George Kuh's legacy in higher education research and mentorship

Elizabeth J. Whitt, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Merced

How George Kuh's mentorship reshaped higher education forever

I had decided quitting my job as a dean of students to become a full-time doctoral student was a mistake when Professor Kuh invited me to turn my class paper into a journal article and monograph. Despite my doubts, we did, which was the first of many collaborations over many years. When I became his research assistant, he treated me as a partner. I recall meeting to give feedback on a chapter he drafted. He interrupted my hesitant suggestions: 'So, fix it.' I asked, 'You want me to rewrite your chapter?' He replied, 'Yes.'

Because his confidence in me as a scholar, writer and colleague was so clear and matter-of-fact from the beginning, I found confidence in myself. Four decades have passed, but lessons from working with George echo: Take your work seriously, but not yourself. Surround yourself with competent, creative, hardworking people and give them room and credit. Always revise and resubmit. Take the high road. Have fun.

Shouping Hu, Louis W. & Elizabeth N. Bender Endowed Professor, Florida State University

George has had a profound and enduring influence on my career as a higher education scholar. I collaborated closely with him in the late '90s and early 2000s, primarily on research focused on college student engagement in educationally purposeful activities and student success. This work laid the foundation for one of the central pillars of my scholarly agenda.

George's engaging writing style and his thoughtful integration of research, policy and practice profoundly shaped my approach to scholarship. Beyond his intellectual mentorship, he offered generous personal support early in my career, including carefully proofreading my academic job application materials and guiding me as an international student navigating the U.S. job market. Even now, I continue to rely on his professional counsel, as I have many times over the years. I will forever appreciate his generosity, mentorship and guidance.

Jillian Kinzie, Associate Director, National Survey of Student Engagement, Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research

George Kuh's contributions to higher education reveal a rare talent: the sophistication of simplicity. He showed, with disarming clarity, that what students do outside the classroom can be as powerful a site of learning as what happens inside it. He recognized early and argued persuasively that institutions armed with meaningful evidence can design environments that genuinely foster engagement, and that experiential learning is not merely beneficial but foundational to student success.

Simultaneously straightforward on the surface and transformative in practice, these ideas illustrate Kuh's gift for extracting elegant, pithy insights from complex realities. Whether distilling dense research, decoding organizational culture or elevating student voices, Kuh consistently sees what others overlook and articulates it with a crispness that continues to shape our field. His legacy endures because he has helped higher education see itself more clearly and aspire to something better. This profoundly consequential work is proof that simplicity, when done well, is its own kind of genius.

John C. Hayek, Interim President, Lamar State College Port Arthur

As a doctoral student at Indiana University and the initial project manager for the National Survey of Student Engagement, I witnessed George Kuh's extraordinary ability to pursue excellence and inspire it in others. NSSE has since shaped the work of hundreds of doctoral students and improved the college experience for millions over the past 25 years. I recall George being asked the best way to support student success-after a brief pause, he replied, 'High expectations.'

He has embodied that principle in his teaching, scholarship and service, leaving a lasting imprint on my leadership at the campus, system and state levels, as well as on many academic leaders, faculty and scholars he mentored. He also taught me the importance of 'cool passion,' combining rigorous analyses with resilience and steady motivation, an approach more essential than ever. I remain deeply grateful to have learned from him and to carry forward his legacy.

Lynn Pasquerella, President, American Association of Colleges and Universities

George Kuh has shaped how colleges of all types think about student learning and success, transforming higher education in profound and lasting ways. As creator of the National Survey of Student Engagement, George provided institutions with powerful evidence about teaching, learning and campus culture, while encouraging leaders to move beyond prestige and rankings and instead focus on student success.

A visionary voice and trusted partner to AAC&U, George collaborated with president emerita Carol Geary Schneider to develop and popularize the concept of high-impact practices, identifying experiences that consistently deepen student learning and persistence, such as first-year seminars, undergraduate research, community-based learning and internships. Their collaborative work offered a practical framework for aligning liberal education with equity and excellence. Educators across generations continue to draw on George's insights, carrying forward the legacy of his trailblazing work.

Collectively, these beautiful reflections offer only a glimpse into the generosity and brilliance of George Kuh as a person, scholar, mentor and leader. Higher education will permanently benefit from his seismic imprint as an individual high-impact contributor, as well as through his many academic children, grandchildren and future generations of scholars who will build on his legacy. Relying on strong empirical evidence, he legitimized student engagement in educationally purposeful experiences and high-impact practices. Collegians who profit from them will forever have Dr. Kuh to thank.

Shaun Harper is University Professor and Provost Professor of Education, Business and Public Policy at the University of Southern California, where he holds the Clifford and Betty Allen Chair in Urban Leadership. His most recent book is titled Let's Talk About DEI: Productive Disagreements About America's Most Polarizing Topics*.