The first year of college can be stressful and disorienting, especially for shy students. But Madelynn Shell (UVA Wise) says shy freshmen who have at least one good friend report more life satisfaction and better emotional wellbeing. Plus: While many students on the rural Eastern Shore of Virginia can’t wait to get out, one of their teachers couldn’t wait to come back. Christina Duffman (Eastern Shore Community College) grew up in poverty and now shares her inspiring life story with students who feel hopeless there.

Later in the show: Leslie Whiteman (Virginia State University) and her colleagues created a program called STAR (Successful Transition to the Academic Realm) to help minority students overcome science class challenges and pursue STEM careers. Plus: Many teachers see cell phones in the classroom as a real problem, but Helen Crompton (Old Dominion University) loves bringing handheld technology into student learning. Helen Crompton is a Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award recipient.