Date of Award
12-1-1987
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Education Specialist
Department
Center for the Advancement of Education
Advisor
Dr. Joan Horn
Keywords
academic persistence, church related colleges, college attendance, college freshmen, college students, dropouts, extracurricular activities, private colleges, recreational activities, school holding power, student attrition, student unions
Abstract
The high dropout rate of first-semester freshmen in a small, church-related college was addressed by the implementation of an organized recreation/activity strategy. This strategy was designed to provide appropriate entertainment and to contribute to a positive environment in order to integrate first-semester freshmen into the college environment and thereby increase retention. Evaluation instruments measured student--as well as faculty, staff, and administration--satisfaction with the campus environment and social/recreational activities. Moreover participation was monitored to assess the level of involvement.
The writer concluded that the greater the level of participation in relevant organized activities emphasizing social integration, the greater the level of satisfaction of the campus environment by the target group, firs-semester freshmen, and the general student population. The system used to plan implement, and evaluate the program was discussed. Appendices include a questionnaire, survey examples and results, and samples of calendar and publicity posters.