I remember being a twenty-three-year-old graduate student in one of my first courses in the interdisciplinary Psychology in Education program at the University of Pittsburgh. The course was Socioemotional Development and Schooling, taught by an eminent researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Joan Vondra.
The course reading material consisted entirely of peer-reviewed research, and Dr. Vondra’s core message was clear: meaningful learning is deeply rooted in the teacher-student relationship. In fact, she argued, it’s unlikely that deep, sustained learning can occur without that connection. Caring for students’ social and emotional development, she said, is essential for promoting their learning.
This idea felt counterintuitive to many of us. Like many graduate students and aspiring academics, we had excelled in school—often under the impression that our success stemmed from individual effort, long hours of studying, and perhaps a bit of raw intellect. The suggestion that relationships were central to learning? It felt…touchy-feely.
As Dr. Vondra spoke, I couldn’t help but picture Fred Rogers, whose beloved show had been filmed just minutes from where I now studied. I heard his gentle voice in my head singing, “It’s You I Like.” The juxtaposition of scholarly data and Mr. Rogers’ affirming tone gradually coaxed me to consider my professor’s points.
I was skeptical at first. However, Dr. Vondra convinced most of us—not just through her passion, but with decades of compelling research. That was over twenty years ago. Since then, the body of evidence has only grown. We now have over sixty years of educational and developmental research confirming that socioemotional learning (SEL) is not peripheral; it’s foundational.
My belief in this has only deepened through my years of experience as a professor teaching hybrid and online courses, as a dean creating online programs, as an online vice president of academic affairs, and now as a graduate student again, embarking on a new degree in a fully online environment.
About the Author
Stephanie Wilsey, Ph.D., is a higher education leader and consultant passionate about relational, values-based leadership. With a background in psychology and a commitment to fostering growth through connection, she brings a thoughtful, people-centered approach to her work with colleges, universities, and educational organizations.
