Student Success Coaches

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” –Helen Keller. This is my favorite quote, and I like to think of all the ups, downs, and sometimes circuitous routes of college life as a grand adventure. I am here as a guide to assist you on your collegiate journey. There are so many amazing opportunities to explore at the University of Utah, and I want you to take full advantage of all your options.

A little bit about me...I grew up in Provo, Utah, and I enjoy backpacking, mountain biking, and swing dancing. I went to the University of Oregon for my B.S., and after I graduated went on an LDS mission. Five years later, I made my way to the University of Utah for my M.S. I’ve worked with college students in Utah and Colorado, and I look forward to connecting with you.

We all have our unique experiences, stories and life journeys that contribute to who we are today. In working with you, I believe in upholding your human dignity as an integral factor towards success.  

I grew up in the coastal region of Kenya in Africa where I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Nairobi, majoring in Education and Religious Studies. Upon graduating, and after teaching in public school for years, I traveled to Malaysia to pursue my masters in Educational Leadership and Management, a degree that I did not complete because I reunited with my family in the U.S.A on an immigrant visa. I recently graduated from the U with my master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy and a concentration in Student Affairs.

My experiences have revolved around students. A teacher by profession, I have taught students from diverse backgrounds, and countries – and in the process, I learned a lot which I am excited to share with you. As a lifelong-learner and previously as a student, I was involved with different leadership roles and activities. Throughout my academic journey, I was mentored by many people – I would love to serve as a mentor to you and share what I have learned.

During my free time, if I am not watching soccer then I am playing competitively with friends. – By the way, I am a fan of Chelsea in English Premier League, and a Real Madrid fan in the Spanish league, with Real Salt Lake being my favorite local team.  Initially, swimming was a necessary skill to survive in Kenya and now I enjoy it leisurely.  I love meeting new people and making and maintaining friendships.  

As your Student Success Coach, together we will build a relationship and further support a campus environment that affirms your holistic development as a college student.  I will connect you to the unique opportunities and the appropriate people the U has to offer and nurture your sense of efficacy, belonging, and success. Remember, your success in all its forms and shapes is my upper most priority. I am here to meet, connect, interact and learn about your experiences at the times, location(s), and spaces that are most convenient for you!

Welcome to the next step on your academic journey!  Whether you are a first-year student, a transfer student, or you are getting close to graduating, by contacting a Student Success Coach you have found a great avenue for support.

I grew-up in Utah and am a graduate of the University of Utah where I earned a BA in both Anthropology and Art History. From there my journey has taken me across the West. I lived for several years in Montana, New Mexico and in the rural lands of Utah including Loa and Mount Pleasant. I love to be outside exploring the wilder places in the west. I find great peace and joy in mountains and deserts that surround us, and love to play in the snow, sand, and rocks. Skiing, floating rivers, hiking, running, and biking are among my favorite activities. When I’m home I love to garden and create mixed media arts and crafts with found objects. I have two step-sons that keep me laughing and celebrating life’s gifts.

While in Montana, I earned my M.Ed. at the University of Montana. I worked for a few years in K-12 education but found that my passion is in higher education. In New Mexico, I worked for a two-year college as a grant director and an instructor. I help design and implement programs aimed at building student success for first generation, underrepresented, and under-resourced students. Mentoring programs and supplemental instruction are examples of programs I worked with.  I come back to the U of U with a great appreciation of how a connection with one caring person on campus can make a difference in a student’s academic experience.

Thanks for being curious and looking into the opportunities the Student Success Coach program offers. It would be great to have the chance to meet you and hear the story of your journey.

My name is Stan Drasutis (pronounced draw-soo-tis). I've lived in several states other than Utah including: California, Texas, and New Mexico. I love to travel, meet new people, and experience new cultures. I am privileged to have had the opportunity to return to school in 2014 after many successful years as a managerial professional in the private sector. My experience growing up working in the restaurant business helped me learn the hard way, that sometimes one can only go so far without a formal education. 

My educational journey was by no means a straight path. I had many roadblocks and detours along the way, including a battle with ADHD. The real turning point was when I set foot on the University of Utah campus in 2014. I was surrounded by people that took an interest in me as an individual and gave me the support I needed to steer myself in the right direction. I graduated from the University of Utah in August of 2016 with degrees in Sociology, and Peace & Conflict Studies. I continued at Westminster College, and earned a Master of Arts in Community Leadership in 2019.  

My role as your Student Success Coach is to listen to you, to ensure that we put together a solid plan that keeps you on the road to academic success, while also maximizing your college experience. I value your time and understand that academics are only part of your college experience. We can meet on campus at a time/location convenient for you, or on Zoom!

