Utilization of YFCY Findings
to Strengthen Retention
Initiatives:
Spotlight on Spirituality and
Physical Activity
Dr. Jacqueline Beck
Dr. David Piper
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Freshman Connect & the YFCY
A Project of the College Retention
Committee 2002-03 & 2003-2004
“Freshman Connect”
 A retention initiative started in the Fall of 2002
designed to enhance retention by:






Increasing faculty-student interaction
Preparing students for college-level academics
Enhancing peer-to-peer interaction
Increase student participation in departmental
organizations
Establish connections with their department
The program was followed up with the YFCY
survey (Spring 2003)
YFCY
Findings
IUP-HHS
Spring 2003
Approved by IUP Institutional Review Board
We found that….
 What we were doing was definitely
necessary. . . . .
 Study skills, time management, etc.
definitely needed attention
 Socially, they were doing OK…..
Important finding. . .
 Would choose to re-enroll at IUP for the next
year



Definitely yes
Probably
Probably not
*Needs further investigation
33% *
46%
12%
HHS Freshmen
 Students noting that they were either “satisfied” or “very
satisfied” with:





Amount of contact with faculty
Relevance of coursework to career plans
Overall quality of instruction
Overall sense of community among students
Overall college experience
64%
70%
72%
60%
70%
HHS Freshmen
 Time spent per week exercising or sports:



1-2 hours per week
3-5 hours per week
6-10 hours per week
21%
35%
22%
Factors influencing Freshmen Success
Ways to Become a Sophomore
 Dependent Variables:





Effective Study Skills
Adjusting to the
Academic Demands
of College
Quality of Instruction
Overall College
Experience
GPA
 Dependent Variables
we wanted to know


Plans for 2003
If you had the choice
again, would you
pick IUP
Developing Effective Study
Skills
 Positive Correlations






Understanding what
professors want
Adjusting to academic
demands & managing
time
Getting to know faculty
Prayer, discussing
religion and attending
religious services
Satisfied with
classroom and library
facilities
Taking courses that
inspire new thinking
 Positive Correlations




Relevance of coursework
to life and career
Amount of contact with
faculty
Quality of instruction and
overall college experience
Student attributes such as
academic and math ability,
leadership,
cooperativeness,
spirituality, problem
solving, general
knowledge, computer skills
and critical thinking
Developing Effective Study
Skills
 Negative
Correlations





Bored in class
Student is a smoker
Student feels unsafe
on campus
Social life interferes
with academic life
Community service
work that is linked to
coursework.
 Negative
Correlations




Turning in
assignments late or
skipping class
Turning in sub par
work
Socializing with
friends
Watching TV
Developing Effective Study Skills
 Stepwise Regression Model










Drive to Achieve
Manage Time
Academic Ability
Satisfied with Library
Would re-enroll
Physical Health
Adjust to Academic Demands
Quality of Instruction
Socializing with Friends (-)
Public Speaking Ability
 Change in R2










.375
.507
.583
.621
.645
.668
.678
.690
.703
.714
Adjusting to the Academic
Demands of College
 Positive Correlation








Develop Effective Study
Skills
Understand what the
professor wants
Satisfied with student
housing and
recreational facilities
Satisfied with
Orientation of New
Students
Getting to know faculty
Develop close
friendships with
students
Utilize campus services
Public speaking in class
 Positive Correlations





Contact with faculty
Relevance of coursework to
life and career
Satisfied with sense of
community among students
and overall college
experience
Discussing religion and
social values
Student attributes such as
GPA, general knowledge,
self-confidence, academic
and math ability,
persistence, drive to
achieve and
cooperativeness
Adjusting to the Academic
Demands of College
 Negative
Correlations




Bored in class
Smokes cigarettes or
other
Having
administrative
responsibilities
Social life interferes
with academic life
 Negative
Correlations



Community service
work linked to
coursework
Doesn’t get along
with roommate
Partying – or living
on “Frat Row”
Adjusting to the Academic
Demands of College
 Regression Model






Manage Time
Effective Study Skills
Overall Sense of
Community among
Students
Influencing social
values
General Knowledge
Community Service
work linked to
coursework (-)
 Change in R2

