ABSTRACT
One of the challenges of Rendon’s validation theory is that validation rests in the hands of individual educators – an instructor or a staff member. In practice, it relies on “kind” individuals who decide to commit to validating students. Educators are strengths-oriented in believing in the potential of at-promise students and leveraging the students’ experiences, assets, and strengths to help them achieve success. Educators holistically consider students as whole people with promising personal and academic assets, needs, and goals, which also means that the educator understands how the interpersonal and academic experiences influence each other. The executive leadership – defined as senior-level administrators, often the cabinet – sets the tone and facilitates creating a mission that guides the entire campus. Campus administrators play important roles in setting campus priorities and goals. Motivation to engage in a change often emerges from a combination of reviewing institutional data and engaging with current research.
