CLEVELAND, Miss. — Delta State University’s Student Success Center hosted AccelerateMS career coaches on campus recently for team building and visits to the nursing school and the Delta Music Institute. The coaches were from the South Delta Planning and Development District, and they participated in hands-on workshops to learn more about how to engage and communicate with their students. AccelerateMS works with people and businesses in Mississippi to develop workforce strategies to connect individuals with transformative, high-paying careers.
AccelerateMS coordinator Kimberley Gatewood said, “The career coach program is one initiative in place to help with fulfilling our goals. They serve the role of critical link between educators, students, and employers who have quality occupational opportunities for Mississippians.”
Gatewood said that AccelerateMS coaches have been deployed in 78% of public high schools and 79% of the public school districts across the state including Bolivar, Carroll, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Leflore, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tunica, and Washington counties.
“The energy and excitement of Kristen (Land) and Elizabeth (Phelps) during the workshops were felt by all,” Gatewood said. “These exercises were eye-opening for the career coaches to the importance of not just hearing but listening while engaging with their students.”
The DSU Student Success Center provides a wide range of student support services tailored to meet the individual needs of students. For more information, visit their website at https://www.deltastate.edu/student-success-center/. For more information about AccelerateMS, visit their website at https://acceleratems.org/.
