UMR Student Success Coaches
Student Success Coaches cultivate individualized relationships with health science students to provide holistic academic, pre-health, career and life coaching, empowering and guiding students in their academic persistence and career development.
Student success coaches are guided in their practice by their core values:
- Ethic of Care: Strive to build authentic and meaningful relationships
- Respect: Treat everyone in our diverse community with respect and dignity
- Empowerment: Promote self-reflection, self-advocacy and decision-making through active listening, while providing both challenge and support
- Guide Students: Proactively support students as they work toward academic and professional goals, connecting them with timely and accurate information and resources
How Your Coach Can Help
You can expect to meet with your assigned student success coach at least once a semester, but are encouraged to meet additionally about any of the following topics. Please note the topic(s) you are hoping to address when scheduling your appointment. You are also welcome to reach out to your coach via email - we are here to help!
Academic Coaching
- Course Registration
- Graduation and Pre-Health Planning
- Academic Support and Goal Setting
- Time Management Strategies
- Navigating Policies or Forms
- Capstone Planning
Career Coaching
- Health Career Exploration
- Connecting Experiential Learning Opportunities
- Resume and Cover Letter Review
- Interview Preparation
- Job Search Strategies
Pre-Health Coaching
- Pre-Health Action Plan Review
- Personal Statement Review
- Entrance Exam Preparation and Strategies
- Gap Year Planning
Life Coaching
- Connecting to Campus Resources
- Well-being Strategies
- Transition to College
Connect With Your Assigned Coach
Betsy Baertlein (she/her/hers)
Student Success Coach
Email: [email protected]
Schedule an appointment with Betsy
Education: M.A. in English with a TESOL Emphasis (St. Cloud State University), Graduate Certificate in Teaching Writing (Minnesota State University, Mankato), B.A. in English Literature with a Writing Emphasis, Environmental Biology Minor (Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota)
Hometown: Mazeppa, MN
Get to know Betsy: Coming from a rural background, the part of college I enjoyed the most was expanding my horizons, meeting people from cultures and countries around the world. This led me to a career as a college-level English language teacher for immigrant and international students. After spending 14 years teaching at various colleges and universities in the U.S., I decided it was time to return home to southeast Minnesota. Being a Student Success Coach at UMR is a natural fit for me, as my favorite part of teaching has always been working with students one-on-one, helping them navigate the academic system and reach career and life goals. As a first-generation college graduate myself, I particularly enjoy helping first-generation students navigate college. Outside of work, I can usually be found spending time with my family, enjoying the outdoors in the Driftless Area.
Groups Served by Betsy:
Favorite Quote: “Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? / Tell me, what is it you plan to do / with your one wild and precious life?” -from the poem “Summer Day” by Mary Oliver
Lainey Brottem (she/her/hers)
Senior Student Success Coach
Email: [email protected]
Schedule an appointment with Lainey
Education: Ph.D. in Higher Education & Student Affairs Leadership (University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO); M.A. in English Language and Literature (University of Northern Colorado); B.A. in English and Sports Studies (St. Olaf College)
Hometown: Chisago City, MN
Get to know Lainey: I suppose the three words that would come closest to identifying me are ATHLETE, WRITER, and NERD. I played three sports in college (basketball, golf, and soccer) while reading a lot of Stephen King and watching a lot of Star Trek and Star Wars. I love to write: academic, fiction, you name it. Writing is also the thing I am best at. I like classic rock music, especially Pink Floyd. My final word is LEARNER. I love to learn new things, and you can’t go around a corner or down a hallway at a college without learning something you didn’t know before. I like to read and watch movies, go to sporting events, play golf and basketball, and I hate to be indoors in the summer unless I have to be. My favorite place in the world is on my parents’ back deck, looking out at the lake. If my favorite people are with me, even better: my parents who are in their 80s and still going strong; my sister who’s a doctor, too, in Psychology; my partner who was a college athlete, also (but he got a little farther than I did: he played for the Minnesota Twins); my two grown sons who are both actors, one on stage and one in film. A day that includes all these people? That’s a good day.