I love the coaching environment, because it’s like a field of wildflowers- we might be growing at different paces, but we’re all out there reaching for the sun.

After 25 years in higher education, studying education and leadership development, creating learning environments in residence halls, teaching first year seminars and career planning classes, advising honors students, and facilitating service-learning trips to Alaska, Pennsylvania, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico, I've finally decided on a major: college students! If you're a college student, I'm here to promote and support your success. I want you to get the most out of your college experience. While I spend most of my time coordinating our fantastic group of Student Success Coaches, I also get to spend a few hours each week coaching students. I so look forward to spending some time with you, hearing what's on your mind, connecting you with resources and opportunities that can help you achieve your goals and become the very best version of yourself that you can be.

Regardless of where you are in your educational journey (or where you are on campus), my job as a Student Success Coach is to support you as you work to complete your degree, to help you explore, set, and achieve your goals, and to ensure that have the tools to be successful in whatever ways you define and measure success! 

As a student, I’ve had my own twists and turns in my educational journey, and my experiences have taught me that there is no singular, “right way” to chart a path through higher education. I started out at my local community college and then transferred to the University of California-Santa Barbara, where it was challenging to adjust to upper-division science classes, a new university environment, and the fast-paced quarter system. I made it to graduation, and earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry-Molecular Biology with no clue what to do next. I moved home, did some soul-searching, and eventually came to the realization that I had always been passionate about working in teaching and coaching roles. Having previously worked as a math tutor, a swim lesson instructor, synchronized swimming coach, and eventually a speech coach for intercollegiate speech and debate, this epiphany probably shouldn’t have taken as long as it did…but then again, better late than never, right? I veered away from my misinformed aspirations for a career in the medical field and started on a new adventure, pursuing my M.A. in Communication at Cal. State Long Beach, where I gained further experience coaching competitive speech and teaching college courses in communication. In 2014 I moved to Salt Lake City to pursue my PhD in Communication at the U. In my time as a student and employee at the U, I’ve enjoyed learning about all the amazing campus resources and getting to know the awesome folks who make up our campus community—and I love being able to help you make those connections as well! 

Even though I miss the ocean, and all my family and friends back in California, I really enjoy calling Salt Lake City home. The seasonal changes and beautiful landscapes always seem to make my day a little bit better (especially views of the mountains and particularly puffy clouds). I also enjoy snow skiing, knitting and general arts-and-crafting, thrift-store shopping, vacationing with my family in Idaho, making myself and others laugh, and finding joy in the little moments.

The one thing I’ve heard students tell me over and over for the last decade is that I’m “real”. That’s because I understand everyone has their own set of challenges, and no one should be looked down on because of them. We’re all human, and we all equally deserve love and respect. When I was in college, I had to deal with coming out as lesbian in my 30s and being disowned by the community I had grown up in, being a single mother of two biracial children, and being on Medicaid and foodstamps while I was raising my daughters. I also had to navigate university life as a first-generation student (I had no clue how things worked or about all of the resources that were available to me at the time), and I had dyslexia and dyscalculia (also unaware at the time of the accommodations I could have received). It is because of my experiences and lack of knowledge that made college life harder that I wanted to become a student success coach. It is my deepest desire to walk by your side and help you find the resources and learn the skills needed that will make your academic (and post-college) journey as smooth as possible. 

A little more about me… I have worn many hats in higher education over the last 20+ years, ranging from a custodian to a math professor. I have a passion for teaching mindfulness and self-compassion (ask me more). I initially learned those skills in therapy, and I had the opportunity to build on it experientially while living at an ashram (Parmarth Niketan) in Rishikesh, India for a total of two years. 

I am thrilled to be a Student Success Coach here at the University of Utah where I was so fortunate to have graduated a few years back as an undergraduate and graduate student.  This amazing institution has had a huge impact on my life.  I am so grateful to be back!   

As a former college professor, program director and corporate executive for an international company, among other roles, I have had the great fortune of teaching and assisting thousands of students and workers across the U.S. and internationally.  Now, it is a great privilege to be able to work with students more on a one-on-one basis as a success coach.   

It is my goal as a caring and knowledgeable professional to help you and other students succeed.   My role, as it says in our mission statement, “is to engage and empower undergraduate students in exploring and clarifying their interests and goals, overcoming personal and academic challenges, and connecting to campus resources and opportunities.”  As your student success coach, I will meet you at your convenience wherever you are on campus or on Zoom.  I will help you formulate goals and assist you in creating and executing educational and life plans that will help you succeed and make the most of your university experience.   

