Saluqi Success Pathway welcomes two new coaches

The Saluqi Success Pathway, or SSP, is Southwest’s support program designed to ensure students are aware of all of the resources available to them at the College.  Student Retention and Success operates the SSP through its HUB Space on the first floor of the MAB building on the Macon Cove campus.  There SSP counselors connect students to technology and networking activities and other resources.

The SSP recently welcomed two new success coaches, Rachel Newman and Alma Hernandez.

Rachel Newman previously served for 18 months as a program specialist in Retention and Student Success at Southwest. She so enjoyed the process of assisting students through a welcoming space to offer social, emotional and academic support, Rachel is now serving as a new SSP coach. She has served on two subcommittees for the Achieving the Dream program at Southwest and on the Graduate Memphis Collaborate Action Network Committee that focuses on college attainment for students in the Memphis area. Rachel has been instrumental in web site redesign for the Retention & Student Success team, ATD process mapping and implementation, as well as in the initial staffing and implementation of the Saluqi Success Pathway Hub Space. Gifted in student support and retention strategy, Rachel is a great asset in this SSP coaching role.

Alma Hernandez recently joined Southwest as a Saluqi Success Pathway (SSP) Coach; however, her role will expand effective May 1 when she will take on full-time Program Specialist duties. Her new duties will include serving in the SSP Hub, coaching TN Promise and TN Reconnect students and working on key projects within Retention & Student Success.

Alma hails from the Center for Life Calling and Career (formerly Career Services) at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, where she served as a counselor/coach and relations manager for nearly three years. Hernandez is a Union University alumnus. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 2015, followed by an M.B.A. in 2016. There, she discovered her passion for education and student success, inspiring her to volunteer as a tnAchieves mentor where she helped Tennessee Promise students take full advantage of all the program has to offer. In addition to being bilingual (English and Spanish), her experience in the sciences, business, and student life have eminently prepared her to enrich Southwest students, as well as to contribute to other key Retention & Student Success programs and initiatives.

Visit Rachel and Alma in the SSP HUB Space or call them at 901-333-4261 to learn more about the SSP program.

Congratulations, Rachel and welcome aboard, Alma!