Research-Driven Practice in Student Affairs: Implications from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education. New Directions for Student Services, Number 147

As student affairs units face increasing pressure to use data and evidence to inform planning and decisions, the research related to higher education has become more complex and, in some cases, less accessible. This issue aims to bridge this gap by drawing implications for student affairs programs and practices from the results of the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education, an investigation that followed thousands of college students at more than 50 colleges and universities. The authors identify research-based ways that student affairs practitioners can facilitate educational outcomes, including critical thinking, moral reasoning, and intercultural competence, w…