Growth

OSU students are reporting similarly to other institutions who participated in the 2015 MSL. Overall, the more students responded “Often” or “Much of the Time” on the Social Change Model scored significantly higher on the key-input and environmental measures than students who were not as involved and responded “Never” or “Once.”

College Leadership Experiences

Students in the comparison group who reported participating in a formal leadership training or program at least once, showed a considerably higher mean score across the Social Change Model of Leadership outcomes than both the OSU random sample and the national sample. (insert table 3) Unfortunately, 79% of respondents answered, "Never" to the question, "Since starting college, have you ever participated in a leadership training or leadership education experience of any kind?"

Pre-College Leadership Experiences

Overall, students who responded "very often" to participating in pre-college leadership experiences were more likely to participate in leadership experiences in college.

Impact of Mentors

Overall, respondents indicated Other students” as mentors more in earlier in their college career (Freshman/Sophomore). Overall, students indicated “Faculty-Instructor” or “Parent-Guardian” more frequently as being a mentor during college than “Academic or Student Affairs Professional Staff”, “Employer,” “Community Member,” and “Other Students.” The comparison sample group responded “yes” at significantly higher rates to having a mentor than students in the random sample. In addition, when conducting cross-tabulation based on student status, age, and student employment, students in the comparison sample reported “yes” at significantly higher rates than students in the random sample. Overall findings across the literature indicate that mentoring efforts increase student retention rates (Nora & Crisp, 2007). Through a literature review, Nora & Crisp (2007) found student-faculty interactions (including career counseling, advising, personal counseling, intellectual discussions, and inf ormal socializing) contribute to the social integration and satisfaction of students (Astin, 1977; Gándara, 1995; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1976; Spady, 1971). According to Rendon (1994) the more likely students view interactions as positive and feel they are integrated into the campus environment as valued members, the more likely students will persist.

Socio-Cultural Conversations

Overall, engaging in socio-cultural conversations with peers was a significant predictor for all six leadership capacities and a strong environmental predictor of growth across the Social Change Model values. Students who reported “often” scored significantly higher on all SCM than their peers who responded “sometimes,” “once,” and “never”.
According to research by Hurtado (2006), “Attention to diversity in the curriculum and co-curriculum, particularly in the first two years of college, results in student development along many dimensions of complex thinking and social cognitive growth”. In addition, several researchers have found that student’s interpersonal environments (including interactions with others) have the greatest impact on changes in values, attitudes, beliefs, and actions (Astin, 1993; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991; Terenzini, Pascarella & Blimling, 1996).