Episode

Ep. 197: Voices of Student Success: Is College Supposed to Feel This Lonely?

Podcast
The Key with Inside Higher Ed
Published
May 7, 2026
Duration seconds
2605
Processing state
not_requested
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https://insidehighered.podbean.com/e/ep-197-voices-of-student-success-is-college-supposed-to-feel-this-lonely/
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https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/9ri2sies4uap7r3t/riverside_voices_of_student_success_joshua_x_carson_domey_inside_higher_ed_ed63m59.mp3
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Summary

In this episode of Voices of Student Success, Inside Higher Ed’s podcast series exploring what really shapes students’ experiences, Carson Domey, a fourth-year student at the University of Texas at Austin, and Adaora Lee, a graduate student at Meharry Medical College, joins IHE’s student success reporter, Joshua Bay. They discuss student loneliness and what social isolation looks like in a post-pandemic, always-online world. From fewer close friendships and more device-mediated relationships, to the role platforms like Instagram and TikTok play in shaping how students understand their mental health, they explore how connection is changing on campus. They also look at how experiences differ for commuter and online students, how campus design and housing shape opportunities for connection, and what’s actually working when it comes to addressing student isolation.