Socialization in Higher Education and the Early Career

This book celebrates the contributions of John Weidman and his colleagues to the understanding of student socialization in higher education. It includes innovative chapters reflecting new approaches to higher education student socialization with respect to students of color, gender, STEM, and students in higher education systems outside the USA. Specifically, the book examines socialization between and within in a range of groups, including national, international and minority students, parents, doctoral students, early career faculty, and scholarly practitioners. The book assesses methodological approaches and suggests directions for reformulating theory and practice. Using sociological perspectives to address issues and concerns at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, the book gives renewed life to the college impact literature. It includes revisions and expansions of the original Weidman frameworks based on the synthesis of existing research with new work reflecting unique perspectives by a variety of authors.

John Weidman has been an indisputable force in the study and understanding of student socialization in higher education. This new book by Weidman and his coeditor, Linda DeAngelo, represents an undeniably significant and welcomed expansion of the original “Weidman model” of student socialization. In updating and revising the original model, chapter authors give attention to various contemporary issues such as student diversity, gender differences, early career experiences, and internationalism. Whether one samples only some of the articles that constitute this book or reads all of them, the professional payoff will be substantial.

Kenneth A. Feldman, Professor of Sociology, Stony Brook University

John Weidman has made a number of groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of student socialization in postsecondary education. This book, edited with Linda DeAngelo, brings together a group of fine scholars whose contributions will push our understanding even further. It is a significant addition to the college impact literature.

Ernest T. Pascarella, Petersen Chair in Higher Education, University of Iowa

John C. Weidman is emeritus professor of higher and international development education at the University of Pittsburgh.  Over his career, he has served as department chair and institute director as well as consulting extensively on international higher education reform and policy.  He developed a framework for undergraduate student socialization (Weidman, 1989) that was expanded to encompass graduate and professional student socialization (Weidman, et al., 2001; Weidman & Stein, 2003). These models formed the bases for a more comprehensive framework (Weidman, 2006; Twale, et al., 2016) that will be expanded further in the proposed book.  This work on student socialization in higher education is widely recognized (Weidman, 2006, 1989; Weidman, et al., 2001; Weidman, et al., 2014; Weidman, 2010; Weidman & Stein, 2003), having been cited more than 1600 times on Google Scholar.
Linda DeAngelo is an assistant professor of higher education and faculty fellow in the Center for Urban Education at the University of Pittsburgh.  She is collaborating with Weidman on both conceptual and empirical work on student socialization (Weidman, et al., 2014).  She studies stratification, equity, and diversity issues, investigating how social inequalities are produced and manifested within higher education. Her work examines the differential effect of institutions on students, pipeline and educational transitions, and outcomes for first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students. Currently her scholarship focuses retention, degree completion and access to and engagement in faculty mentorship. Detailed curriculum vitae are attached. 

“John Weidman has been an indisputable force in the study and understanding of student socialization in higher education. This new book by Weidman and his coeditor, Linda DeAngelo, represents an undeniably significant and welcomed expansion of the original “Weidman model” of student socialization. In updating and revising the original model, chapter authors give attention to various contemporary issues such as student diversity, gender differences, early career experiences, and internationalism. Whether one samples only some of the articles that constitute this book or reads all of them, the professional payoff will be substantial.” (Kenneth A. Feldman, Professor of Sociology, Stony Brook University)

“John Weidman has made a number of groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of student socialization in postsecondary education. This book, edited with Linda DeAngelo, brings together a group of fine scholars whose contributions will push our understanding even further. It is a significant addition to the college impact literature.” (Ernest T. Pascarella, Petersen Chair in Higher Education, University of Iowa)

“Socialization constitutes a core concept for theory and research on various aspects of higher education. This volume, edited with Linda DeAngelo, extends John Weidman’s well-regarded frameworks on socialization in undergraduate education, graduate education, and professional careers. Leading scholars contribute chapters, applying new perspectives and critiquing the frameworks both conceptually and methodologically. This edited volume provides a valuable resource to the communities of scholars and practitioners of higher education.” (John M. Braxton, Professor Emeritus of Higher Education Leadership and Policy, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University)