Library resources for FLY

This study examined the physical, mental, and emotional health of former and current foster youth students participating in campus support programs during their first year at a four-year university. Findings indicated that foster youth students participating in campus support programs reported significant declines in many aspects of their health, while the health of foster youth students not participating in campus support programs remained unchanged. This study has implications for campus support program staff and administrators.

Undergraduate research experiences offer a range of positive academic and affective student outcomes. However, these benefits often do not reach all students, as research experiences are often selective, favor high-achieving students, focus on STEM fields, and typically target students in their third or fourth year of undergraduate studies. To address this issue, the University of Maine implemented the Research Learning Experiences (RLEs), a series of semester-long course-based research experiences in conjunction with pre-semester bridge experiences that are open and accessible to all incoming first-year students. The RLE courses spanned STEM and non-STEM disciplines while focusing on research and academic exploration as well as social engagement. Pre- and post-surveys from RLE participants ( n  = 153) and a comparison group ( n  = 159) demonstrate several positive student outcomes. We found that RLE students reported a greater sense of belonging to their course, belonging to the university, and research identity compared to their peers, regardless of discipline. These outcomes were largely consistent across student demographics. For all students, greater belonging (university and course) was positively associated with first-year retention, highlighting the importance of designing undergraduate research experiences that incorporate social connections and cohort-building in the first semester. These results contribute to our understanding of course-based research experiences undertaken by students from an array of majors and backgrounds, specifically, that they can produce positive outcomes in both STEM and non-STEM majors. This program can serve as a model for institutions aiming to broaden participation in undergraduate research across disciplines, particularly in the first semester.

Crash Course: How to College! This 15 episode series is part of the Study Hall Program; a partnership between Crash Course and ASU. Dr. Erica Brozovsky (from PBS's Otherwords) hosts and breaks down how to apply for, succeed at, and graduate from college. We hope you'll join us for this journey and check out our all new Study Hall Channel (linked above) where you can watch Fast Guides about college majors and even more series.

A college degree is something Americans have always valued. Even Americans without a college degree believe that education beyond high school is important. But recent Gallup research indicates that 25% of all college graduates in the US fail to thrive in their overall careers and lives. Gallup has found six elements of emotional support and experiential learning in college that are correlated with long-term career and life success, and one-quarter of college graduates—who otherwise met the academic standards to get a diploma—missed out on all six of these critical elements. These graduates’ outcomes—compared with those who hit all six—are so drastically worse off that it calls into question the value of their collegiate experience.

The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition is the trusted expert, internationally recognized leader, and clearinghouse for scholarship, policy, and best practice for all postsecondary student transitions.

Staying mindful within the constantly changing dynamics of professionalism is something I see as essential. One thing in particular is our ability to stay level-headed and present in our own thoughts, and although there has been a notable increase in awareness around mental health and the necessity to stay kind to our minds, we must help ourselves too with mindfulness. This all culminates in our ability to evolve our professional and personal development, and the one niche I want to focus on today is intrapersonal skills, which have emerged as a cornerstone for success and well-being. In 2024, understanding that these skills are more vital than ever is something that can give us a real boost, especially when we combine that with a newfound ability to master the skills! Therefore, this comprehensive guide will go deep into what intrapersonal skills really mean, what they entail, how they differ from interpersonal skills, and practical ways for you to go away and develop them.

Episode 381 Feb. 19, 2025
Many students experience challenges transitioning from high school to college. In this episode, Beckie Supiano joins us to discuss changes in the K-12 environment that impact student preparation for college. Beckie is a senior writer for The Chronicle of Higher Education. She began her work at The Chronicle as an intern in 2008 and is a co-author, with Beth McMurtrie of The Chronicle’s Teaching Newsletter.

Episode 386 March 26, 2025
Throughout human history, we have relied on technology to make our work easier. In this episode, Michelle Miller joins us to discuss how to foster students’ critical thinking skills in the age of AI. Michelle is a Professor of Psychological Sciences and President’s Distinguished Teaching Fellow at Northern Arizona University. She is the author of Minds Online: Teaching Effectively with Technology, Remembering and Forgetting in the Age of Technology: Teaching, Learning, and the Science of Memory in a Wired World and A Teacher’s Guide to Learning Students’ Names: Why You Should, Why It’s Hard, How You Can. Michelle is also a frequent contributor of articles on teaching and learning in higher education to a variety of publications including The Chronicle of Higher Ed.

The College Life Podcast is for the college student who wants to make a difference in the world - for those who know that they are meant to do something that matters, but aren’t sure what that is quite yet or how to make it happen. We interview current college students, recent graduates, and inspiring guests to share their stories and empower you to make college yours.

In a world focused on getting in, do you know what you’re getting into? College Uncovered, from GBH News in collaboration with The Hechinger Report, pulls back the ivy on American higher education, exposing the problems, pitfalls and risks — and helping you navigate them. If you wonder how college really works, subscribe now. Because it’s a real education.

Hosts, Carlos & Susanne Hidalgo, have been applying Life Design principles for the last four years and will share the lessons they have learned, the approaches they take to continually design the life they want and also feature guests who have designed their lives and are living life to it's fullest.