Video Profiles
Illinois
student Yuri Kleban ('11 Media) shares the value he finds in the Leadership Certificate
program. ViEW
Video 
Certificate FAQs for Coaches
Do you have a question not answered below?
Please email us at leadershipcertificate@illinois.edu.
Do Coaches need to be University of Illinois faculty or staff?
Who decides what "counts" for a student in fulfilling Certificate requirements?
I was assigned a Certificate student, but they never contacted me. What should I do?
How do I volunteer to be a Leadership Coach?
Please log in to our website ('UIUC login' through Bluestem for current faculty and staff, "non-UIUC login" for prospective coaches who do not have an illinois.edu email address), then click "Certificate Coach" then "Information Sheet." Please also upload a current resume or vitae by clicking "Resume," and if this is your first time as a volunteer for our office, please complete a short personal profile by clicking "Profile." Once everything is complete, a Leadership Center staff will contact you with more information about being a Leadership Coach and will work to assign you with a new Certificate student.
Can graduate students coach Certificate students?
Current graduate students are allowed to be Leadership Coaches, but they should have significant leadership experience and be able to make a minimum of a two year time commitment to competently and consistently coach a Certificate student.
What is the typical time commitment for Coaches?
Leadership Coaches typically spend at least 4-5 hours per semester coaching one Certificate student. This includes meetings and correspondence time, preparation and follow-through, and reading and creating feedback on materials turned in to the coach by the student (PDP, reflection papers, etc).
Do Coaches need to be University of Illinois faculty or staff?
Not at all! Many of our coaches are alumni of the university, members of the community, corporate partners, or others interested in serving in a mentorship role for a University of Illinois student.
How do Coaches get paired with students?
Newly enrolled students submit coaching preferences as part of their Statement of Intent to join the Certificate Program. The Certificate Program Coordinator will work to match students with available Coaches that meet their given preferences, although there are no guarantees. Some students, prior to enrolling in the program, proactively ask someone to be their Coach. If that person agrees, the Leadership Center will pair the student with that person upon Coach approval. Both the student and the Coach will receive email confirmations once they have been paired together.
How many students are Coaches typically assigned to?
There is no set minimum or maximum. Most coaches work with 1-2 Certificate students at a time. Some coaches work with more, depending on their time commitments and flexibility.
How often should I meet with my Certificate student(s)?
You are expected to meet consistently with your Certificate student, but students and coaches have the flexibility to determine what works best for them. Some students meet as often as once a week with their coach. At a minimum, you are expected to meet with your student at least 3-4 times per semester, and maintain at least minimum contact with them during the summer and/or if they go abroad. Because the Certificate Program is student-driven, your Certificate student should contact you to schedule these meetings as needed.
Who decides what "counts" for a student in fulfilling Certificate requirements?
You, as the Leadership Coach, are primarily responsible ensuring that your Certificate student is making a quality effort and satisfactorily completing the requirements of the program. For example, the Coach judges whether a particular class should fulfill the academic course requirement, as well as if the student has made a sufficient effort in writing a PDP. If Coaches have questions or would like a second opinion, they are welcome to contact the Leadership Center.
I was assigned a Certificate student, but they never contacted me. What should I do?
If you have been copied on an email to a student from the Leadership Center announcing your new coach-student relationship and that asks the student to contact you, but that contact has not happened within two weeks, please contact the Leadership Center. Many students have unfortunately not had the experience of taking the lead in creating a one-on-one relationship with someone in your unique role, and occasionally they need some guidance. However, if you do not contact the Center, we will not know if this contact has happened or not.
What should I do if a student I am coaching has fulfilled all their requirements and is ready to complete the Certificate?
Students will gain access to online Completion Documents during the semester they are set to complete the Program. Once submitted, a copy of the Completion Documents is sent to the Coach for verification and approval. Student should also be working with their Coach to review and approve their final Portfolio before it is submitted to the Leadership Center by the indicated deadline. Completing students and their Coaches will be invited to participate in the next Certificate Completion Ceremony once these materials have been successfully submitted and reviewed. We also have created a Portfolio & Completion Workshop that students and Coaches can attend that shares more in-depth information.
What support does the Leadership Center offer Coaches?
There are a number of ways the Leadership Center can support the work of leadership coaches. Please view and download the Coach Manual for a comprehensive overview of the program and the role of the coach. The Center also offers periodic Coach Orientation workshops to help new coaches and those interested in refining their coaching skills. Please contact us for more information about our current year offerings.
Register
To register or volunteer in Leadership Center i-programs, workshops and events, please log in now.
Certificate Calendar
Cancellation Policy
All students registered for an Illinois Leadership Center i-program or Leadership Workshop Series will need to read and consent to the following cancellation policy prior to registration.
