College Student Activists’ Perceptions of Mattering to Campus Educators

Abstract

College student activists catalyze reform on campus and beyond—yet, we know little about how these students perceive mattering on campus. Given that mattering is linked to positive student outcomes, educator commitment to caring for student activists is critical. This work, grounded in semistructured interviews and a constructivist lens, explored how 16 college student activists across five institutions in the Washington, DC, area perceived mattering. We offer recommendations in support of student activists and educator allies.

Acknowledgments

We extend our gratitude to our participants for sharing their voices and to our institution’s Office of Scholarly and Creative Activities for its financial support of this work.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the George Mason University–OSCAR Summer Impact Grant.