Groups Served by Lainey:
Favorite Quote: “In my family, if you use ten words when you could have used twenty, you’re just not trying very hard.” - President Jed Bartlet, The West Wing
Jenn Hooke (she/her/hers)
Director of Student Success Coaching
Email: [email protected]
Schedule an appointment with Jenn
Education: M.S.Ed. in Student Affairs Administration (University of Wisconsin La Crosse); B.A. in History and B.A. in Secondary Education-Social Studies (University of Maryland, College Park)
Hometown: Eden Prairie, MN
Get to know Jenn: Education and learning have always been passions. After growing up in the Twin Cities, I moved to the Washington D.C. area for college and discovered a love of working with students, becoming a social studies teacher. When I moved to Rochester, I was glad to find a position in the Admissions Office at UMR, finding new ways to work with students. There were both amazing opportunities and challenges recruiting students for our brand new BSHS program. I eventually wanted closer relationships with the students I recruited, so I pursued my masters degree and was lucky enough to move into the coaching role in 2012. In my spare time, I love to experience the world through the eyes of my two young daughters, walk and run my rambunctious dog, and read as many books as I can! I love working with students and helping them reflect, make decisions, and make the most out of their college experience.
Groups Served by Jenn:
Favorite Quote:
“To love what you do and feel that it matters; how could anything be more fun?” ~Katharine Graham
Anna Ribikawskis (she/her/hers)
Senior Student Success Coach
Email: [email protected]
Schedule appointment with Anna
Education: M.S. in Counseling and Student Personnel (Minnesota State University Mankato); B.A. in Communication Studies (St. Norbert College)
Hometown: Prior Lake, MN
Get to know Anna: I have always enjoyed connecting with and developing others. One of my favorite hobbies is to have deep, meaningful conversations with people. This value and passion has been with me throughout my career development. I worked as a nanny, gymnastics coach, and staffing coordinator before finding my way to becoming a Student Success Coach in 2012. As a coach, I strive to listen, encourage, challenge, and support students.
Outside of work, I am very busy having fun with my 3 daughters. My spouse and I enjoy hosting neighborhood parties and making people feel welcome. As a family, we seek adventure in the outdoors and connection to nature.
Groups Served by Anna:
Favorite Quote: “If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.” - Maya AngelouBetsy Stoltz(she/her/hers)
Senior Student Success Coach
Email: [email protected]
Schedule an appointment with Betsy
Education: M.S. Educational Leadership (Minnesota State University, Mankato); M.F.A. in Forensics - Communication Studies (Minnesota State University, Mankato); B.A. in Psychology/Speech Communication (Southwest Minnesota State University)
Hometown: Owatonna, MN
Get to know Betsy: Originally from Owatonna, MN, Betsy earned her B.A. in Speech Communication and Psychology from Southwest Minnesota State University, M.F.A. in Forensics - Communication Studies from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a M.S. in Educational Leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato. In addition to serving as an academic advisor, Betsy has experience teaching communication studies courses as well as coaching collegiate speech and debate teams. In her free time she enjoys spending time outdoors, gaming, and spending time with friends and family.
Groups Served by Betsy:
Favorite Quote: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. “ - Maya Angelou
Alan Thompson(he/him/his)
Senior Student Success Coach
Email: [email protected]
Schedule appointment with Alan
Education: M.S. in Counseling and Student Personnel (College Student Affairs) from Minnesota State University, Mankato; B.A. in Journalism and Spanish from Augustana University
Hometown: Rural Nicollet, MN
Get to know Alan: Alan grew up on a small family dairy farm. He worked one year in public relations for Fortune 500 companies and lived in Colombia for two years, where he taught English and coordinated the Ministry of Education’s bilingualism program. Alan served as a study abroad advisor for Latin America for four years in Austin, TX. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with loved ones in nature, speaking Spanish, listening to music in Portuguese & playing pickleball.
As a coach, Alan advocates for student needs and student success to make all students feel welcome and improve institutional processes. He challenges and supports students to achieve success–whatever that looks like for them.
Groups Served by Alan:
Favorite Quote: “It takes time to live. Like any work of art, life needs to be thought about.” - Albert CamusEmiko Walker(she/her/hers)
Senior Student Success Coach
Email: [email protected]
Schedule appointment with Emiko
Education: M.A. Higher Education, International Education minor (University of Minnesota, Twin Cities); B.A. International & Area Studies, Japanese & Chinese minors (Kalamazoo College, MI)
Hometown: Holland, MI
Get to know Emiko: I've always been a curious person and that curiosity has brought me many places across the globe. I love learning about different identities, cultures, traditions and practices. I have either lived in or traveled to nearly 30 different countries & territories and I hope to keep that number growing. While living in Japan, I found that I really loved working with college students, and developing opportunities for them to create their own success. I moved to Minnesota to grow my knowledge of student development in higher education and haven't left! I love the opportunities I have as a coach to meet new people and I continue to learn something new every day.
When I'm not on campus, I am likely at home baking, cooking or spending time with my kids.
Groups Served by Emiko:
Favorite Quote: "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." - James Baldwin
