Gender and College Women: Supporting Adult Women’s Development Through a Multidisciplinary Lens

Abstract

All students experience challenges and obstacles during their college years, yet an underexplored topic in higher education is the gender gap that exists for college students and how it manifests in college student development. It is important for higher education professionals to understand not only the gender gap in college but also how women experience college in the United States. This conceptual article will explore how adult women experience college and how continuing studies and adult education professionals working with college women may draw upon both counseling and student development theory to assist the students with whom they work and to foster their development.

Keywords:

• College
• gender
• adult college students
• student development
• counseling
• leadership

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kim C. O’Halloran

Kim C. O’Halloran, PhD, is Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at Widener University, where she also is an Associate Professor of Higher Education Leadership. Her research focuses on the factors that impact persistence and success for non-traditional undergraduate and graduate students.

Megan E. Delaney

Megan Delaney, PhD, LPC, is an Associate Professor and Chair in the Department of Professional Counseling at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Dr. Delaney’s research focuses on clinical outcomes in Ecotherapy as well as the effect of nature-based curriculum and delivery in counselor education.