Amidst the tapestry of public education lie the stories of early college high school (ECHS) students, students with valuable insights into the transformative nature of juggling secondary and postsecondary education. Their experiences are somewhat unknown to the education community at large. ECHS programs are designed to bridge the gap between high…

In this qualitative study, 26 university students reflected on their experiences in domestic or international study away programs. Utilizing a sociocultural developmental framework, we examined perceived changes in identity in relation to salient aspects of the sociocultural context and social interactions during and after study away. Students…

Responding to the call for papers on "The Future of College Student Mental Health," we analyze the current "crisis" in college student mental health, and we discuss how it is co-constructed by our students and we who are the faculty and the administrators. We identify three factors: (1) A shift from offering value-based…

This study explored how university students in North America acquired the ability to express their career-related competencies in the context of a pre-professional career education program. We examined the intersection of happenstance learning theory (HLT) and experiential learning theory (ELT) to facilitate significant experiences that inspired…

This narrative inquiry study explored the transformational learning experiences of students who attended Christian colleges and universities in the United States. The problem addressed in this study is the need for Christian colleges and universities to identify what constitutes and contributes to the transformative experiences conveyed by…

Many studies highlight positive outcomes from curriculum co-creation including its transformational potential for students. In this paper, we explore how curriculum co-creation transforms students, drawing on Johansson and Felten's (2014. "Transforming Students: Fulfilling the Promise of Higher Education." Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins…

Caste-based discrimination persists as a formidable barrier within Indian higher education, compelling Dalit students to employ university spaces not only for learning but as arenas for activism and social change. This dissertation explores the agency of Dalit students as they confront and dismantle systemic inequalities through strategic…

This article presents a research project that set out to better understand the transformational learning of students working with a real-world client in the design thinking process. The article presents a case study involving a partnership between Grand Valley State University and Founders Brewery to design, develop, market, and distribute a…

For higher education students, feelings of belonging play an important role in their academic success and overall health and wellbeing. However, few studies to date have examined the contributors to and impacts of belonging experiences among post-secondary students within a qualitative paradigm. Written descriptions of belonging experiences were…

African American science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students' lack of transformative learning experiences at predominantly White universities negatively affect their degree completion. When these students do not feel accepted or have a sense of belonging in predominantly White majors and campuses due to sociocultural and…

In this phenomenological study, seven research participants shared their memories, experiences, and the durability of what they learned as university student ambassadors who participated in a unique philanthropic initiative. Through this philanthropy-university-community partnership, participants traveled on site visits to three global locations…

Assessment of student learning is a priority within the University Studies curriculum; however, those findings are aggregated and do not capture the experience, or voice, of the individual student. This article addresses that missing data by ceding the floor to seven dynamic student coauthors. Individually, their autoethnographies illustrate the…

Classroom as organization (CAO) is an approach at the extreme end of an experiential learning intensity continuum. While proponents suggest they would never go back to a teacher-centered classroom, CAO has not become widely adopted since its initial description by Cohen. We argue this is, in part, because of shadow elements that may discourage…

The educational community has made a shift from transmission learning to a type of learning where the student is transformed. The findings produced by a literature study delineate the authors' definition of "transformative learning". The struggle to implement this form of learning has resulted in mostly theoretical approaches; empirical…

This is a study of African American men alumni who were members of a Black Male Initiative (BMI) organization at a predominantly white institution (PWI) in the Midwest. The research explores the motivation and transformational experiences of BMI alumni and how their participation in the organization provided the support and motivation they needed…