A relationship-rich experience

Attending college is an exhilarating, albeit challenging, journey. This time is filled with intellectual and academic challenges, and it can be easy to forget the social and relational growth taking place along the way. Amidst the whirlwind of lectures, assignments, and exams, having a supportive network of friends, professors, and mentors can make all the difference.

In the book “Relationship-Rich Education: How Human Connections Drive Success in College,” authors Peter Felten and Leo Lambert explore the benefits of communal relationships in college. Felton and Lambert interviewed students, faculty, and staff from numerous higher education institutions, and they found that relationship-rich environments cultivate a powerful sense of belonging, which is invaluable for college students’ academic success.

I recently had the opportunity to spend time with one of my stellar Student Fellows, Ainsley Cragin, who works part time in our office. As I have gotten to know her, I can tell you she is an exceptional woman, leader, writer, and deep thinker with many strong relationships across the university. I wanted to share with you her reflection on her time at Virginia Tech and the role relationships have played in her success. My questions and her responses follow.

How have you approached relationship building at Virginia Tech so far?

I have found so many incredible people here. I was not very well connected in high school; I transferred to a new district and most people there had been friends since kindergarten. On every exhausting day, my mom would tell me that I would find ‘my people’ in college, and I feel like I have done just that.

I worked for a year (during the height of the pandemic) before coming to college. I wanted to preserve my undergraduate experience as much as possible. During that year, I worked alongside people of all ages, and I learned to forget what stage of life people are in; instead, I tried to learn about who they are. I feel like I have applied those skills to this chapter of my life. It does not matter if I am meeting a student, a professor, or an administrator, I look for ways to build relationships.

Who comes to mind when you think about an influential relationship or connection you have made?

One influential connection that comes to mind is my connection to Dr. James Bridgeforth, the assistant vice president for Student Affairs and ExperienceVT. Dr. Bridgeforth and I met when I was a first-year student running a campaign for a leadership position in the inaugural Undergraduate Student Senate. Over the past few years, we have developed a mentor-mentee relationship. Through discussing goals and obstacles, shared personality traits, and hopes for the future, we have developed a relationship grounded in authenticity and common strengths. Dr. Bridgeforth has introduced me to countless other students, faculty, staff, and administrators who contribute so wonderfully to my experience here. He helped me find friendship with student leaders and staff with similar goals and interests, and even job opportunities.

There are so many aspects of the college experience that provide countless opportunities for learning and for developing rich relationships - student organizations, classrooms, residence and dining halls, student centers, leader development programs, and cultural and recreational events. Why do you think developing relationships, particularly with faculty and staff, is so important for students?

I think the symbiotic relationship between faculty, staff, and students epitomizes the nature of our community development at Virginia Tech. Our exchange of knowledge and insight fosters a sense of mutual respect and even friendship that transcends traditional hierarchical distinctions. In my experience, Virginia Tech does an excellent job fostering an environment conducive to robust and continuous academic, social, emotional, and professional development.

Susan Ambrose, director of The Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation and principal lecturer for the Department of History at Carnegie Mellon University, conducted research on the effects of faculty-student interaction on students’ success in learning. Her findings, published in “How Learning Works,” included vast impacts on students when their faculty “connect course material to students’ interests, assign authentic and real-world problems to their learning, design work that is appropriately challenging, and help students set high but attainable expectations for their own work.” How would you say your academic experiences are related to your social circle?

I have found a lot of belonging in my academic community. I am studying multimedia journalism, a smaller major in the School of Communication, and building connections with faculty and students within my major has been an essential part of working towards my degree. I am incredibly grateful that most, if not all, of my professors have real-world journalism experience. They use their knowledge to share their unique insights related to the challenges and opportunities in the field, which helps to truly immerse us in the material. I never have to wonder why I am doing something for class — I am shown exactly how the course lessons and readings will show up in the real world when I am a professional. Even when I am working on journalism projects that are not related to class, I feel comfortable asking my professors (current and former) to review my work and offer suggestions. It makes me feel like I have my very own editorial team whenever I need help, and they express such wonderful support at every turn.

In my academic experience outside of my major, I am asked to step out of my academic comfort zone, which provides a chance to be vulnerable in my learning environment.

For example, I took a course called Data in the Social Context to fulfill a required quantitative and computational thinking pathway, even though I had never thought of myself as being strong in math or analytics. My professor, Dr. Davitt, was incredible; she remembered every one of the 100+ students’ names in the class by the second week. She challenged us to think on a grand scale. She brought big data, a concept I was only vaguely familiar with, to life. She used a variety of presentation styles to introduce incredibly dense material in small, manageable pieces. She encouraged us to raise our hands and engage in discussion — or to get out of our seats and write our ideas on the board. She pulled me aside after class once to note that I had not written that week with as much enthusiasm as I normally would, and she wanted to know if I was okay. She shared her passion with us in the most infectious way. I’m one of thousands of students she’s taught. She might not remember me now, but I remember her, and I have not forgotten how she turned the class I was most anxious about into one of the best I experienced.

As you know, our motto Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) is deeply embedded in our campus community. How has engaging on campus around service influenced your relationship web?

For me, service learning has resulted in many opportunities to form connections across boundaries. Many of us students engage with faculty, staff, and members of the surrounding community to support the health, growth, and well-being of those who live, work, and learn in Blacksburg. These interactions have developed in me a deep sense of mutual responsibility and belonging which has led to my own discovery of personal passions such as legislative advocacy and promoting food security. My work with the Undergraduate Student Senate and The Market of Virginia Tech has provided me with enriching experiences where I have forged enduring bonds with peers, advisors, and Blacksburg community members who share my passions.

Last year I had the pleasure of working with Isabelle Largen, the assistant director for Food Access Initiatives, to create the Pop-Up Pantry at Virginia Tech. This endeavor started in the early spring semester when our former Undergraduate Representative to the Board of Visitors, Jamal Ross, and I worked with Isabelle to create the first on-campus food pantry at Virginia Tech for students to access during finals. Isabelle treated us like true stakeholders in the process. She took the time to explain data patterns in food insecurity research and brainstormed alongside us how we could address student needs in a unique and effective way. This experience led to a strong network of support from Isabelle and her team. During volunteer shifts at The Market or conversations over coffee, Isabelle continues to check in on me and offer support and resources to help me pursue my personal and professional goals and passions.

Do you have any concluding thoughts to share about building strong connections at Virginia Tech?

Some of my most enduring relationships have been those that transcend the classroom. Shared experiences, mutual interests, and common goals have laid the foundation for what I hope to be lifelong friendships. Whether it is bonding with my friends over late-night study sessions or exploring professional opportunities and aspirational goals with my professors and mentors, these connections have become a source of strength and support that I expect to last long after graduation.