Philosophy of Coaching: An International Journal Vol. 1, No. 1, October 2016, 43-62. http://dx.doi.org/10.22316/poc/01.1.05 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) License which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Building Capacities For Change: Wellness Coaching As A Positive Approach To Student Development James Larcus Ohio, US Todd Gibbs Ohio, US Tyler Hackmann Ohio, US Abstract Professional coaching has expanded rapidly, and is becoming more common within higher education. Coaching programs provide support for student health and academic success but do not operate from a consistent philosophical position. This article articulates a distinct philosophical framework and approach to coaching initiatives for higher education which is illuminated by a case study of a particular coaching program. Theories of wellness, positive psychology and student development are described, and a capacity building approach is identified as the critical factor for promoting positive student development. Keywords: capacity building, coaching, health promotion, mental health, positive psychology, self-authorship, student development, wellness Introduction Professional coaching has exponentially increased on a global level, with research indicating that there are over 53,000 current professional coaches and industry earnings of over two billion dollars (ICF, 2016a). Coaching professionals have secured positions across a range of contexts including corporate organizations, medical systems, and privately maintained practices. Within these organizational domains, coaching services often focus on specific needs and outcomes including executive and leadership coaching, health and wellness coaching, and life coaching. In recent years, several of these diverse approaches to coaching have become more prominent within the field of higher education. One of the ways that coaching is made available