Role Strain, Adaptation and Contemporary Challenges in Higher Education features eleven original contributions that examine student experiences, institutional contexts, mentorship, and pressing issues confronting higher education today. Grounded in the seminal scholarship of Dr. Phillip J. Bowman, Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan, the volume explores how individuals navigate role strain within educational institutions while also considering the policy, historical, and organizational forces that shape those experiences. The collection includes studies of college choice, student-athlete success, community college transfer pathways, doctoral persistence, racialized stress, and the experiences of Black women in STEM, alongside analyses of educational policy and opportunity. Two reflective chapters highlight the importance of mentorship and Dr. Bowman’s enduring intellectual legacy. The volume concludes with an examination of contemporary conservatism and its implications for higher education. Collectively, these articles extend the Bowman Role Strain and Adaptation Model (BRSAM), demonstrating its continued relevance for understanding educational experiences and the evolving landscape of higher education.
