The Importance Of Student Involvement And Student Success

Involvement is directly related to college student success. Student Success is a priority for colleges and universities because it helps to retain students. Retention that leads to higher graduation rates is a mission that institutions of higher learning hold closely. Retention is important because when students withdraw from an institution prior to graduation, they lose the time and financial investments they made into their education without gaining the benefits of the degree that student was pursuing. Institutions also have a close relationship with retention and graduation because when students withdraw from their institutions, they must cover the loss of revenue that the student invested into their campus resources. Involvement is related to whether or not a student will stay at an institution. It was stated by Vincent Tinto that students often leave because they have not made significant connections or feel a part of the community in the institution. The following will explore what is defined by involvement and student success, and the analysis of West Chester University of Pennsylvania’s practices that lead to increased student success. (Krumrei-Mancuso)

Keywords: Leadership, Retention, Student Engagement,

For the case of this essay, student involvement will be defined based off Alexander W. Astin’s Developmental Theory of Higher Education. Astin defined student involvement as “the quantity and quality of the physical and psychological energy that students invest in the college experience” (Astin, 1999). Being involved in educational activities in and outside of the classroom is a significant indicator for student success. This is due to the fact that when a student holds a leadership position, that individual is aware that their peers rely on them for service, guidance, and follow-through. These students also are more likely to feel connected to an organization and the institution. (Harper & Quaye,