Completion coaches provide a wide range of support services and individual guidance to help students overcome barriers to college success. Students are divided among the coaches by major, and every student has a coach.

Find out which major is assigned to which Completion Coach

Instructors with specific concerns about any student can refer them to a completion coach. We encourage referrals from all faculty, staff and administrators. Examples of possible reasons for referring a student to a completion coach include: early and repeated absences, lack of class participation, poor academic performance, health issues, and personal struggle to name a few.

The easiest and most effective way to refer a student to our completion coaches is through the Starfish Early Alert System. Starfish allows faculty to be proactive, supportive, and involved in early detection and intervention of students who may be at risk. Instructors can access Starfish through Blackboard.

For those that do not use Starfish, completion coach referrals can be sent by emailing completion@mvcc.edu. Please make sure to include the student’s M number, and briefly describe your concern in the referral. Students can reach out to Steffani DiPierro in the Learning Commons, 315-792-5517, to make an appointment with a completion coach.

All six completion coaches have offices located in the Learning Commons (Information Technology building, room 129).

Name	Phone	Email	Education
DuWayne Engram	315-792-5675	dengram@mvcc.edu	AAS, MVCC, BSW, SUNY Albany MSW, SUNY Albany
Rachel Golden	315-792-5514	rgolden@mvcc.edu	BA, Utica College BA, SUNY Buffalo MS, Touro College
Justin Johnson	(Utica) 315-792-5464 (Rome) 315-334-7778	jjohnson@mvcc.edu	BA, Utica College MA, SUNY Albany
Rosa Portorreal	315-792-5451	rportorreal@mvcc.edu	BA, University Del Turabo MA, University of Phoenix
Rachel Simonds	315-792-5539	rsimonds@mvcc.edu	BS, Sage College of Albany MA, College of Saint Rose
Jeffrey Zalewski	315-731-5706	jzalewski@mvcc.edu	BA, Siena College MA, SUNY Oswego