The Impact of Coaching on the Leadership Practicum Process

A challenge exists to fully utilize practicum experiential learning due to the nature of a practicum and lack of adequate supervision and guided reflection. Students engaged in leadership practicums apply theoretical concepts and models while advancing their personal leadership. Often, students could obtain a more thorough learning experience if guided by a coach who asks critical questions and creates a venue for more in-depth self-reflecting. This paper discusses the impact coaching has on undergraduate leadership practicums and the benefits students can gain from the guidance provided by leadership coaches. A practical application provided a means to qualitatively evaluate the benefits of coaching during leadership practicums while highlighting the resources needed and limitations.