Location
Morgan
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
For many students, beginning college is more than an academic transition—it can be a deeply personal transformation. At Valdosta State University, the STRIDES (Students Together Reaching Individual Developmental and Educational Success) course supports this transition by blending active learning with guided self-reflection. A central element of the course, the legacy statement exercise, invites students to identify their core values, clarify their goals, and articulate the deeper “why” that sustains them through challenges.
Using an extensive set of value cards, students narrow 100 possible values into a “top five” and craft a single-sentence legacy statement that captures the impact they hope to make through their education. This process affirms that pursuing a degree is not only about future career opportunities but also about personal growth, relationships, and community.
This presentation will share how the legacy statement exercise cultivates belonging, resilience, and long-term motivation across diverse student populations. Participants will engage with examples of legacy statements and explore how reflective practices can help students move beyond orientation and transition, shaping their education as a meaningful part of the legacy they wish to create.
Keywords
transformational learning, reflective practice, hihg-impact practices
Professional Bio
Kate Warner, Associate Dean for the College of Education and Human Services and a Professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Valdosta State University, holds a master’s and PhD in Family Therapy. She has taught courses on foundations of family therapy, social constructionism, and postmodernism, as well as diversity and social justice. Her research examines family preservation, resilience, equine assisted learning, and working therapeutically with migrant farm workers. She is licensed in the state of Georgia as a Marriage and Family Therapist and is an American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Approved supervisor.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Warner, Kate and Ruttencutter, Gwen, "From Transition to Transformation: Helping Learners Shape Their Educational Legacy" (2026). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 73.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2026/2026/73
From Transition to Transformation: Helping Learners Shape Their Educational Legacy
Morgan
For many students, beginning college is more than an academic transition—it can be a deeply personal transformation. At Valdosta State University, the STRIDES (Students Together Reaching Individual Developmental and Educational Success) course supports this transition by blending active learning with guided self-reflection. A central element of the course, the legacy statement exercise, invites students to identify their core values, clarify their goals, and articulate the deeper “why” that sustains them through challenges.
Using an extensive set of value cards, students narrow 100 possible values into a “top five” and craft a single-sentence legacy statement that captures the impact they hope to make through their education. This process affirms that pursuing a degree is not only about future career opportunities but also about personal growth, relationships, and community.
This presentation will share how the legacy statement exercise cultivates belonging, resilience, and long-term motivation across diverse student populations. Participants will engage with examples of legacy statements and explore how reflective practices can help students move beyond orientation and transition, shaping their education as a meaningful part of the legacy they wish to create.
