Student Involvement

Mission

The Office of Student Involvement promotes involvement in the campus through out of class learning opportunities and experiences that enhance the cultural, intellectual, leadership, personal, and professional development of students as well as build a sense of community and pride in the University. The office has embraced the national research that shows that "Involvement Leads to Success".

Goals

  1. Ensure that all students know of and encourage their engagement in co-curricular opportunities.
  2. Help students build connections between their university curriculum and co-curriculum with their career goals.
  3. Enhance students’ campus experiences, personal growth, and development of new skills.
  4. Promote meaningful relationships for students with a wide diversity of faculty, staff, and students.

Learning Dimensions

  1. Contribute to Community: By participating in Student Involvement’s leadership initiatives students will positively contribute to their community.
  2. Leadership Development: By participating in Student Involvement’s leadership initiatives students will display leadership skills.
  3. Mutual Respect: By participating in Student Involvement’s leadership initiatives students will practice mutual respect for each other and the community.

Philosophy
Why focus on involvement?

Research (Student Success in College, Kuh et al) emphasizes that involvement is the best way to help students be successful both inside and outside the classroom and indicates that students who are involved at their college or university:

  • receive better grades
  • are more satisfied with their overall college experience
  • are successful in their academic program
  • are more likely to stay in school
  • are more marketable when job searching and/or applying to graduate school.

Furthermore, involvement positively affects the following student learning outcomes:

  • Leadership development
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Personal growth
  • Problem solving skills
  • Cultural awareness
  • Critical thinking skills
  • Moral development
  • Self-esteem
  • Civic engagement
  • Vocational aspirations