Many of you know that my scholarly work focuses on High-Impact Practices (HIPs) in higher education. As we begin our qualitative research journey together this summer, I wanted to offer a small gift and an invitation.

Inside your journal are two blank pages.

Over the next two weeks, I invite you to use these pages however you wish to explore the following question:

There is no required format.

You may choose to respond through stories, reflections, observations, questions, sketches, images, symbols, quotes, critiques, hopes, concerns, experiences, or anything else that feels meaningful to you.

There are no right or wrong answers. You may write a little, a lot, or not at all. Participation and return of the journal are entirely voluntary.

If you choose to return your journal at our next class meeting, I will scan it, preserve it as part of a Summer 2026 Cohort 19 collection, and return the original to you. 

My hope is simply to create a shared snapshot in time of how the members of Cohort 19 think about, experience, question, interpret, or engage with High-Impact Practices at this moment in our educational journeys.

Thank you for being part of this learning community.