Factors Influencing the Healthy Development and Success of University Students: A Text Analysis of 113 “College Student of the Year” Awardees

Drawing on life‑course theory, this study conducts a content analysis of the advanced deeds of 113 recipients of the national “College Student of the Year” award over roughly the past decade. The analysis reveals that: (a) under the life‑long development dimension, development motivation steers students toward distinct developmental trajectories; (b) within the agency dimension, individual action and decision‑making play a dominant role; (c) under the time–space dimension, the student development capacity of higher education institutions still requires improvement; (d) under the timing dimension, early accumulation and developmental opportunities are non‑substitutable; and (e) under the linked lives dimension, family support and mentoring relationships guide life ideals. Additional findings indicate that healthy development and success require integrating personal motivation with the needs of the nation and the people; multidimensional influences jointly shape development, among which individual agency is paramount; access to high‑quality education and distinguished mentors is critical; success is not merely a matter of luck but primarily of “cumulative advantage”; and family background is not decisive—family attitudes are. Finally, the study discusses the complexity, temporality, and harmony of the factors influencing university students’ healthy development and success.