College Possible Initiative
APSU has partnered with College Possible to provide our students with near-peer coaching support on a yearly basis. College Possible has refined its near-peer coaching model using a research-based curriculum and is now a national leader in college success programming. Our dedicated near-peer coaches guide and support students on their path to and through college, making College Possible students three times more likely to earn their degrees than their peers.
What it means to have a Success Coach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Coaches are near-peer mentors that have recently graduated from APSU. They are here to help you with one thing: to graduate with a degree. They are your number one advocate and can help you with any problem you might face. If things are going great, they can help you invest in yourself and your future!
Austin Peay provide near peer coaches to facilitate a successful transition to college which impacts your academic success, achievement, and degree completion. This program focuses primarily on supporting first-generation and/or students eligible for Pell grants who face unique challenges when transitioning to college and achieving degree completion.
As much as you need! At a minimum, coaches try to meet with their students once a month to check in and see how things are doing. That being said, you are definitely not limited to how many times you can meet with your coach.
While coaches often collaborate with advisors, we differ in a lot of areas. Advisors focus on registration, university paperwork, and academic related business. Your coach is here to support you holistically – both inside and outside the classroom. Topics often discussed beyond academic success is personal well-being and financial success.
If you have a coach, you will receive an email from them towards the beginning of the semester or academic year. You can also check on your OneStop Advising Page. Coaches have indicated to their students on the Advising notes section of the OneStop Advising page who their assigned coach is and how to contact their coach.
Coaches can provide a broad range of resources to cover a broad set of needs. If classes are going perfectly and you are already involved on campus, then your coach can help you with things like organizing your time to make things less stressful, or help you set goals and achieve them so that your college experience is fulfilling.
This is still a new program at Austin Peay so, unfortunately, not everyone can have a coach yet. While we would love to proactively reach out and help as many students as possible, we do not have enough coaches to do so. However, we plan on expanding in the future to support more students.
College Possible Success Coaches
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Rachel Anton |
Rachel Anton recently joined the APSU community as a Student Success Coach for the 2025-2026 academic year through College Possible and AmeriCorps. She was active in her campus community at High Point University and was involved in various organizations, including Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity, Marching Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Guitar Ensemble. As a first-generation college graduate, Rachel is very excited to help other first-gen students succeed in college and make the most out of their college experiences.
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Jacob Greer |
Jacob is Dickson County native who completed his Undergraduate in Computer Science and Information Security in 2025. While a student, he was an officer of the Cyber Security Club and the Association of Computer Machinery chapter at APSU. He also worked at the IT Help Desk as a student worker. When he’s not being a coach, Jacob is tinkering with his computer projects or going on hikes.
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Sarah Smith
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Sarah Smith has been an active member of the APSU community since 2021 and graduated in 2025 with a BBA in Accounting. While completing her degree, she was actively involved in multiple student organizations, including Sigma Kappa Sorority, the National Society of Leadership and Success, Omicron Delta Kappa, the Future Entrepreneurs Club, and the Student Organization Council. Through these roles, Sarah developed a strong commitment to leadership, service, and building community on campus. Sarah is passionate about helping students build confidence, access resources, and discover their own potential. She sees education as a powerful way to build confidence, expand opportunities, and shape brighter futures.
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Alexis Nefe
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Alexis was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and has lived in various places throughout her life due to her father's military service. She moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, around 2016 and graduated from Austin Peay State University in August 2025 with a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor’s in Biology, along with a minor in Chemistry. During her time as an undergraduate student, Alexis was actively involved in small mammal trapping and bioinformatics research, which deepened her interest in both the biological sciences and data analysis. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time in nature and staying active through physical fitness.
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Korrin Williams
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Korrin Williams is a Student Success Coach eager to support students in feeling confident and connected as they navigate college. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and understands firsthand the challenges of balancing academics, work, and personal growth. Korrin looks forward to taking a personalized approach in her coaching, offering encouragement and practical strategies to help students thrive. In her free time, she enjoys holistic practices such as mindfulness and meditation, as well as exploring nature, traveling, hiking, and baking.
Interested in becoming a College Possible Success Coach?
We are glad that you are interested in joining us as a Success Coach at Austin Peay! As a Success Coach, you would be serving as an AmeriCorps member through College Possible, a nationally recognized non-profit. As a near-peer mentor, Success Coaches support various cohort of students in earning their degree.
We are looking for applicants who have recently earned a 4-year degree. Ideal applicants will have demonstrated leadership skills, academic achievement, and a commitment to supporting students.
Join us at an Interest Session
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Dates Coming Soon
What is Americorps?
Benefits of Serving
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Professional Development - You will learn several new marketable skills, tools, and programs. You will also take on leadership responsibilities and learn to work collaboratively with other professionals.
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Networking Opportunities - As a Student Success Coach, you will encounter multiple opportunities to work directly with your Program Lead, College Possible Program Advisor, and APSU's faculty and staff.
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Education Award - Student Success Coaches are allotted after a term of service of 12 months an educational award of $7,395. This award can either be used to pursue future educational endeavors or repay federal student loans.
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Health Coverage - Student Success Coaches are provided health coverage. Details can be provided upon request.
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Loan Forbearance - Those who serve have the opportunity to forbear most federal loans. This would allow the coach to not make payments on qualified loans.
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Housing - Student Success Coaches at Austin Peay are provided on-campus housing, which includes Wi-Fi access, utilities, and the advantage of a short commute to their office.
