Lamark Shaw, M.A., director of Career Services; and Sara M. Rinehart, M.S., assistant director of Career Services; recently obtained their Gallup Global Strengths Coach certifications, building on their own unique strengths to help guide students in discovering theirs. 
The five-day coaching development program — funded by a U.S. Department of Education Title III grant — prepared Shaw and Rinehart to use the StrengthsQuest personal development tool to help first-year students identify and understand their top five natural talents.
Specifically, Shaw’s and Rinehart’s training helps them support and prepare all first-year students in Daemen’s first-year experience program, “Gearing Up,” which is linked to a course within the fall and spring semesters and consists of online and in-person workshops, activities, and events to support students with their transition from high school to Daemen.
“StrengthsQuest helped me recognize my natural talents in a new light to inform and inspire others to find theirs,” said Shaw. “It wasn’t just about identifying strengths; it was about understanding how to use them with purpose to help guide students and create confidence as they embrace what’s next.”
Through the CliftonStrengths assessment, students gain insight into how their strengths influence their learning, relationships, and career goals. By focusing on what they do best, students are empowered to build confidence, improve academic performance, and make intentional decisions throughout their college journey.
This assessment helps students:
- Develop greater self-awareness
- Build confidence in their personal and academic abilities
- Understand how to leverage their strengths in team settings and career planning
- Create a personalized pathway to success, based on who they are, not just what they do
“The StrengthsQuest assessment is such a powerful tool for self-discovery and reflection,” said Rinehart. “I look forward to using the knowledge learned throughout the course and certification process to empower students as they discover their own unique strengths.”