Kim Barker
Certified Student Coach
Kim Barker is a seasoned leader who helps students grow in confidence, develop their strengths, and make a meaningful impact.
Meet Kim
Kim Barker graduated from Cedarville University with a double major in Christian Education and Youth Ministry. She has 15+ years of leadership experience investing in the lives of teens and young adults. She spent 11 years with Back2Back Ministries, in partnership with local churches, developing character and leadership skills in students. Kim is passionate about teaching students to influence their friends, widen their perspectives, and invest in others through local and international service trips.
Kim believes that every student has a unique set of talents and abilities. She serves students by developing their skills, motivation, and systems so that those natural abilities make a lasting impact in the world. She spent the past four years as the Director of Student Impact for SSE Ministries, a branch of Self Sustaining Enterprises, where she continued investing in the lives of students and young adults. This role has allowed her the unique opportunity to coach students and their parents through healthy communication, roadblocks, and conflict resolution.
Kim and her husband Aaron live in Ohio with their three children, one in middle school and twins in elementary school. She loves all things outdoors, especially turtles. One of her favorite bucket list items is visiting a zoo in every state (she has 10 states so far!). Her hobbies include musical theater, propagating succulents, lots of baking, and an occasional sewing project.
Areas of Improvement
In a recent survey, those who completed six months or more of Southwestern Student Coaching reported the following improvement or increase after coaching:
- 51%
Increase in Vision for the Future
- 104%
Improvement in Self-Motivation
- 104%
Improvement in Time Management
- 43%
Improvement in Confidence
- 35%
Improvement in Prioritizing Education
- 57%
Improvement in Stress Management
What is Student Coaching?
The Student Coaching program pairs students (ages 13-21) with a highly-trained student coach to hone in on their unique growth areas and equip them with the real-world skills they need to succeed, both inside the classroom and beyond. In addition to 1:1 coaching calls, they work together through training modules, assessments, videos, and more as part of our Student’s Edge curriculum. Parents are kept appraised of progress milestones with frequent progress reports.
