More South African research is needed that examines the application of positive psychology to assist students in navigating the stressful first-year experience by identifying, developing and applying signature strengths. This article reports on a mixed methods study that investigated the efficacy of a strengths-based development programme…

Summer bridge programs (SBPs) improve the likelihood that students will succeed in postsecondary education. The majority of SBP research has focused on programs designed for underprepared high school graduates rather than nontraditional populations (i.e., older, [General Education Diploma] GED-holders, parents, etc.). This study sought to address…

First-generation college students and students from low-income families face financial, social, informational, and academic barriers to college completion because of the high cost of postsecondary education, the complexity of navigating college life, misalignment between high school and college academic expectations, and a general lack of guidance…

Peer education on a college campus may be an ideal nexus for two imperatives facing higher education over the next decade: (1) an increasingly needy student population; and (2) a decreasing level of support for program growth. Despite its long history as a method of instruction, both in and out of the classroom, the benefits of peer education are…

Peer education programs have gained popularity on college campuses because peer educators can communicate with other students in ways that faculty and administrators cannot. Peer education programs continue to grow exponentially because college-age students often feel more comfortable talking with peers when it comes to sensitive issues such as…

Involving undergraduates in the design, delivery, and evaluation of classroom-based learning enhances student ownership of the learning environment and stimulates peer interest in the transformative possibilities of education. As bell hooks (1994) eloquently describes, the process of honoring student voices in the classroom enhances "the…

This book presents the results and implications of a major new national study exploring the effects of institutional racial composition on African American students' development and their educational outcomes, taking into account individuals' background characteristics, their perceptions of the institutional environment, and their experiences in…

The Common Ground Multicultural Dialogue program in the Department of Resident Life at the University of Maryland is an innovative peer education program designed to teach skills for engagement through exploration of contemporary multicultural societal dilemmas. The Common Ground Dialogue Program was launched in 2000 to provide undergraduate…

This book fills a significant void in the research on ethnic minority cultural centers, offers the historic background to their establishment and development, considers the circumstances that led to their creation, examines the roles they play on campus, explores their impact on retention and campus climate, and provides guidelines for their…

Reports on a survey of community college chief student personnel officers, which focused on the comprehensiveness of student service program offerings and the relative contribution of the program to designated purposes. Reveals that purposes related to student development were subordinate to those related to delivery of services. (DMM)

Describes a workshop led by resident assistants offering communication skills to roommates in university residence halls. Results of an evaluation showed most participants as well as RAs found the workshops a positive experience, although significant differences in roommate relationships between participants and controls were not observed. (JAC)

Warns that as pressures for greater accountability increase, student affairs personnel risk focusing their attention on preservation of educational systems rather than on student development. Emphasizes the need for closer interaction between the theorist and practitioner, grounded in formal theoretical knowledge of human development. (JAC)

Describes the development of job search workshops that emphasize student development. Outlines stages of cognitive and career development and discusses how these theories were applied to the workshops, which combined support and challenge. Presents guidelines for developmental workshops. (JAC)

Survey data received from student development practitioners at 53 community colleges are used to investigate exemplary student affairs programs. Identifies six core elements that underlie successful student development programs, such as champions leading the way and meeting student needs in nontraditional ways. Uses examples from community…

Three levels of development for a student affairs staff are proposed. The levels reflect the orientation and sophistication of the staff as a collective unit, with the effectiveness of a staff being related to its level of development. (Author)