No abstract

No abstract

This research examines the relationships between first-year college students’ attendance at campus-sponsored extracurricular events and grade point average, persistence from fall to spring, and retention to the second year. Students’ attendance at various campus life events over the course of an academic year was tracked by scanning students’ identification cards. Hierarchical regression modeling revealed that first years attending events within a specific category of campus life programming called signature events had significantly higher cumulative grade point averages and better odds of persisting and retaining. The findings from this study add to the body of research on student involvement and engagement, with a specific focus on campus life activities.

No abstract

Background: Employers consider strong leadership skills among highly desirable qualities for new hires. To meet the needs of today’s complex workforce, colleges and universities have increased opportunities for experiential learning for students. However, it is not known how students make meaning of these experiences in context with their personal backgrounds and experiences. Purpose: This study examines how women and men in college make meaning of leadership and leaders through experiential community-based mentoring participation. Methodology/Approach: A two-step qualitative content analysis of reflective journals, with a sample of 20 students utilizing the constant comparative method, is used to generate overarching themes. A second qualitative analysis compares how men and women understand leadership differently. Findings/Conclusions: Findings reveal that, despite a shift in the leadership literature away from hierarchical or trait models toward transformational, relational models that are typically more inclusive of women, our participants still made meaning of leadership and leaders in ways that were more closely aligned with antiquated understandings of leadership. Implications: Recommendations including use of experiential learning as a tool to intentionally increase leadership development and efficacy for women and men in college are discussed.