The incorporation of therapy animals into psychological treatment has proven to be an effective form of treatment option for college students, yet limited information exists around the implementation of animal assisted interventions within groupwork. The purpose of this study was to gain understanding of animal assisted group therapy (AAGT) on…

The peer assessment scores published annually by "U.S. News & World Report" ("USNWR") have fast become the de facto measure of institutional reputation in higher education. While higher education policymakers often use this score for benchmarking and performance-based funding purposes, relatively little is known about this…

The problem addressed in the study is that university counselors in the United States have been overwhelmed by the surge in student mental health care demand. The purpose of this qualitative dissertation was to explore and document the perspectives of university counselors and how they have been affected by the surge in student mental healthcare…

As diverse student populations in the United States continue to increase, the need to support culturally diverse student groups has become increasingly important, especially in postsecondary institutions. Colleges and universities have been relying heavily on student affairs professionals (SAPs) to provide services that inform and support diverse…

This phenomenological investigation examined the experiences and knowledge of high school counselors in advising student-athletes on the NCAA college transition process. The study sought to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges, successes, and experiences of school counselors in supporting student-athletes during a critical transition…

The purpose of the study was to understand how faculty and counselors perceive student persistence, retention, and college readiness in relation to student academic success. The qualitative approach was utilized to obtain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of the participants. Purposeful sampling was utilized to select faculty and…

Many mid-level higher education and student affairs professionals are responsible for the supervision of entry-level professionals. As the population of entry-level professionals continues to diversify, it is necessary for mid-level student affairs supervisors to engage effectively across differences of culture and identity in their supervisory…

The goal of this qualitative case study was to determine what institutional processes and practices have been developed in relationship to mass shootings and gun violence, as well as how mass shootings in educational settings impact the way a campus responds and prepares a safety plan. Through speaking with threat assessment team members, student…

Student Affairs professionals report concerns of stress, burnout, work-life balance issues, overall job satisfaction, and unrealistic demands and expectations often resulting in employees exiting the field (Boehman, 2007; Evans, 1988; Lorden, 1998; Marshall et al., 2016; Mullen et al., 2018; Rosser & Javinar, 2003; Ward, 1995). The COVID-19…

There is a gap in student affairs divisions when using a standard for assessment at the divisional level. While there is extensive literature on assessment within student affairs divisions, there is little to no information on the assessment of student affairs divisions. This study employs an exploratory quantitative research methodology to…

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in March 2020 resulted in hundreds of companies canceling internships for college students who had accepted offers for the summer. While colleges and companies were determining how to move forward, a team of recruiters and learning professionals at a global telecommunications company engaged thousands of…

Minoritized Black students who are average academic performers have often been overlooked as a targeted group in empirical studies that look at barriers and other limitations for minority students (Rodriguez, 2015; Stewart, 2013). This study seeks to identify the practices that higher education institutions are currently utilizing to recruit…

The U.S. higher education system has undergone significant changes since the early 2000s, with the COVID-19 pandemic being the most recent catalyst for rapid adaptation. Institutions had to quickly adjust to the ever-changing environment, with fluctuating conditions beyond their control affecting students, faculty, and support staff. As a result,…

Access to higher education has been critical in financial stability; however, not all individuals have equal access to higher education. More specifically, students who have been identified as underrepresented, including those who are low-income, first-generation, or a minority, face several challenges in gaining access to college. There are…

Decades of established research have focused on the attrition, workplace trauma, and career burnout of student affairs (SA) professionals working at colleges and universities (see N. J. Evans, 1988; Herr & Strange, 1985; Perez & Bettencourt, 2024; Walterbusch, 2019). The purpose of this generic qualitative research study (Khalke, 2016) was…