Carnegie Mellon University

Name Pronunciation Tool Introduced in SIO & S3

November 02, 2018

Name Pronunciation Tool Introduced in SIO & S3

NameCoach Takes Uncertainty Out of Name Pronunciation

Carnegie Mellon is pleased to introduce a new tool in Student Information Online (SIO) that gives students the ability to record the preferred pronunciation of their name, as well as provide the phonetic spelling. Through NameCoach, the recorded name and phonetic spelling is then made available in the S3 Admin Console for faculty, advisors and others, removing the guessing game of how to correctly pronounce student names.

With the goal of improving the student experience and creating a more inclusive campus community and classroom, NameCoach directly addresses the problem of name mispronunciation. Recent research on student success, persistence, and yield asserts how important a sense of belonging is for students and shows that pronouncing names correctly is critical to a student’s sense of belonging.

Students are encouraged to take advantage of this new tool right away and especially in advance of the spring semester. Simply log in to SIO and select 'View and Update My Info' under the My Info tab. Click the 'Name Recorder' button in the tips on the righthand side of your screen, and then complete the information and follow the instructions to record your name.

NameCoach was made available through a joint effort by the University Registrar’s Office, Enrollment Services, Vice Provost for Education, Heinz College and Tepper School of Business.