Whether your student is an incoming freshman or a rising junior, involvement on campus in an integral part of their college experience. We visit with Tara Benson, director of the Office of Student Engagement, about the importance of involvement on campus and how it can directly affect your student’s life after college.
1) We talk a lot about involvement on campus. Why is it important for students to be involved at Missouri State? Involvement is essential to a student’s social and academic integration into the collegiate environment. Students must develop a sense of belonging at the institution they choose to attend or face the risk of dropping out. Nationally, students who are involved outside the classroom tend to have better grades, a better collegiate experience and are more successful after graduation.
2) Is involvement just for the residential student? Why is it important for commuter students to engage with the university? It is important for ALL students to find ways to combine their academic experience with a co-curricular experience to receive all of the benefits college has to offer. Student involvement can look very different for every student. Residential students are more likely to attend events and meetings on campus due to the proximity of their homes. Commuter students have to plan differently for their involvement because they aren’t as close in proximity, however, there are lots of opportunities offered during the hours they are on campus or customizable to their schedules such as employment opportunities and research with a faculty member.
3) What is co-curricular involvement? Co-curricular involvement includes the learning that occurs outside the classroom through activities and programs.
4) Is involvement just clubs and organizations? If not, what are other ways that students can be involved on campus? Involvement is not just student organizations, there are lots of engagement opportunities on campus. On campus employment, intramurals, research projects, service learning, leadership development are other examples of ways to get involved.
5) How does involvement help a student as they decide on their major, complete their college career and move into the workforce? The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) identified the top ten desirable skills that employers look for in potential employees. The list includes many “soft skills” learned outside the classroom. According to a recent study conducted on campus, Missouri State students are learning many of these skills in their organizations, leadership roles on campus, club sports, internships and on campus employment in addition to their coursework.
6) What tips do you have for families to encourage involvement? It’s always great to support students having meaningful involvement outside the classroom. If you notice that your student is doing too much or not enough, try to talk with them about it. Encourage them to look into opportunities that excite them or do something they care about. There are tons of different ways to get those experiences, and can be found right at your or their fingertips!
Below is a list of my top ways to find out what’s going on around campus!
1. Missouri State University Calendar – this calendar will have every activity, lecture, special and athletic event on campus.
2. CampusLink – this is found under the student profile tab on MyMissouriState. All student organizations and contacts are listed on this website along with club meeting times and locations.
3. Campus Recreation – home to all fitness and wellness opportunities along with Intramurals.
4. Student Employment – postings are made for on campus employment and updated frequently.
5. Career Services – postings for students looking for internships along with resume workshops and mock interview opportunities.
You can find out more about the Office of Student Engagement here.