Persistence of transfer students is greatly influenced by academic and social integration at receiving institutions. The purpose of this study was to examine how transfer students and student affairs professionals used Facebook during the initial transition to campus. Findings from 15 different institutional Facebook groups revealed that transfer…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore, document, analyze, and describe employment transition strategies utilized by senior student affairs officers prior to, and during the first 90 days of their appointment at a 4-year, public research, land grant institution. Four research questions were posed to address the problems identified,…

Helping students prepare for the complex transition to life after graduation is an important responsibility shared by those in student affairs and others in higher education. This chapter explores theories and models that can inform student affairs practitioners and faculty in preparing students for life after college. The focus is on roles,…

This qualitative, multiple case study explored what women working in student affairs reported as influences on their career choices and the impact that the type and level of student interaction has on their careers. Data from semi-structured interviews and journal entries were obtained from ten women working in student affairs at private,…

While the number of women entering the student affairs profession has increased, gender equity at the senior level of leadership remains elusive in the student affairs profession. In comparison to their presence in graduate preparation programs and lower levels of administration women continue to lag behind men in their rate of advancement to the…

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of women who have children and work in mid-level student affairs positions. The study of this phenomenon was driven by four problems: (a) women face barriers in rising to upper-level leadership positions, (b) women are more likely than men to leave the field of student affairs, (c) there…

In the existing student affairs literature about career development and work-life balance, women administrators of all professional levels and women with children of all ages have been studied together. As a result, little is known about the unique rewards and challenges that result from simultaneously negotiating the different stages of…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain insight on the nontraditional pathways to a college presidency. Specifically, this inquiry explored the career trajectory of college presidents with experience as a former chief student affairs officer (CSAO). The population of the study was comprised of 12 presidents from a myriad of four-year…

The purpose of this study was to explore how midlevel managers in student affairs learn supervisory skills. Student affairs professionals are given tremendous responsibility for the lives of students outside the classroom. The Association of College Personnel Administrators and other sources outlined the necessary competencies for student affairs…

The path to upward mobility or economic success for African American men is often filled with obstacles and roadblocks. Many first-generation African American men entering colleges and universities face limited resources and opportunities to aid in their career development and efforts to meet their career objectives. This article explores the…

Women make up a majority of those employed in higher education, yet they are still a minority in leadership positions. Completing a doctoral degree, relocating for career advancement, and working in demanding, high time commitment roles are typically required to achieve the chief student affairs officer (CSAO) position, as well as contributors to…

This qualitative study examined the career shaping experiences and related meaning making processes of 12 interns at The Carter Center, an international, humanitarian organization. Experiences shaping participants' careers were grouped into the following themes--academics and intellectual curiosity; travel abroad; religion; relationships--family,…

The purpose of this study is to determine the pathway issues supporting or challenging the advancement of student affairs officers to college and university presidencies and the experiences and skills student affairs officers must have to be competitive candidates in searches for presidencies. There is an impending serious gap between the number…

Student affairs stands at a pivotal point in time and within its own history. By increasingly encouraging interdisciplinary learning across the curriculum, our profession is well positioned to help students understand the multiple purposes of higher education, including both the practical and the transcendent. Addressing these twin purposes is the…

The highways and byways, or career paths, to the Senior Student Affairs Officer (SSAO) position differ based on a variety of variables. This study examined several variables including the induction or graduate preparation process, professional pathways, and professional and academic involvement of more than half of current land grant SSAOs. Data…