Prior research points to the first year of college as a critical time in selecting a college major. Considering the number of studies focusing on the STEM gender gap, surprisingly little research has examined gender differences and the influence of the first college year on the STEM major selection. Using data from the Wabash National Study of…

Faculty, students, and staff--as well as institutional structures such as record systems--can provide foundational sources of support and recognition for trans students (Linley et al., 2016; Singh et al., 2014). However, limited research has addressed the perceptions of students about both the practice of sharing names/pronouns and the inclusion…

This study investigated the social integration (in relation to academic integration) of first-year students during the first semester at university. Sixteen focus group sessions with 93 students and 37 individual face-to-face follow-up interviews were conducted with first-year psychology and educational science students from a Dutch-speaking…

According to the self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), academic motivation can take different forms (Litalien et al., 2019; Vallerand et al., 1989). First, "intrinsic motivation" (IM) is defined as a spontaneous inclination to assimilate and master an activity. Second, "extrinsic motivation" (EM) refers to a desire…

First-year seminars (FYS) are courses "intended to enhance the academic and/or social integration of first-year students" (Barefoot, 1992, p. 49). In 2008, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) introduced a list of 10 high-impact practices (HIPs) that had been tested and found to have significant positive…

First-year university students encounter considerable academic stress, possibly resulting in mental health problems. Although studies have illustrated the academic and health benefits of sense of belonging, few studies have focused on its role in the relationship between academic stress and mental health complaints. The current study used…

The growing concern about the mental health and psychological distress of first-year students warrants a greater understanding of their well-being. This study explored the insights of 16 staff and service providers who engage with first-year students at a South African peri-urban campus and built on quantitative studies using the Job…

The demand for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates has increased significantly over the last decade. Because of the insufficient number of STEM graduates, this demand has not been met, resulting in a significant shortage of STEM workers in the US (President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, 2012). The…

The number of international students in US higher education has grown significantly in the past decade; in 2018-19, more than 1 million foreign students were studying in the US (Institute of International Education, 2019). Many incoming college students, both domestic and international, experience psychological difficulties that may result from…

University educators struggle to provide effective assistance to students for the transition to college life (Center for Collegiate Mental Health, 2019). Like many other institutions, Florida State University, population 42,000, has grappled with how best to help students meet these challenges. In 2018, the university administration requested a…

Recent decades have seen a growing body of scholarship dedicated to the college experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ+) students. To date, research on LGBQ+ students offers much-needed insight into their postsecondary experiences and outcomes (Rankin et al., 2019), and large-scale surveys indicate the proportion of LGBQ+ students…

Many students engage in cocurricular involvement experiences in college, and research on student involvement has suggested benefits for students in terms of college outcomes. Involvement has been positively associated with academic self-confidence (Berger & Milem, 2002), academic success and satisfaction (Webber, Krylow, & Zhang, 2013),…

The transition to college life presents myriad opportunities, hurdles, and learning experiences. Honors education emphasizes the importance of building community. This article showcases a program developed to engage first semester honors students in community through cocurricular activities designed to raise their awareness of diversity,…

College student satisfaction and engagement are important indicators of the quality of student learning experiences and outcomes in higher education. Researchers have found student satisfaction to be positively related to student persistence and academic success (Kuh, 2009; Strahan & Credé, 2015). Understanding the level of student…

For decades, researchers have investigated the impact of faculty-student interaction as well as the contexts in which such interactions occur and are most productive (Astin, 1993; Kuh & Hu, 2001). Cox (2011) identified two consistent outcomes from this body of research: first, that interactions between faculty members and students have…