Student Vignettes

Vignettes are brief scenarios that provide a mechanism for educators to reflect on student experiences without requiring students to retell their stories or relive potentially traumatic events. In the overview document, we explain how professional development activities involving vignettes can be helpful in stimulating dialogue among educators and subsequently informing changes to policy and practice.

Student Vignettes Overview

In the section below, please find vignettes highlighting a wide range of student experiences. Please note while inspired by real scenarios, names and details have been changed to maintain anonymity.

Vignette topics include –

  • Student with a Learning Disability Needs Assistance 
  • Disconnected Upper-Level Student Wants Advice 
  • First-Generation College Student Balances Family Crises and Coursework 
  • Upper Division Student Doubts Major Choice After Struggling to Find an Internship 
  • Student Parent Navigates Child Care & Academic Demands 
  • Overwhelmed Senior Navigates External Pressures 
  • Student Struggles to Balance Family and College Expectations 
  • Student Nears Graduation Without Clear Career Path 
  • Student with a Short-Term Disability Warrants Support 
  • Second-Year Student Has Not Fully Connected with Campus and Career Resources 
  • Student Balancing Family and Community Priorities Seeks Guidance 
  • Working Student Taking Mostly Online Classes Requires Advice
  • Student Feels Uncomfortable Accessing Counseling Services 
  • Average Student Makes Mistake that Could Impact Career

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Disconnected Upper-Level Student Wants Advice

This vignette highlights the challenges of students in upper-level coursework who feel disconnected.
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Student with a Learning Disability Needs Assistance

This vignette highlights the challenges facing students with undiagnosed learning disabilities and provides considerations for getting them assistance.
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First-Generation College Student Balances Family Crises and Coursework

This vignette highlights how a student who has experienced academic success may need additional support when an unexpected personal, financial or familial crisis emerges.
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Upper Division Student Doubts Major Choice After Struggling to Find an Internship

This vignette highlights the stress that students may experience if they struggle to secure an internship or other professional preparation opportunities that may help them secure employment.
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Student Parent Navigates Child Care & Academic Demands

This vignette highlights the challenges for individuals who are trying to meet the demands of parenting while being a college student.
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Overwhelmed Senior Navigates External Pressures

This vignette highlights how institutions focus resources on first- and second-year students, often leaving fourth-year students to figure out how to navigate important decisions on their own.
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Student Struggles to Balance Family and College Expectations

This vignette highlights the experiences of a student who is attempting to balance family priorities with college expectations.
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Student Nears Graduation Without Clear Career Path

This vignette highlights the challenges of a student nearing graduation without a clear direction for securing a job and beginning a career.
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Student with a Short-Term Disability Warrants Support

This vignette highlights the challenges facing students with short-term disabilities in getting the support and accommodations they need.
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Second-Year Student Has Not Fully Connected with Campus and Career Resources

This vignette highlights the experiences of a student who seems to be doing fine but is not necessarily connecting with the opportunities that exist on campus.
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Student Balancing Family and Community Priorities Seeks Guidance

This vignette highlights the experiences of a student who is attempting to balance family and community priorities with college expectations.
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Working Student Taking Mostly Online Classes Requires Advice

This vignette highlights how a student who works full time attempts to manage their course load while taking mostly online classes.
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Student Feels Uncomfortable Accessing Counseling Services

This vignette explores how a student may benefit from counseling services, but has a difficult time accessing support because individuals in their network have negative perceptions of attending counseling.
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Average Student Makes Mistake that Could Impact Career

This vignette provides the opportunity to consider how to support a student who may have been flying under the radar because they are neither high achieving or experiencing academic challenges, but then has a situation later in their academic career that warrants support.
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