.332
.409
.446

.468

.485
.501



Quality of Instruction
 Positive Correlations








Satisfied with overall college
experience
Interacted with faculty during
class and outside of office
hours
Satisfied with classroom,
computer, library and
recreational facilities
Satisfied with Orientation of
New Students
Understands what professors
want
Adjust to Academic demands
Manage time
Develop close friendships
 Positive Correlations






Courses inspired new
thinking
Required online interaction
Discussed course with
other students
Discussed religion
Attended classes and labs
Student attributes such as
GPA, general knowledge,
self-confidence, academic
and math ability,
persistence, drive to
achieve and
cooperativeness
Quality of Instruction
 Negative
Correlations



Interacted with close
friends elsewhere
Bored in class
Worried about
meeting new people
 Negative
Correlations



Isolated from
campus life
Transferred from
another campus
Received tutoring
Quality of Instruction
 Regression Model







Overall College
Experience
Taking courses that
inspire new thinking
Interacted with close
friends elsewhere (-)
Interacted with
faculty out of office
Understanding what
professors expect
Attended
classes/labs
Felt bored in class (-)
 Change in R2

.220

.318

.390

.435

.474

.503

.523
Overall College Experience
 Positive Correlations








Develop Effective Study
Skills
Understand what the
professor wants
Satisfied with classroom,
computer, health center,
student housing and
recreational facilities
Satisfied with Orientation of
New Students
Satisfied with academic
advising
Getting to know faculty
Taking courses that
inspired new thinking
Utilize campus services
 Positive Correlations







Group discussions,
student presentations
and close friendships
Declare a major
Discussed course with
other students
Studied with other
students
Required online
interactions
Discussed religion
Student attributes such
as GPA, general
knowledge, analytical
skills, self-confidence,
critical thinking skills
and participating in
class
Overall College Experience
 Negative
Correlations





Lonely or homesick
Worried about
meeting new people
Isolated from
campus life
Felt unsafe on
campus
Transferred from
another institution
 Negative
Correlations




Participated in
intramural sports
Doesn’t get along
with roommates
Watching TV
Commuting
Overall College Experience
 Regression Model







Overall Quality of
Instruction
Isolated from campus
life (-)
Critical thinking skills
Participated in
intramural sports
Satisfied with
Orientation of new
students
Group discussions
Commuting (-)
 Change in R2

.239

.370


.444
.509

.549

.582
.605

GPA
 Positive Correlations



Positive Correlations








Satisfied with quality of
instruction and overall
college experience
Understand what the
professor wants
Effective study skills
Adjusts to academic
demands and manages
time
Getting to know faculty
Prayer
Utilize campus services
Public speaking in class



Recognition from
colleagues
Taking courses that
inspired new thinking
Satisfied with sense of
community among
students and overall
college experience
Discussed religion
Student attributes
such as selfconfidence, selfunderstanding,
academic and math
ability, drive to
achieve, persistence,
cooperativeness,
analytical and critical
thinking skills, general
knowledge and doing
your homework
GPA
 Negative Correlations






Changed career
paths
Smokes cigarettes
and Drinks Alcohol
Turned in work late
Skipped class
Intramural sports
Social life interferes
with academic life
 Negative
Correlations




Partying or living on
“Frat Row”
Doesn’t get along
with roommate
Watching TV
Playing video games
GPA
 Regression Model





Academic ability
Turned in course
assignment late (-)
Spoke in class
Discussed course
with other students
Understanding of
community problems
(-)
 Change in R2


.384
.445

.504
.530

.548

Plans for 2003 – Staying here or
going elsewhere
 Positive Correlations

Satisfied with classroom facilities
Satisfied with computer facilities
Satisfied with library
Satisfied with academic advising
Satisfied with student housing
Satisfied with health center
Satisfied with recreational facilities

Exercised






Plans for 2003 – Staying here or
going elsewhere
 Negative Correlations






Interacted with faculty during office hours
Manage time
In remedial or developmental courses
Getting to know faculty
Participation in community work
Group projects
Plans for 2003 – Staying here or
going elsewhere
 Regression Model





Satisfied with library
facilities
In remedial or
developmental courses (-)
Getting to know faculty (-)
Exercising or Sports
Satisfied with Classroom
Facilities
 Change in R2

