Building Community: Communication Patterns and Student Involvement on a Metropolitan Campus

Abstract

Colleges today see extra-curricular activities as ways to improve student retention and enhance the collegiate experience. This study examines student involvement, including participation in college activities, using campus facilities, communication patterns and campus friendships. Key predictors of involvement are identified from demographics, individual constraints and student values. Involvement is positively related to academic values and negatively correlated with personal constraints. Campus communication patterns and using university facilities are key predictors of institutional assessments and attitude in multiple regressions conducted.