Assessing the Impact of Student Involvement in Campus Ministry on Retention and Academic Success: A Mixed Method Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IN

CAMPUS MINISTRY ON RETENTION AND ACADEMIC

SUCCESS: A MIXED METHOD STUDY

Robert Mark Rasor, Ed.D.

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2017

Chair: Dr. John David Trentham

This thesis is a continuation of the Student Involvement Theories proposed by Alexander Astin and Vincent Tinto. The examination of involvement in a campus ministry and the examination of students who began their college careers at a two-year institution of higher learning represent the unique contribution of this study. Retention and academic success are challenges faced on most college campuses. The problem is especially acute on the campuses of two-year institutions. Students, parents of students, and college administrators are all seeking ways to improve retention and academic success. This sequential, mixed methods study assessed the impact of student involvement in a campus ministry, primarily Baptist Collegiate Ministry, on retention, completion and academic success. Students who began their college education on a two-year college campus and who were involved in the Baptist Campus Ministry were asked to complete a survey regarding the degree of involvement in the ministry and their academic success and subsequent college completion or departure. Follow-up interviews were conducted with select students to gain further insight into student perceptions.

KEYWORDS: Academic success, Alexander Astin, Baptist Collegiate Ministry, campus ministry, community-college, completion, first-time, full-time freshman, graduation, higher education, integration, marginality, persistence, student retention, student involvement, two-year college, Vincent Tinto.