Detroit Promise welcomes three new Campus Success Coaches
At the beginning of 2024, the Detroit Promise program at HFC welcomed three new campus success coaches: Delphine Davis, Charisma Flowers, and Jeffrey Liggens.
All three coaches report to Detroit Promise Program Coordinator Mark Yancy, Jr., who has been the longest-serving campus success coach in the state of Michigan.
Henry Ford College proudly serves the most Detroit Promise students of any college.
“We have an amazing team of campus success coaches here,” said Yancy. “They bring expertise from different areas and we’re always bouncing ideas off each other. They make working here a pleasure.”
Delphine Davis - “growing and learning together”
Delphine Davis is not new to HFC. She has been at the College since 2014. Her previous position was on-campus recruiter.
“Being able to coach students was a big draw for me,” said Davis. “The best part of being at HFC is having the opportunity to grow and learn with the students.”
The eldest of five, Davis graduated from Chadsey High School in Detroit. She earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations from Wayne State University and her master’s degree in leadership and management from Cornerstone University.
Davis, a Southfield resident, has a daughter Kelli, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Kelli attended HFC. Grandson Lance attends HFC.
“Delphine is a hardworking individual,” said Yancy. “She genuinely cares, and it shows! She also brings great institutional knowledge to our team.”
“Once a week, at the end of the week, I send out encouraging words or quotes to my students,” said Davis. “I receive text messages saying they were inspired by the message. That is one of the best parts of the job. It is rewarding to receive positive feedback from the students. I'm sure that as I become more familiar with all the workings of this position, all parts of the role will be the best.”
Charisma Flowers - “a coach’s coach”
Charisma Flowers gained experience with Detroit Promise in 2020, serving as a campus success coach at Oakland Community College for a year. Prior to that, Flowers was a student leader at Michigan Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (MI GEAR UP) for the State of Michigan and a community director at Wayne State University, her alma mater. She was also a career specialist with Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation.
“I loved my time at Detroit Promise, so I decided to give it another try,” said Flowers. “There’s a great atmosphere here at the College. The staff and students are very helpful and friendly. Detroit Promise is important to HFC. There’s a family feel here that trickles down to the students. The relationship-building is amazing. I work in a good space. It’s very peaceful here.”
A native of Kalamazoo, Flowers grew up in Las Vegas and Lansing. She lives in Detroit with her husband, Dexter, and their son. After graduating from Holt High School, Flowers earned her associate degree in general studies from Lansing Community College. Transferring to Wayne State, she earned her bachelor’s degree in social work. Flowers later earned her master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She also earned a certificate in professional coaching from Inner Glow Circle Coaching School.
“I really enjoy helping students navigate not just college but also life,” said Flowers.
“Charisma is a coach’s coach,” said Yancy. “She lives, eats, sleeps coaching. She thrives in group sessions and has an innate ability to identify with students.”
Jeffrey Liggens - “a gap filler”
A native of Detroit, Jeffrey Liggens graduated from Murray-Wright High School and earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Wayne State. A proud member of Phi Beta Sigma, he lives in Southfield with his wife, Soraia, and their son.
Liggens’ passion for working with youth and young adults began when he was employed at the Detroit Summer Youth Program and continued at the Federal TRIO Programs at Wayne State.
“The Youth Program showed me the different aspects of education. It showed me the benefits of networking. It showed me the benefits of having a support system. Having support in all walks life is essential. It takes courage to ask for help to succeed in life,” said Liggens.
Liggens spent 10 years in the finance industry, then switched to higher education after his son was born.
“I wanted to do something that was more in line with what I was doing at TRIO and the Youth Program,” he said.
Liggens calls himself a “gap-filler.”
“I help students fill in the gaps where others may not be able to,” he said. “I help them connect the dots by establishing relationships with financial aid, counseling, advising, and other services inside and outside HFC. I open doors for them that might not have otherwise been open.”
“Jeffrey is new to HFC, but his passion for empowering young adults makes him fit right in!” said Yancy.
Liggens enjoys the team environment at HFC. He called the atmosphere at the College “amazing” and beneficial.
“I really like the flexibility and trust we have with each other,” he said. “I like interacting with students from different walks of life. You can see what’s going on in their lives from their perspective and you can help guide them through the changes in their lives. It is a pleasure to be able to offer my support to the growth of students, then sit back and watch the amazing things that they will do.”
What is the Detroit Promise?
Founded in 2016, Detroit Promise is a tuition-free college program, ensuring that any student graduating from any high school in Detroit will have a tuition-free path to an associate degree or technical certificate. The City of Detroit pays for tuition and fees, as long as all requirements are met.
Detroit Promise is administered by the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce in partnership with colleges like HFC, a proud participant since the beginning. HFC follows the Applebaum Family Campus Coach model, which ensures each student will have an individual campus success coach to ensure their academic success.
Each Detroit Promise student receives a monthly stipend and is connected to a community of Detroit Promise scholars. Detroit Promise arranges last-dollar funding for eligible students to cover the costs of tuition and mandatory fees. This means that any Pell and/or Tuition Incentive Program funding will be applied to a student’s tuition and fees first, followed by additional funding through the Detroit Promise.
The Detroit Promise office at HFC is in Room M-117 in the John McDonald Student & Culinary Arts Center (Building M on the main campus). For questions or more information about Detroit Promise, call 313-845-9779.