.120

.194

.310

.250

.331
If you could do it over again, would
you choose IUP?
 Positive Correlations








Satisfied with classroom and library facilities
Is English native language
Develops effective study skills
Improved critical thinking skills
Overall quality of education
Overall sense of community among students
Overall college experience
Partying – or social life
If you could do it over again,
would you choose IUP
 Negative Correlations





Asian American/Asian
Worried about
meeting new people
Isolated from campus
life
Importance of
business success
Off-campus first year
residency
 Negative
Correlations




Turned in class
assignments late
Participated in
intramural sports
Concerned about
financing college
Commuting
If you could do it over again,
would you choose IUP
 Regression Model





Overall college
experience
Is English native
language
Concern about
financing college (-)
Satisfied with library
facilities
Interacted (daily) with
faculty outside of
office hours (-)
 Change in R2

.174

.244

.285

.312

.339
Implications for Future Practice
 How important is spirituality, physical
health, and a sense of community to our
students?
HHS Freshmen
 52% attend religious services
 43% participated in volunteer or
community service work
 7.7% discussed religion
 These findings are similar to other studies (HERI, 2003);
IUP (2004)
HHS Freshmen who rate themselves in
the highest 10% compared with the
average person their age
 47% in physical health
 29% in religiousness
 40% in self-confidence (intellectual)
 47% in self confidence (social)
 28% in spirituality
 43% in self understanding
 59% in understanding of others
Objectives considered to be important by our
Freshmen:
 Becoming an authority in my field
 Influencing social values
 Raising a family
 Being very well off financially
 Helping others who are in difficulty
 Developing a meaningful philosophy of life
 Integrating spirituality into my life
 Improving my understanding of other
countries and cultures
Summary of the descriptive findings
 Study habits need improvement
 Socializing is “adequate”
 Strong values/components of spirituality






Influencing social values
Raising a family
Most communicate with their family very
frequently
Helping others who are in difficulty
Developing a meaningful philosophy of life
Integrating spirituality into my life
Improving my understanding of others
Summary of New Statistical Analysis
Student attributes significantly
correlated to religiousness
 Develop effective





study skills
Academic Ability
Persistence
Intellectual selfstimulation
Understanding of
others
Enrolled in Honors
College
 Manage time
effectively
 Cooperativeness
 Grade Point Average
(GPA)
Student attributes significantly
correlated to spirituality
 Develop effective study







skills
Manage time effectively
Academic ability
Creativity
Emotional Health
Leadership
Persistence
Risk Taking
 Intellectual self




confidence
Social Self-confidence
Self-understanding
Understanding of others
Participated in volunteer
community service
Discussed politics
 (Watch TV) Negative
Student attributes significantly correlated
to attending a religious service
 Develop effective






study skills
Manage time
effectively
Academic ability
Cooperativeness
Emotional Health
Persistence
Studying Homework
 Understanding of
others
 Participated in
voluntary community
service
 Discussed Politics
 (Joined
fraternity/sorority) Negative
Student attributes significantly correlated
to discussing religion.
 Understand what





professors want
Develop effective study
skills
Adjust to the academic
demands of college
Manage time effectively
Getting to know faculty
Develop close
relationships
 Academic ability
 Artistic ability
 Physical health
 Persistence
 Public speaking ability
 Understanding of others
 Participated in voluntary
community service
 Exercises or plays sports
 Discussed politics
Student attributes significantly correlated
to discussing religion – Continued
 Grade point average
 Critical thinking skills
 Analytical problem
solving
 Overall college
experience
 Enrolled in honors
college
 Sought personal
counseling
 Enrolled in learning
clusters
 Discussed course
with students
 (Turned in course
assignment late) –
Negative
 (Watch TV) Negative
Student attributes significantly correlated
to integrating spirituality to life
 Understand what




professors want
Manage time
effectively
Getting to know
faculty
Academic ability
Emotional health
 Persistence
 Participated in
voluntary community
work
 Exercise or
participated in sports
 (Smoked Cigarettes)
- Negative
Student attributes significantly
correlated to religious beliefs
 Understand what
professors want
 Manage time
effectively
 Socialized with
someone from
another ethnic group
 Ability to work as a
team
 Ability to get along
with others
 (Leadership Ability) –
Negative
 (Social SelfConfidence) Negative
Student attributes significantly
correlated to prayer and meditation
 Understand what








