Forms of Student Involvement and Their Results
(based on research done by Alexander Astin)
Residence Halls

• Students become less religious, more hedonistic
• Students increase artistic interests, liberalism and self-esteem
• Students become more involved in extra-curricular activities
• Students are more likely to continue education after college

Honors Programs

• Students gain interpersonal and intellectual self-esteem and artistic interests
• Faculty-student relationships are enhanced
• Students feel increased isolation from peers
• Tend to aspire to graduate or professional degrees

Academic Involvement

• Students experience satisfaction with all aspects of college life except for peer relations
• Students are less likely to increase in liberalism, hedonism, and artistic interest if overly involved in academics
• Need for status is strengthened

Student/Faculty Interaction

• Student/faculty interaction has the strongest relation to overall satisfaction with the college experience

Athletic Involvement

• Students are less likely to show increase in liberalism, hedonism and artistic interest
• Students experience satisfaction with institution's academic reputation, intellectual environment, student friendships, and institutional administration

Student Government Involvement

• Students increase in liberalism, hedonism, and artistic interests
• Students experience satisfaction with student friendships

Presented by Angela McLaughlin, Assistant Director of Campus Activities, Carleton College, January 2001
(based on research done by Alexander Astin, Astin, A. (1985). Achieving Educational Excellence. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass Publishers.)

by: Jennifer Cox Johnson