Between the Fall of 2016 through February of 2022 (the start of the pandemic) the author drove as an independent contractor for both Uber and Lyft--the ridesharing companies. During this time, he provided 4,590 rides (with a 4.97- star rating) in Boston, MA and the neighboring communities. When he decided to drive for these rideshare platforms, he…

Often, experiences of trauma challenge a person's ability to cope. Although many students on college campuses carry around trauma, the COVID-19 pandemic placed a magnifying glass on student mental health that made it clear universities cannot be passive when it comes to supporting students through their trauma. In this article, the authors argue…

This essay explores the journey college men face as they negotiate the formation and development of their digital and masculine identities from first year to senior year. Several objectives guide this article: (1) to provide insight into how and why the landscape of identity development has shifted for men; (2) to offer recommendations for…

The authors argue that successful "transitions" are inseparable from both "learning" and "becoming." Furthermore, for students to experience successful transitions (and the learning inherent in navigating those transitions) individual educators and institutions more generally need to attend to the issues of…

Along with a host of higher education institutions (HEI), Ryerson University has championed social innovation in its programming for the past several years, culminating in the development of the Office of Social Innovation (OSI). They define social innovation as the practice of using creative and collaborative approaches to challenge historical…

Taran Cardone suggests the concept of design thinking as an approach to personal learning design and the customization of the college experience. Such customization is good for student learning, Cardone reminds us, because connecting educational experiences to previous knowledge and experiences, as well as interests and goals, encourages deep…

Are athletics a positive or negative educational force? The viewpoint widely shared across academe is that participation in intercollegiate athletics has a positive impact on students and contributes to learning and moral development. Often, this notion is captured in the phrase "character development," a shorthand way to describe the individual…

The academy plays a significant role in male students' experience of gender. In this article, the authors explore how educators can effectively support healthy and productive gender identity development among college men. Their goal is to provide insight into how campus cultures convey and reinforce lessons about what constitutes "normal"…

Recognition of the promotion of self-reliance as a prevailing purpose of higher education in the United States can be found in many college and university mission statements. Student independence and self-determination are also long-standing staples of theories of student development. Returning home to live with mom and dad is not a goal that…

Traditional-age college students face a host of challenges during the transition from home to campus. Perhaps one of the most substantial challenges--one that relates directly to adjustment and quality of life--involves the formation of new relationships, and the awareness, development, and establishment of boundaries between their own emerging…

Many people feel overwhelmed by the seemingly never-ending demands of their professional and personal lives. Thinking of one's life as an ongoing journey promotes flexibility and allows one to focus on a current task, while knowing there will be time in the future to complete other tasks or meet other goals later. Research has also shown that…

A heterosexual doctoral student discusses his experiences when he tries to take part in a day of silence to help combat homophobia and heterosexism. His vow of silence teaches him that he will never fully understand the experience of a person who has been historically, socially, and legally silent. (Author/MKA)

Getting through to students in the classroom continues to be one of the great mysteries of an educator's life. What will capture their attention, and, more important, what will transform their thinking? Film industry veteran and educator Barbara Tobolowsky returned to her roots in visual media to find answers. Using video clips to introduce a…

When asked to speak on the first day of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) the author, who is passionate about developing holistic education, began to realize that he had gotten lazy about his own personal growth. As an educator, he was quite used to creating environments that transform students, and encouraging them to explore different parts of…

Remaining motivated requires that educators believe in the essential goodness of humankind and in each person's capacity for self-examination and change. They must also have faith that they can make a positive difference by challenging students, offering resources to support them, and approaching all of their interactions with them with care and…