Student Success Workshop Leader and Keynote Speaker | Creator of Pick Yourself For Success (PY4S)

Rodney Goldston partners with colleges and universities to help students develop the confidence, persistence, and leadership skills directly tied to retention, engagement, and long‑term success.

His work focuses on one central idea: students don’t struggle because they lack information—they struggle because they lack agency, identity clarity, and trained habits during moments that matter most.

Pick Yourself For Success (PY4S) is a research‑informed student development framework focused on agency, habit formation, and self‑efficacy.

Rather than motivational hype, PY4S equips students to:

• Take ownership of their academic and personal trajectory

• Build resilient habits that support persistence

• Develop leadership grounded in responsibility and self‑direction

PY4S is especially effective during periods of transition—first year, transfer moments, leadership roles, and times of uncertainty—when students are most at risk of disengagement.

My work with higher‑education institutions supports:

• Student success and retention initiatives
• Leadership development for undergraduates and first‑generation students
• Orientation, transition, and persistence programs

Keynotes and workshops are designed to complement existing student success frameworks—providing students with language, tools, and mindset shifts they can apply immediately.