Life Design Coach

Life Design Coaches create a collaborative learning environment for undergraduate students to make meaningful purpose-driven connections between their curricular and co-curricular experiences that will lead them to academic career and personal success before and after graduation. Life Design Coaches create opportunities and experiences for students to express themselves and all of the identities they hold facilitate an awareness of self and critical self-reflection and contribute to a students sense of belonging at BGSU. Life Design Coaches also build strong relationships with students and empower them throughout their academic experience to develop comprehensive college and life plans that center on the five areas of focus for Life Design at BGSU: Academics Career Purpose Well-being and Connections.

Life Design Coaches support a caseload of students whom they will engage in classroom and co-curricular contexts throughout their college this capacity Life Design Coaches are primarily responsible for ensuring each student they work with has the tools to successfully transition to college and gain the skills knowledge and confidence to lead a purpose-driven well-designed life.

Life Design Coaches will collaborate closely with campus partners to ensure that students know how to select experiences that are aligned with their values and career goals.

• Teaching: Introduce incoming students to the concept of Life Design by teaching multiple sections of BGSU 1910: Design Your BGSU (1 cr.) and ensure assigned students continue developing their understanding of the Life Design framework through coaching meetings workshops and activities in the first year and beyond. This course will be a place where students can develop connections and a sense of belonging to BGSU. Students are also exposed to perspectives which help cultivate greater self-knowledge and empathy toward others thus promoting a desire to contribute to the public good. Life Design Coaches will utilize appropriate learning management software to support in-person and/or remote instructional methods focusing on inclusive pedagogy that reflects and supports a broad student demographic.

• Coaching:Provide on-going coaching to assigned students. Collaborate with students from broad backgrounds to identify academic and co-curricular experiences aligned with their academic personal and career interests. Help students evaluate curricular options and develop a comprehensive success plan that aligns with the Life Design mindsets and five areas of focus. Provide referrals to campus partners as appropriate (e.g. advising counseling and financial aid). Facilitate connections with campus resources alumni and other mentors in support of personal and career development

• Outreach Coordinator: Provide proactive and responsive outreach to assigned students based on various data sources (e.g. pre-matriculation data predictive modeling early alerts and midterm grades). Exercise cultural competence and an awareness of the intersection of identities as they build rapport and trust with students. Connect students to appropriate campus resources that promote academic success campus and community engagement retention and degree completion. Encourage and recognize successful students.
• Monitor track and provide regular updates on the retention progression and campus and community engagement of all students within the caseload. Use appropriate technology data and strategies to support university persistence retention and four-year graduation goals.
• Participate in on-going training and development including a community of practice among coaches and key campus partners that encourages constant professional development and identifies opportunities to enhance BGSUs Life Design framework. These opportunities may include assisting with various assessment activities related to all aspects of the department.
• Develop and implement relevant programming collaborating with colleagues across campus to create an inclusive environment that acknowledges the unique needs of students from broad backgrounds and experiences
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned including participating in staff meetings on-going training and development recruitment activities and various committees workgroups and project coordination.

The following Degree is required:

• Masters degree required. Degree must be conferred at the time of application.

The following Experience is required:

• 1 year of work experience in advising counseling teaching facilitation coaching or related field
  • 2 years of Graduate Assistantship experience equals one year of professional experience

The following Experience is preferred:

• Related experience in higher education

• Teaching experience at the college level

• Certification or experience in life design success coaching or academic coaching and/or career development

Knowledge Skills or Abilities

• Demonstration of life design mindsets: curiosity reframing taking action collaboration embracing the process and sharing ones story.
• Experience in active learning project-based and/or inclusive pedagogies
• Knowledge of or ability to learn design thinking concepts student development theories and career development theories
• Coaching oriented philosophy of student support
• Critical thinking skills
• Active listening skills
• Compassionate and caring attitude toward working with students
• Effective in working with a wide variety of people from broad backgrounds and experiences
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to interact well with students parents faculty administrators and other members of the campus and community
• Understanding of the functions of an institution of higher education including academic and student affairs
• An understanding of student learning outcomes associated with the completion of general education curriculum and baccalaureate/liberal arts degree
• Knowledge of or ability to learn University academic policies and procedures as well as available degree programs and support services
• Knowledge of computer applications including but not limited to: Microsoft Office Microsoft Outlook People Soft/CSS student success software various learning management systems and an ability to learn and adopt other technologies

Required Documents to Upload to Application: Cover Letter and Resume

Deadline to apply: November 7 2025

BGSU does not offer H-1B or other work authorization visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and maintain work authorization throughout the employment term.

Bowling Green State University is an Equal Opportunity Educator and Employer. We are committed to ensuring an equal employment opportunity for all applicants and encourage applications from all regardless of sex race veteran-status disability age gender identity genetic information religion or sexual Know Your Rights Poster: compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Bowling Green State University please call or email.

BGSUis an E-Verify employer. If hired into this position you will be required to provide satisfactory proof of employment eligibility by providing acceptable original forms of identification for employment verification via the Federal I-9 employment verification process. A list of acceptable documents can be seen here: