Theories of college student and adult intellectual development have shown that learning to interpret, evaluate, and construct knowledge evolves in a developmentally predictable fashion, and have offered explanations for the difficulties some students face when asked to make their own decisions (Baxter Magolda, 1992; Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger,…

Racial microaggressions are subtle (often unintentional or unconscious) forms of racial discrimination that negatively affect victims' mental health. Utilizing an undergraduate student sample (N = 225), the current study examined the relationship between racial microaggressions and self-esteem. Results indicate that racial microaggressions…

Although international attention to understanding college student development, learning, and experiences has increased, leading higher education journals do not seem to have kept pace. We examined 8 higher education and student affairs journals (5 from the US, 3 from Europe) from 1998 to 2011. We found overall that 5% of articles addressed…

Little research has focused carefully on the means by which peer mentors foster development in undergraduate protégés. Two faculty members developed a holistic, peer-mentoring project in which 26 upperclassmen mentored 74 underclassmen at a midsize, 4-year institution. Mentor journal notes, open-ended protégé responses, and participant…

This study is an outcomes assessment of an experiential learning program for undergraduate students interested in life and health sciences careers enrolled at a public urban research institution. The year-long research and professional experience internships were projected to improve learning outcomes in undergraduates. The study included an…

Financial aid plays a critical role in college access and student success. It plays an increasingly important role as the college-going population continues to diversify and the cost of college continues to rise at both public and private institutions. In this study, the authors examined whether institutional level financial aid has any direct…

This article presents a hybrid metatheory of spiritual formation that can be applied to understanding college students' spiritual development through service-learning experiences. A definition and overview of spirituality is presented and contrasted with religion, followed by a review of various theoretical models from developmental…

This article examines the relationship between 2 study away experiences--study abroad and service-learning--and the development of a global perspective. Three different studies are presented using cross-sectional and longitudinal designs and multi-institutional samples. The results specifically link involvement in study abroad and service-learning…

This multilevel study extends the work of Pascarella, Ethington, & Smart (1988) and Rhee and Dey (1996) to investigate how student-level characteristics and organizational characteristics affect college students' civic values. Institutional variables found to impact civic values include institutional selectivity, institutional size, and attending…

To date, no empirical research has focused solely upon understanding the personal and sociocultural stressors of Chinese international students in the United States. This qualitative inquiry examined what the most stressful aspects of their personal and social lives in the United States are, how they characterize their stress, and what conditions…

The purpose of this study was to increase awareness of the perceptions of student affairs professionals regarding the most frequent and challenging concerns facing college students today. Using the Delphi method, 159 entry-level and mid-level student affairs administrators from institutions across the country were surveyed about their perceptions…

This study explored whether latent phenomena could be identified to classify students based on their patterns of involvement in cocurricular group experiences. The sample was comprised of 11,209 seniors from 50 institutions. A total of 4 latent factors were identified and students were classified into one of 8 latent classes. Findings offer new…

Given the increasing racial diversity among American college students and society, it is critical to promote meaningful interracial interactions during college. Although a burgeoning literature demonstrates the link between interracial interactions and an array of student outcomes, some important issues have been largely overlooked. Most research…

Despite the importance of religion in many college students' lives, little is known about how religious affiliation is associated with student growth and development. This study examines the relationship between college students' religious affiliations and well-being using a longitudinal sample of 14,527 students at 136 institutions. Analyses show…

Student affairs professionals seek innovative methods to enhance academic achievement for students. A recent study highlighted the need to bridge student development work with course curricula (Kilpatrick, Stant, Downes, & Gaither, 2008). This study also linked the importance of nonacademic cognitive variables, such as locus of control, to…