This article traces the evolution of holistic student development as the centerpiece of the college experience in the 1960s to its current all-too-often overlooked function in postsecondary education, and it explains why students, employers, and the democracy all benefit from educating the whole person. Holistic student development encompasses intellectual, emotional, social, ethical, physical, and spiritual dimensions. Employers express preference for similar sets of skills and competencies. However, while most institutional mission statements include language about preparing students for active participation in civic and ethical life, few institutions back this up with curricular requirements. A recent trend congenial to re-establishing the value of holistic student development is the movement to value experience and experiential learning. A byproduct of this movement is the positive influence of participating in a high-impact practice (HIP) on a range of desired outcomes. An HIP done well typically induces students to practice and over time cultivate the skills and dispositional learning attributes that employers, and others, assert are essential for success during and after college. This paper stresses the importance of programs and practices that are congenial with developing the whole person, which is essential for individuals to thrive and the democracy to survive.