A Question with Many Answers: Who is the American College Student?

2012 NASPA Annual Conference s Phoenix, Arizona s March 10–14, 2012

A Question with Many Answers: Who is the American College Student?

Monday, March 12; 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM - 226B : Convention CenterMackenzie R. Streit

Bradley E. CoxJeff Gardner

Michelle RobinsonCassidy Sansone

Plan for Today

• Introduction• Preflection• Background• Mini-presentations by students• Reflection• Application and discussion

Preflection

• On a piece of paper• Who is the American college student?• List three “stakeholders” who have an interest

in understanding college students

Background

• SDS 5624: The American College Student• College Students today:– More diverse than ever before (Berkner & Choy, 2008;

Hussar & Bailey, 2011; Snyder, Dillow, & Hoffman, 2008)– Have also become more complicated in terms of

attitudes/beliefs (Higher Education Research Institute, 2007)

– Changing attendance patterns (e.g., swirling, vertical transfer, reverse transfers)(Bradburn, Hurst, & Peng, 2001; Peter & Forrest Cataldi, 2005)

Assignment

• Semester-long• Individual Meetings– Stakeholder analysis• One page, one minute

– Research proposal• Final products– Paper– Presentation

Multimedia Presentations

• Jeff Gardner• Michelle Robinson• Cassidy Sansone

Jeff Gardner

Michelle Robinson

Cassidy Sansone

Reflection and Application

• Who is the American College student in the eyes of the stakeholder you identified in the first activity?– Understanding the stakeholder

• Interest or relationship to students• Language, culture, context, means of communication

– Understanding college students• Relevant data sources• Stereotypes• Current information

Reflection and Application

• In small groups please discuss:– Any stakeholders who are particularly challenging

to address.– Commonalities across the messages delivered to

varied stakeholders.– Questions about the student presentations and/or

class assignment

30 Second Message About College Students

• Add in NCAA video

References• Berkner, L. K., & Choy, S. (2008). Descriptive summary of 2003-04 beginning

postsecondary students: Three years later. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education

• Bradburn, E. M., Hurst, D. G., & Peng, S. S. (2001). Community college transfer rates to 4-year institutions using alternate definitions of transfer. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

• Higher Education Research Institute. (2007). The American freshman: Forty-year trends: 1966-2006 HERI Research Brief: UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute.

• Hussar, W. J., & Bailey, T. M. (2011). Projections of Education Statistics to 2019 (pp. 180). Washington DC: National Center for Education Statistics.

• Peter, K., & Forrest Cataldi, E. (2005). The road less traveled: Students who enroll in multiple institutions. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education

• Snyder, T. D., Dillow, S. A., & Hoffman, C. (2008). Digest of education statistics, 2007. (NCES 2008-22). Retrieved from http://www.nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2008022.

Contact Information• Bradley E. Cox, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Higher Education ProgramEducational Leadership & Policy StudiesThe Florida State [email protected]

• Mackenzie R. Streit, M.Ed.Doctoral Candidate, Higher Education ProgramEducational Leadership & Policy StudiesInstructor, Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership StudiesThe Florida State [email protected]

• Jeff Gardner2nd year Masters student, Higher Education ProgramGraduate Assistant, Student Rights & ResponsibilitiesThe Florida State [email protected]

• Michelle Robinson2nd year Masters student, Higher Education ProgramInterim Assistant Director, Greek LifeThe Florida State [email protected]

• Cassidy Sansone2nd year Masters student, Higher Education ProgramGraduate Assistant, Oglesby Student UnionThe Florida State [email protected]