Increasing pressures on colleges and universities to ensure degree completion and job placement as measures of success make it imperative that the path to graduation is clear and that seniors receive the support needed to earn a degree and make a successful transition to life beyond college. This new edited collection describes today’s college seniors and offers strategies for supporting them to graduation through high-impact educational initiatives. Contributors also address issues related to career development; workplace transitions; and opportunities for integration, reflection, closure, and ongoing engagement as students leave college. Educators charged with improving the end-of-college experience will find this an invaluable resource.
List of Tables and Figures
Foreword—John N. Gardner
Introduction—Mary Stuart Hunter, Jennifer R. Keup, Jillian Kinzie, and Heather Maietta
Section I: Understanding College Seniors
Chapter 1: Pathways and Portraits of Today’s College Seniors—Jennifer R. Keup
Chapter 2 : The Kids Are Alright: Emerging Adulthood and the Transition Out of College—Tracy L. Skipper
Chapter 3: The Impact of Technology on Learning, Development, and Communication—Reynol Junco and Jeanna Mastrodicasa
Section II: Addressing the Needs of College Seniors
Chapter 4: Optimizing High-Impact Educational Practices and the Senior Year—Jillian Kinzie
Chapter 5: Senior Seminars and Capstone Courses—Jean M. Henscheid
Section III: Facilitating the Transition Out of College
Chapter 6: Career Development in the Senior Year—Heather Maietta
Chapter 7: Transitioning Into the 21st Century Workplace: Will Seniors Be Ready? —Philip Gardner and April L. Perry
Chapter 8: Seniors, Symbolism, and Solidarity: Collegiate Transition Rituals—Peter M. Magolda and J. Michael Denton
Chapter 9: Cultivating Traditions of Engagement and Giving Among New Alumni—Meredith L. Fakas and Mary Ruffin W. Childs
Chapter 10: Implementing Effective Educational Change—John N. Gardner and Mary Stuart Hunter
Index
About the Contributors
“This book is a great start for readers seeking a summary of student development theory and how it relates to today’s senior students. A useful text for advisors, capstone instructors, and student affairs professionals.”
- NACADA Journal
