how does involvement as a student organization leader ... · the student organization leader...

How does involvement as a student organization leader

contribute to student learning?

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Copyright ©Skyfactor 2015

How does involvement as a student organization leader contribute to student learning? Benchworks Research Note

Research Description and Summary

ACUI, in partnership with Skyfactor, has developed the Student Organization Leader Assessment to gain insight into the experiences

of students who hold leadership positions in campus organizations. The Student Organization Leader Assessment is based on both

CAS professional standards and Leadership Reconsidered. In the 2013-2014 academic year, 2,953 students from 14 institutions par-

ticipated in this assessment. This research note explores the role of student organization leadership in enhancing student learning

outcomes.

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1. Involvement in student organization leadership positions is related to the enhancement of interpersonal competencies.

• Nearly seven out of 10 students feel that being involved in their student organization has enhanced their ability to listen

effectively, successfully establish personal relationships, earn the respect of others, as well as to motivate others.

• Between three and four out of ten student organization leaders felt their experience moderately enhanced interpersonal

competencies.

• Five percent or less of students reported their student organization leadership experience did not contribute to or en-

hance interpersonal skills.

Interpersonal Competencies Responses

To what degree does your involvement with this student

organization enhance your ability to:Not at all (% 1-2) Moderately (% 3-5) Extremely (% 6-7)

Listen effectively 2% 28% 70%

Successfully establish personal relationships 3% 29% 68%

Earn the respect of others 2% 31% 67%

Motivate others 3% 31% 66%

Successfully establish professional relationship 4% 31% 65%

Understand others by putting yourself in their place 4% 36% 60%

Effectively manage conflict 4% 36% 60%

Develop trust among team members 3% 38% 59%

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2. Students reported their organization leader experience con-tributed to their knowledge of themselves.

• Between 60 and 70 percent of student organization leaders reported their experience significantly enhanced measures of

intrapersonal competency such as self-motivation, self-esteem, self-confidence, knowledge of talents, and knowledge of

limitations.

• Less than 5% of student leaders said their experience did not at all contribute to measures of intrapersonal competence.

Intrapersonal Competencies Responses


organization enhance your:Not at all (% 1-2) Moderately (% 3-5) Extremely (% 6-7)

Self-motivation 3% 33% 64%

Self-confidence 4% 31% 65%

Self-esteem 4% 34% 62%

Knowledge of your talents 4% 32% 64%

Knowledge of your limitations 4% 33% 63%

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3. Students reported that their on-campus student leadership experience enhanced diverse interactions.

• Almost eight out of ten respondents were satisfied with the quality of the learning experience.

• About three-fourths of respondents were satisfied with the quality of university supervision.

• Close to six of ten respondents were satisfied with the process of securing a position and choice of assignments.

Diverse Interactions Responses


organization enhance your:Not at all (% 1-2) Moderately (% 3-5) Extremely (% 6-7)

Value and respect for people who are different from you 3% 28% 69%

Interaction with people who are different from you 4% 33% 63%

Ability to work with diverse populations (cultural, ethnic,

political, etc.)

5% 33% 62%

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4. Students reported achieving increases in self-worth and abil-ity to contribute through their organizational involvement.

• Over three-quarters of students feel pride in being a member of their organization.

• Seven out of 10 students feel that they achieved confidence to assume greater responsibility in the future, a sense of

ownership of the organization, and an understanding of their ability to contribute to the success of the project to an ex-

treme degree due to their involvement in their student organization.

• Less than 5% of students reported that their student organization experience did not contribute to measures of self-worth

such as increased confidence, feeling of accomplishment, and sense of ownership in their organization.

Self-Worth Responses

To what degree did you achieve the following through

your involvement in this student organization:Not at all (% 1-2) Moderately (% 3-5) Extremely (% 6-7)

Increased confidence 5% 32% 63%

A feeling of an accomplishment 3% 27% 70%

Pride in being a member of the organization 3% 22% 75%

Confidence to assume greater responsibility in the future 3% 26% 71%

A sense of ownership of the organization 4% 27% 69%

An understanding of your ability to contribute to the suc-

cess of the project

3% 28% 69%

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5. Most students feel that their involvement with their student organization has enhanced their practical competencies.

• Two-thirds of student strongly agree that their involvement with their student organization has enhanced their ability

organize events and their goal setting/planning skills.

• About 6 out of 10 students reported that their involvement with their student organization has enhanced their time man-

agement skills, peer supervision skills, and presentation skills, along with their ability to run a meeting, influence others,

and publicize events.

• Nearly five out of ten students reported their involvement extremely enhanced their written communication skills.

• The practical competency that students were least likely to report their organizational leadership experience enhanced

was developing a budget, where only four out of ten students answered either a 6 or 7.

Practical Competencies Responses


organization enhance your skills/abilities in the follow-

ing areas:

Not at all (% 1-2) Moderately (% 3-5) Extremely (% 6-7)

Organizing events 7% 28% 65%

Goal setting/planning 4% 30% 66%

Time management skills 5% 33% 62%

Running a meeting 8% 31% 61%

Publicizing events 8% 35% 57%

Peer supervision skills 7% 36% 57%

Presentation skills 9% 35% 56%

Written communication skills 13% 40% 47%

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Developing a budget 18% 42% 40%

6. Students involved in organization leadership positions re-ported high levels of satisfaction with their experience.

• Nearly three-quarters of student organization leaders reported their involvement extremely improved their sense of be-

longing to the campus.

• Two-thirds of students reported their experience fulfilled their expectations.

• Just over 60% of students indicated their student organization involvement improved the value of their education.

Overall Program Effectiveness Responses

Overall, to what degree did your involvement with this

student organization:Not at all (% 1-2) Moderately (% 3-5) Extremely (% 6-7)

Improve your sense of belonging to this campus 4% 23% 73%

Fulfill your expectations 3% 30% 67%

Improve the value of your education 5% 34% 61%

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Conclusion

The student organization leader experience appears to contribute significantly to key student learning concepts related to inter-

personal and intrapersonal competencies, diverse interactions, practical skills, and overall program effectiveness. The majority of

student organization leaders reported that their organization experience enhanced a wide range of skills and competencies that our

student leadership programs aim to develop in students.

About Skyfactor

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and professional standards, and designed to support a culture of continuous program improvement. Assessment reports include

longitudinal data, the ability to benchmark against peer institutions, and interactive dashboards that enable rapid identification of

critical issues.

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