Replete with illustrations of promising policies and practices from many different kinds of institutions, this book is a timely, welcome reminder that it is possible to create the conditions that foster student success. Equally important, the authors set forth foundational principles to guide this important work.

Focusing Institutions on what matters most, this highly experienced team of scholar-practitioners revitalizes our vision of the undergraduate experience and its power to transform. Both inspirational and practical, this concise volume offers thought-provoking observations and memorable examples of undergraduate education at its best.

Drawing from a generation of far-reaching change initiatives, this is a “can-do” book. The authors both encourage and provide an aspirational vision of systemic, integrative steps any institution can take to achieve its own design for powerful and purposeful college learning. Through page after page of inspiring example, they show us that engaged and public-spirited quality learning is an achievable goal at every kind of college, university, and community college.

This concise, highly readable book provides guidance for presidents, deans, and faculty members who wish to improve undergraduate education. But I would also recommend this book to the general public, especially for those who are selecting colleges for themselves or for family members. Forget the U.S. News and World Report rankings, which are compiled for the major purpose of selling magazines. The Undergraduate Experience enumerates the defining features of colleges and universities dedicated to student success.

In addition, on NPR Illinois (August 2, 2016), she encourages students and families, as well as academics, to read this ‘concise and highly-readable’ book.

“[The] five authors draw upon their decades of experience studying successful undergraduate programs to distill their common features into six themes — themes that the book argues can be applied across all manner of institutions working toward excellence. All it takes is optimism, patience and teamwork — and muscle.” Click here to read the full review.

“While the title includes the qualifier ‘American’ higher education, the book is relevant to Australian higher education, and its cases actually include non-American institutions….The book would also be an excellent read for an institution-wide professional development program focused on improving an institution’s undergraduate experience.” Click here to read the full review.

“I’d like to begin by sharing how much I enjoyed reading your book. Your tone is hopeful and your counsel immensely practical. While many books these days emphasize the problems of higher education, I found your book ripe with examples of what’s going well.”  Click here to read the full interview with Executive Editor Frank Shushok, Jr. and two of the book authors.