The Chronicle of Higher Education reporting on a survey of 30,000 college graduates, noted that graduates “had double the chances of being engaged in their work and were three times as likely to be thriving in their well-being if they connected with a professor on the campus who stimulated them, cared about them, and encouraged their hopes and dreams.” The article also highlighted both the sceptical responses to the survey as well as the potential value the findings could offer institutions of higher education.
See more at: http://m.chronicle.com/article/A-Caring-Professor-May-Be-Key/146409/
Literacy Teaching and Teacher Education 
Why wouldn’t this hold true for students in higher ed since it is true for K-12 students? I guess we forget that best practices are best practices for ALL learners.