Recently, I co-facilitated an undergraduate workshop about intentionally building connections with supportive faculty, staff, and peer mentors. In alignment with principles from relational mentoring, we collectively acknowledged that embracing some personal vulnerability was crucial for building meaningful interpersonal connections (Johnson…

Decades of research demonstrates that student learning and well-being in higher education are enhanced by positive relationships with peers and instructors (Felten and Lambert 2020). Yet, one common challenge with relationship-rich education is scale. How is this possible when I’m…

60-Second SoTL – Episode 48 This episode highlights two articles that explore first-year experiences and what makes them high-impact: Barefoot, Betsy O. 2000. “The First-Year Experience: Are We Making It Any Better?” About Campus 4 (6): 12–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/108648220000400604.  Kuh, George, Ken…

Many universities offer countless student success resources and academic opportunities, but they may not be well-known to students. Certainly, efforts to raise student awareness and involvement in academic offerings exist, but research shows most universities do not advertise academic opportunities…

The transition from high school to university is often a challenging one that includes many adjustments. This transition can be especially challenging when an undergraduate or graduate student moves to another country and/or continent for their education. Studying in a…

Infants’ first attempts in learning to walk are characterized by enthusiastic, wholehearted, but unbalanced steps that frequently result in many falls. Learning this novel skill is influenced by the child’s developmental history, or prior experiences, such as being held in…

I grew up on a mountainside in rural Appalachia and spent nearly every day of my childhood playing outside. Being from a low-income family and surrounded by the natural world, I entertained myself by exploring plants, animals, soil, water, and…

The concept and practice of the remote internship/placement were not new in 2020. Over the past several decades, more and more work has been done out of the office and out of the bounds of typical workday time constraints (Dean…

60-Second SoTL – Episode 26 This week’s episode defines collaborative projects and assignments, a high-impact practice (HIP), and explores its role in higher education. The episode features one foundational publication on HIPs from the Association of American Colleges and Universities and…

Studying abroad is a high-impact practice with a multitude of benefits (Truelove 2023). Increasingly, employers are seeking graduates with cross-cultural experience, a global perspective, and critical thinking skills. In addition, research suggests that undergraduate students who participate in study abroad…