Make an appointment soon so we can work together in supporting you! 

A former student who met weekly with me, sent this Mister Rogers quote to me on her last semester of study: “Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.”  

How lovely and true is this!? Indeed, life is manageable together.  

I have been supporting college students since 2006, when I started my career in higher education. My work focused on underrepresented students from many different backgrounds, and it also included helping students with identities in majority groups develop language, ally-ship skills and emotional intelligence around cultural differences. I like the Spanish word "acompan~amiento" to describe the work I do: accompaniment. To walk alongside someone on a journey. To provide support and encouragement. To serve as a sounding board for ideas. To ensure safe space for every question and find resources/clarity together.  

I was born in Brooklyn and split my childhood between Puerto Rico and New Jersey. Growing up poor in the inner city meant that I had to learn quickly how to navigate college. And I had to find community in places that were very unfamiliar to me. During college, I decided that I wanted to be a resource for other college students. I love my work.  

I earned my B.A. in Religious Studies from Franklin and Marshall College. Then I earned my Master in Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. I have worked in literacy, transitional housing, prison and K-12 ESL positions. I have also served a diverse faith community as a licensed minister.  

Besides that, I love my family. I have a loving spouse who encourages my sense of adventure and never judges me. And I have 3 highly opinionated children. I enjoy baking, lifting weights, road trips and flower gardening.

My name is Eric Scheidt (rhymes with "right"). I am a Kansas native, born and raised in Manhattan. I finished a double bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and Mass Communications with a minor in Spanish, as well as a Master's degree in College Student Development, all at Kansas State University. In the past, I have worked in a wide variety of positions, including as a news journalist, radio announcer, English-as-a-second-language paraprofessional, and even an amateur stand-up comedian.  

My professional journey was all about self-discovery. There were MANY twists and turns as I slowly worked on clarifying what was important to me and aligning those values with potential careers I would enjoy. Through it all, I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by those who cared about my success and happiness.  

From personal experience, I know how powerful it can be to have someone in your corner. College can be a very confusing time where you work on uncovering who you are and what matters to you, using this to make important life decisions. As your student success coach, I will help you achieve whatever success looks like for you and help you become all that you are capable of becoming. After all, "whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right".  

In my spare time, I love lifting weights, binging Netflix, playing video games, and watching stand-up comedy. I have also been lucky enough to travel to several interesting countries including Japan, Italy, France, and Spain. I am new to Salt Lake City and look forward to exploring all that it has to offer. Contact me for a meeting and we can meet either in-person or through Zoom. 

You matter! As your student success coach, I am here to provide support for your journey as you navigate through your college experience. Even if you're not entirely certain about your goals yet, that's perfectly fine—it's all part of the process. I want to work with you to reach your unique goals and aspirations within academics and other areas of life.  

Some background about me is that I am a first-generation immigrant and student. My early years were spent in Mexico, where I had a wonderful childhood. Then, bam, I ended up in Utah, where I grew up in Magna and WVC. I started at Salt Lake Community College then transferred and earned my B.S. degree in Writing and Rhetoric Studies at the University of Utah. I have many hobbies and interests and I’m always on the move! I love spending time outdoors, petting my doggos, rock climbing, and watching horror movies.  

What truly brings me joy is working individually with students. I love being able to dedicate my undivided attention to you, to witness your growth and decision-making process, and anything that comes up, I'm here for it! 

“If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive” - Audre Lorde  

One wonder of college education is the journey to defining yourself in a supportive environment equipped with a wealth of resources. Each class, each meal you eat, each conversation with friends, each shuttle ride, each extracurricular activity builds context for you to define yourself and your journey. As a student success coach, it is my absolute honor to collaborate on a plan that helps you define yourself and your goals while on campus.  

I am originally from the greater Cincinnati area in southeast Indiana. I left the Midwest to attend Cornell University where I received a B.S. in Food Science and minor in Business concentrating most of my time in cheese production. Abandoning my plan to become a full-time cheesemaker shortly after graduation, I realized my greatest joy was connecting my peers to departmental and university resources.  

Thus, I started my career in student affairs going back to Indiana and working at my residential high school. I then went on to obtain my M.A. in Student Affairs Administration and Higher Education from Ball State University in May 2020. After graduating, I began working for the University of Utah Asia Campus in Incheon, South Korea and since 2021 lived and worked abroad in Korea. After a number of transformative years, I am excited to begin this journey in Salt Lake City.  

In my free time I enjoy reading poetry collections, trying new tea blends, attending farmers markets, walking meditation, and freely dancing. It is my hope I have the opportunity to build with you as a coach. I look forward to great conversation and connection through this role.