Our general research area is supporting students academically and student success. The research question asked was what ways does the membership in a student organization affect the academic and social success of Bridges Scholars? This is relevant for our field because we want to make sure that the students involved are succeeding at Miami University and getting the help and support they need. Our study was conducted in phases, starting with a survey for all Bridges high school program alumni followed by interviews for a select amount of students from the survey respondents. We split ourselves into groups based on specialized interest in certain career clusters or ideas within our general research area of student success. We approached our study with an open mind and a simple goal of better supporting student success. We used google forms to create/ edit our survey from the past year’s version. The results based on our survey and interview showed that most students feel a sense of belonging at Miami University because of their involvement in student organizations. Student organizations have helped them feel connected with others, have a schedule, and be more involved. They have found that being involved with the organizations has also improved their time management skills since they were able to balance 3-4 student organizations at once. This work/experience has been relevant to our intended careers because we have had to work together in a team setting. We have gained research experience that will help guide us in having a professional career. We also have gained better communication skills by practicing for our interviews and conducting our interviews.
Authors: Meirielys Castaneda Ceballos, Raychel Avila, Lauren Haus, Bethel Hanson, Chasten Lynch
Advisors: Dr. Joyce Fernandes (Biology), Nate Floyd (University Libraries)
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