University commuter students are typically less engaged outside the classroom than their residential counterparts, being less likely to participate in extracurricular activities and university-sponsored events. This lack of engagement can lead to lower rates of persistence and retention. At the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, a small,…

At the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, commuter students make up the majority of the currently enrolled student population. The majority population has expressed their dissatisfaction about co-curricular and social activities and a diminished sense of belonging and inclusion. The focus of this dissertation is on the Greensburg Experiences…

In higher education, sense of belonging has been linked to improved outcomes such as retention and academic achievement (e,g., Pittman & Richmond, 2007). Previous research has also identified participation in learning communities and campus residency as interventions which improve sense of belonging for students in this context (e.g., Solanki…

The purpose of this program evaluation project was to examine how type of housing impacted campus participation and educational outcomes in students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) enrolled in an inclusive higher education (IHE) program. The participants were college students with IDD who completed postsecondary coursework…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between student engagement and institutional strategies at Youngstown State University using National Survey for Student Engagement (NSSE) data collected by the Office of Assessment for the years of 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2018. A longitudinal analysis was conducted to determine if there was a…

Student affairs researchers have spent considerable energy studying the affect students' active participation in co-curricular activities has on student success, retention, and completion. Students becoming actively involved in co-curricular activities can have a positive effect on their overall success. However, much of the research pertaining to…

One way students become engaged in their undergraduate experience is through place of residence. Factors associated with high academic performance suggest high levels of engagement in campus life. This study investigated the relationship between living arrangement and the academic performance of first-year, full-time undergraduate students. The…

The purpose of this study was to understand the extent to which students' psychological sense of community was influenced by IM use using the psychological sense of community theoretical framework created by McMillan and Chavis (1986), and the student development theoretical frameworks created by Schlossberg (1989) and Astin (1984). Thus, this…