging from general Meredith College questions, to where the closest bus stop is. We also serve as advocates, problem-solvers, and a friendly smile for our students across campus.

Meet the Success Coaches

Lynn Ghodbane
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and I conducted original research on academic stress and correlated factors in first-year college students. My hometown is St. Louis, MO. I have worked in education with every age from pre-K to college students.

My favorite food is Pad Thai! 

For fun, I love live music and exploring Raleigh’s parks.

Taylor Mullins
I grew up in Wise, Virginia, which is a very small mountain town located in Southwest Virginia. I graduated from The University of Virginia’s College at Wise (UVa-Wise) in 2018 with a B.S. in Business Administration. I then continued my education at Liberty University where I received my M. Ed. In Higher Education – Educational Leadership in 2020. I have worked at three different higher education institutions over the last four years – The University of Virginia, North Carolina Central University, and now here at Meredith College. 

My favorite food? That’s a hard one! I’m definitely a foodie, but if I had to pick one, probably pizza. 

My hobbies include: traveling, working out, and exploring hiking trails with my two dogs, Ellie and Luna.

William Christy
I earned my Master of Arts in English with a concentration in Literature. I was raised in Memphis, Tennessee, though I consider Raleigh, North Carolina my home. I worked as a Writing Consultant, Learning Assistant, and Writing Center Coordinator at NC State University; I also currently work as an Adjunct Instructor of English at William Peace University.   

My favorite food? Calzones.

What brings me joy? Teaching, playing wheelchair basketball, and reading literary classics. 

Learn more about Success Coaches at Meredith