1. Student Engagement and Persistence via Co-Curricular Activities
Thomas Shaw
School of Allied Health
College of Applied Sciences and Arts
Southern Illinois University Carbondale

2. INTRODUCTION Student retention has long been a concern
Persistence is the continued enrollment at any higher education institution
Retention is the continued enrollment within the same higher education institution
All first time students fall 2014
Persistence=72.1%
Retention=60.6%
National Student Clearinghouse Research Center-May 3, 2016

3. INTRODUCTION First generation students have significant challenges:
In navigating the university
Engaged in academic activity
Lower social capital
Privileged knowledge, resources, and information attained through social networks
Less likely to engage with faculty
Less likely to engage in extra-curricular activities
Soria & Stebleton, Teach in Higher Education- Vol 17, No 6, 12/12

7. How does an institution influence persistence
Literature suggests:
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
Academics---Faculty Interaction
Orientation
Tutoring
Learning Living Communities
Service learning
Co-Curricular Activities
Providing opportunities for structure, social and academic life
Student integration into university’s social & academic structures shows commitment to university & to graduating
Greater the likelihood to graduate

8. Student engagement
Outside activities an important step to help students develop connections with peers
Students with clearer defined academic /social goals typically have a smoother transition into college life
Involvement matters
Matters most during first year of college
Tinto ( )

9. SIU Advantage
Program designed to enhance student development beyond the classroom
Encourage student engagement
Network socially
Create a co-curricular transcript
Focuses on 4 student outcomes
Personal & Social Responsibility
Cultural Competency
Intrapersonal & Interpersonal Development
Intellectual & Professional Skills
Over 400 scheduled activities for fall 2016

10. Retention in CASA has always been a priority
Personalized student advisement
Faculty engagement with students
NEAT initiative
No Show
Engage
Assess
Term

11. CASA Advantage Project
Intent:
Assist students to positively navigate & adapt into independent adult life
Provide techniques & processes that will enhance management of daily life
Increase engagement with fellow students & college faculty/personnel
Develop awareness of campus resources & support that provide assistance & student care
Increasing student engage---thus
Increasing persistence and retention
Student success

12. CASA Advantage Project
Initial event was the Fall 2016-CASA Connection
Followed by:
CASA Advantage Series
FALL 2016
Event
Date
Time
Location
Diversity & Inclusion 101
9/6/2016
5:00pm
GRN--Room ARA
Make it Count time Management Strategies
9/20/2016
What is 'privilege?'
10/4/2016
Sleep is the New Sex!
10/18/2016
Speed Hating: A Date with Discrimination
11/1/2016
Managing your Budget
11/15/2016

13. CASA Advantage Project
Intent is to:
Identify demographics of participants
Track participants to determine persistence
Target students that predispose to leaving institution
Low GPA
Low credit hour load
Older first-time students

14. Casa connection Annual fall College welcome to students
42.7% Freshman/Sophomore

15. Participation by Gender
Casa connection
Participation by Gender
Frequency
Percent
Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent
Valid F
119
75.8 M 38
24.2
100.0
Total
157

16. ACT by Student Classification
Casa connection
Classification n
Mean
Median
Std. Dev
Minimum
Maximum
Range
Freshman 30
23.63
23.00
3.327 19 31 12
Sophomore 37
22.92
3.781 15 29 14
Junior 28
22.11
22.00
4.332 16 33 17
Senior 61
3.503 34 20

17. Casa connection Classification N Mean Median Std. Dev Minimum Maximum
ACT by Ethnicity
Casa connection
Classification N
Mean
Median
Std. Dev
Minimum
Maximum
Range
American 2
22.00
1.414 21 23
Asian
23.50
.707 24 1
Black/Af-Am 13
19.92
21.00
3.593 14 26 12
Hispanic 15
21.60
3.481 28
No Response 8
21.88
22.50
3.441 16 10
Other
24.50
24350 25
White
105
23.24
23.00
3.660 34 18
Blank
21.90
5.280 33

18. Casa connection

19. CASA Advantage Project
Problems:
OrgSync
Only good for attendance
Demographic data not included
Lists event independently
Manually will have to merge events
No student participation in CASA Advantage
Advertised ed
Maybe too busy doing other things
Need better tracking of college wide RSO activities
CASA Connection – only college event for the day

20. Conclusion Student engagement is central to persistence and retention
Less expensive to keep current students than to recruit new ones
Enhancing student engagement is essential in promoting desirable academic outcomes such as academic performance, persistence, and goal attainment
CASA Advantage—Work in Progress
How do you get students to actively engage in meaningful activities?