professors want
Develop effective study
skills
Manage time effectively
Getting to know faculty
Academic ability
Cooperativeness
Drive to achieve
Persistence
Public speaking
 Understanding of others
 Participating in voluntary






community service work
Grade point average
Enrolled in honors college
Enrolled in learning
clusters
Exercise or participate in
sports
Participate in student clubs
(Smoke cigarettes and
drink alcohol) - Negative
Student attributes significantly
correlated to physical health
 Develop effective





study skills
Emotional health
Persistence
Popularity
Public speaking
ability
Self-understanding
 Negative





Changed career path
Turned in
assignments late
Skipped class
Sought personal
counseling
Watch TV
Student attributes significantly correlated
to exercise or played sports
 Emotional health
 Received tutoring
 Leadership ability
 Participated in intramural
 Popularity
 Risk taking
 Self-understanding
 Felt bored in class
 Participated in organized
demonstrations
 Consumed alcohol




sports
Analytical problem
solving
Socializing with friends
Partying
Participated in student
groups
Student attributes significantly
correlated to worried about health
 Creativity
 Writing ability
 Felt depressed
 Lonely or homesick
 Changed career
paths
 Doesn’t get along
with roommates
 Sought personal
counseling
 Negative
 Emotional health
 Skipped class
 Relevance of
coursework to life
 Relevance of
coursework to career
Regression Models
 Does spirituality, physical health, and
prayer help predict success for our
students?
Developing Effective Study Skills
Stepwise Regression Model
Beta
Change in R2
Physical Health
.242
.089
Prayer-Meditation
.162
.137
Adjusting to the Academic
Demands of College
Regression Model
Beta
Change in R2
Discussed Religion
238
.039
Exercise & Sports
-.074
.074
Overall College Experience
Regression Model
Beta
Discussed Religion
289
Change in R2
.04
GPA
 Regression Model
Discussed Religion
Beta
Change in R2
.833
.116
Manage Time Effectively
Regression Model
Beta
Change in R2
Discussed Religion
.328
.110
Worried about Health
-.148
.147
Implications. . . .
 So what do we do with the findings to
improve the Freshman experience?
Evaluate Current Practices
Continue focus:






Development of effective study habits
Spend more time on homework
Time management, use of planner, etc.
Encourage faculty contact, participation in clubs,
academic department
Interaction with peers
Increase utilization of campus resources
Integrate Aspects of Spirituality
and Physical Exercise into
Freshman Connect
 Characteristics that were important to our
students, and correlated positively with other
important attributes
 Our students value:



A healthy body (exercise)
A healthy mind (spirituality)
Holistic development
Integration of Spirituality
 One example used this past year:
The Nurses’ Christian Fellowship was
involved with Freshman Connect.
Guest speaker: a nurse who served as a
ministry nurse in India, helping to
improve the health of the poor.
Campus Ministry
 Make more visible to students
 Have a representative speak at
orientation
 Promote more programs of spiritual
nature….





Volunteerism -Finding Your Career Path & Internships
Speakers on wide variety of religious topics, especially in
the understanding of different religions.
Moving from Head to Heart: Finding Your Spiritual Path
Adopt a student by local churches
Possibly a “Fair” to showcase all of the possible student
organizations that promote spiritual development.
College Service Project
 In discussion:
 We are discussing a college-wide
(Health & Human Services) project that
will involve any student. (such as adopt
an assisted living home, nursing home,
etc)
 Students could get service learning
hours through our project.
Physical Exercise
 Volleyball tournament with the Health &
Physical Education majors
 Health & Physical Education Club
involved the freshmen in the American
Heart Association Walk
 A Special Needs Aquatic Program
 Breast Cancer Awareness Program
 National Smoke Out Day
 YMCA Community Days
First Year Retention Rates
 78 % prior to Freshman Connect
 80.3 % latest findings
Student Comments
 Most rewarding experience of
freshman year was meeting new
people
 Most difficult or stressful experience
was roommate
Conclusion
 THANK YOU
 Questions