The current invention provides compositions, which are useful as stationary phases for a variety of chromatographic applications, such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The compositions include a substrate (e.g., silica gel), covalently bound to a compound, which includes both a hydrophobic moiety and a hydrophilic moiety, which is preferably a 1,2-diol moiety. The hydrophobic moiety is sufficiently hydrophobic for the compositions to exhibit reversed phase characteristics and typically incorporates at least 5 carbon atoms in sequence. Based on having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic functionalities, the new stationary phases exhibit unique chromatographic properties. For example, these media can be used in either hydrophilic (HILIC) mode, in which the mobile phase includes a high percentage of an organic solvent, or in reversed phase mode, in which the mobile phase contains a higher percentage of an aqueous solvent. The current invention also provides methods of making and using the compounds and compositions of the invention.