Arthur Wright Chickering (April 27, 1927 – August 15, 2020) was an American educational researcher in the field of student affairs. He was known for his contribution to student development theories. In 1990 he was appointed Dean of the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University. He was succeeded in 1992 by Dr. Gustavo A. Mellander. Chickering also taught at George Mason University and Goddard College. He worked at Goddard College as a Special Assistant to Presidents Schulman and Vacarr from 2002 to 2012. Chickering died on August 15, 2020, in East Montpelier, VT.

Awards

Chickering has received numerous awards for his service to the development of the fields of student affairs and college student development theories. These include:

Education and identity

While employed at Goddard College Chickering began the research that led to his most notable publication, Education and Identity. Between 1959 and 1969 he did testing on college students between their sophomore and senior years. Compiling this with data from several other dissimilar colleges he gathered through being the director of the Project on Student Development in Small Colleges, he created his theories of what influences and affects college students in their development. He published in 1969 which explained his seven-vector theory of student development. With the help of Linda Reisser, he updated and republished his theories in 1993.

List of works

Arthur Chickering is the author of many publications relating to student affairs and college student development theories. These include: