The purpose of this study was to provide an integrated understanding of college students' perceptions of effective teaching centering on students' voices and learning experiences. Using a phenomenological approach, this study identified prominent attributes of effective teaching from interviews with undergraduate and graduate students at a Midwestern research university. The results concluded that a teacher-student relationship, engagement, and real-world experience are the most important qualities of effective teachers valued by students across disciplines and backgrounds. This study offers insight into teaching effectiveness and a useful guiding mechanism for teachers in developing a repertoire of effective teaching skills. This study recommends longitudinal research to understand how perceptions of effective teaching change as students mature and how their learning objectives and experiences shape and reshape the definition of teaching effectiveness. The study also suggests future research by looking into the comparisons between both students' and teachers' perceptions in order to gain a holistic understanding of effective teaching.