Our Mission
Excelencia Pathways provides for and navigates DACC’s system of student success initiatives, focusing on freshmen orientation, student retention, academic excellence, and transfer student programming. Excelencia provides high touch mentoring and retention practices that increase and support students' ability to make educated decisions, develop skills, and maximize their potential academically, socially, and emotionally. Our initiatives are designed to increase community involvement and assist with transitions into, within, and from DACC – whether it’s into a four-year program or into the workforce.
Through specialized student services and in partnership with existing facets of the college, Excelencia Pathways assists and supports a diverse body of students, staff, and faculty in lifelong success, developing a sense of belonging, and promoting equity and inclusion.
Program Goals
1. Student Success: Through the Excelencia Pathway, students will follow a coherent series of curricular and co-curricular activities that enable them to explore program options, network with faculty, students, and professionals in fields of interest; and increase students' engagement and success within their programs
2. Sense of Belonging: Excelencia will foster a sense of community for all students, faculty, and staff, as well as help students connect with resources, offices, and events that enhance the value of their college degree and add meaning to their Dona Ana Community College experience
3. Transfer and Career/Job Placement: Excelencia will partner with other Academic Resources to assist students in developing educational and occupational goals, transferring to four-year institutions, and planning for the future
About Success Coaching
Student Success Coaching is:
Personal: Excelencia provides individualized support for students to identify and overcome obstacles, challenges, and barriers as they relate to Academic Success. Coaches are here to support and challenge students while working to increase students’ confidence, skills, and self-accountability during one-on-one coaching sessions. Excelencia aims to accommodate students of all kinds – no student will be turned away.
Proactive: Through Individualized Success Plans (ISP), Success Coaches work with students to create concrete action steps in partnership with additional support services available at DACC. This includes the assessment of early performance evaluations and early intervention for students who need additional support.
Positive: Success Coaches work to identify and highlight students’ academic/personal strengths and to provide oversight for each Excelencia Pathway member throughout their collegiate journey. Coaches work to assist each student with adjusting to college, time management, effective study skills, finding campus resources, creating academic and personal goals, wellness, career planning, post-graduation planning, and more!
Success Coaches, often mistaken for Academic Advisors or Counselors, are professional staff members who act as academic resource guides for students. The primary focus of each Coach is to help create and implement success strategies and to connect students with campus resources that contribute to academic success. Through frequent student interaction and partnerships with Advisors, Counselors, and other Student Services, Excelencia aims to supplement existing resources and help to fill the gaps between students, staff, faculty, and the community.
A Success Coach will:
- Create educational, personal, and career driven goals
- Identify obstacles and challenges that hinder academic success
- Connect you to campus resources, opportunities, and offices
- Discover your strengths, interests, and motivations
