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  • Coaching Collaborative

Coaching Collaborative

  1. UNO
  2. Center for Faculty Excellence
  3. Coaching Collaborative
3 colleagues sitting at a table discussing a topic. 2 are seated and 1 is standing

The Coaching Collaborative (CC) is a resource for UNO’s full-time faculty and staff that supports their efforts related to student engagement, retention, and success. The CC provides free and confidential coaching, empowering faculty and staff members in their efforts to support students, identify improvement goals, develop new skills, and work through challenges.

CC is housed in the Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) and funded by the Weitz Innovation and Excellence initiative.

CC offers four types of coaching:

  1. Personal and Professional Growth
  2. Gallup CliftonStrengths Top 5
  3. Instructional - NEW FOR 2026-27
  4. Leadership - NEW FOR 2026-27

Learn more and request a coach below!

Types of Coaching

Personal and Professional Growth

Two women shake hands in a bright office, with one smiling and wearing long purple braids.

Get support with...
  • career development, advancement, and/or transition
  • skills enhancement
  • improving daily habits
  • balancing work and personal demands
  • navigating difficult situations
  • general physical and mental wellbeing.
Who is eligible: 
  • Full-time faculty
  • Full-time staff
Request a Personal and Professional Growth Coach

Gallup CliftonStrengths Top 5

Young man wearing glasses works on a laptop at a table in a library, with bookshelves blurred in the background.

You will...
  • complete the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment (at no cost)
  • discuss your strengths with a coach during a one-hour session

Chairs, directors, and managers can also request support to incorporate CliftonStrengths throughout their unit.

Who is eligible:
  • Full-time faculty
  • Full-time staff
Request a CliftonStrengths Top 5 Coach

Instructional

Instructor in a red cardigan interacts with smiling students in a classroom.

Get support with...
  • identifying teaching strengths/areas for improvement
  • designing lessons and assessments
  • engagement strategies
  • classroom management
  • enhancing classroom presence
  • supporting students with diverse needs
Who is eligible: 
  • Full-time faculty
  • Full-time staff who also serve as adjunct faculty
Request an Instructional Coach

Leadership

A person holding a microphone and speaking to a crowd.

Get support with...
  • assessing your leadership readiness
  • building leadership skills
  • managing a transition to a leadership position
  • analyzing your effectiveness as a leader
  • navigating leadership challenges
Who is eligible: 
  • Full-time faculty
  • Full-time staff
Request a Leadership Coach

Frequently Asked Questions

The Coaching Collaborative is open to full-time faculty and staff.

While there are similarities in coaching, mentoring, and counseling, the ways they differ are outlined below:

Coaching:

  • Structure: Short-term; performance and goal-oriented
  • Focus: Centered on specific, identified task/challenge
  • Interaction: Provides guidance on solutions/approaches
  • Facilitator/Provider: Peers/individuals skilled in listening and inquiry

Mentoring:

  • Structure: Long-term; holistic and developmental
  • Focus: Centered on broad career enhancement
  • Interaction: Provides expertise in a given area/discipline/job typeProvides expertise in a given area/discipline/job type
  • Facilitator/Provider: Senior colleague with expertise in a specific area 

Counseling:

  • Structure: Duration varies based on assessment
  • Focus: Centered on personal topics/challenges
  • Interaction: Provides assessment, diagnosis, and treatment
  • Facilitator/Provider: Licensed professionals/counselors

Full-time faculty and staff members who have received training specific to the coaching they will provide. Coaches are compensated for their work (i.e., cost of training, release time, buy-outs, stipends, etc.).

  • Personal and Professional Coaches: 3 faculty or staff members who have completed coaching training
  • CliftonStrengths Coaches: 5 faculty members; 5 staff members who have completed CliftonStrengths Coaching certification
  • Instructional Coaches: a faculty fellow who also provides leadership support for the Coaching Collaborative and has completed an instructional coaching training program
  • Leadership Coaches: 3 faculty or staff members who have completed a leadership coaching training program

  • Primary Investigators: Connie Schaffer (CFE), Rachel Radel (HR), and Chloe Smith (SLWB)
  • Coaching Coordinator: Monica Blizek (contracted provider)
  • Advisory Board: Cathy Pettid (SLWB), Alex Zatizabal Boryca (SAC), Garrett Gassman, (IESS, oversees CliftonStrengths for students), Bethany Hughes (CBA/current CliftonStrengths coach), and Sammi Kaiser (IESS)

In addition to providing direct services in Personal and Professional Coaching, the coordinator provides consultation on training and coaching processes and protocols. The Coaching Coordinator assigns an appropriate coach to those who request coaching, provides guidance for all coaches, and coordinates resources to maximize each of the four types of coaching.

  • Financial support: Weitz Innovation and Excellence funds
  • Administrative support: Center for Faculty Excellence

Meet Our Coaches

Cathy Pettid icon

Cathy Pettid

 Connie Schaffer icon

Connie Schaffer

 Monica Blizek icon

Monica Blizek
Garrett Gassman icon

Garrett Gassman

 Bethany Hughes icon

Bethany Hughes

 Brigette Ryalls icon

Brigette Ryalls
Joshua Kearney icon

Joshua Kearney

 Sammi Kaiser icon

Sammi Kaiser

 Amanda Steiner icon

Amanda Steiner

Center for Faculty Excellence

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