Resilience of Student Organizations During the Global COVID-19 Pandemic
Session Title
Education : Students and Learning
Faculty Mentor
Jonathan Marx, Ph.D.; marxj@winthrop.edu
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Sociology, Criminology & Anthropology
Faculty Mentor
Jonathan Marx, Ph.D.
Abstract
Student organizations are significant to the college student experience, and have been credited with increasing college satisfaction, cognitive development, and personal growth. This study focuses on patterns of communication to analyze how student organizations and their leaders are adapting to rising levels of fear and uncertainty due to the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic on campus closures and required physical distancing. Through examination of frequency and quality of communication reports by students, it identifies the characteristics of organizations with high levels of resilience. Two sources of data were used—a survey administered to undergraduate students that assesses frequency, quality, and type of communication between their members during COVID-19 and in-depth interviews conducted with student leaders about how activities and communications were maintained. Results show that students involved in organizations that have a high percentage of female members, currently unemployed members, had challenges before the pandemic, or used a webinar or video calling platform during the pandemic for their organization have more frequent and quality communications, and therefore are more resilient.
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Honors Thesis Committee
Jonathan Marx, Ph.D.; Michael Lipscomb, Ph.D.; Brian Knop, Ph.D.; Cheryl Fortner-Wood, Ph.D.; (Non-WU) Maria Aysa-Lastra, Ph.D.
Honors Thesis Committee
Jonathan Marx, Ph.D.; Michael Lipscomb, Ph.D.; Brian Knop, Ph.D.; Cheryl Fortner-Wood, Ph.D.; (Non-WU) Maria Aysa-Lastra, Ph.D.
Course Assignment
MCNR 300 – Fortner-Wood, HONR 451H – Lipscomb & SOCL 516H – Knop
Other Presentations/Performances
Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program Virtual Symposium, Rock Hill, SC., June 2020
Grant Support
McNair Scholars Program, Winthrop University, Summer 2020
Start Date
16-4-2021 2:45 PM
Resilience of Student Organizations During the Global COVID-19 Pandemic
Student organizations are significant to the college student experience, and have been credited with increasing college satisfaction, cognitive development, and personal growth. This study focuses on patterns of communication to analyze how student organizations and their leaders are adapting to rising levels of fear and uncertainty due to the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic on campus closures and required physical distancing. Through examination of frequency and quality of communication reports by students, it identifies the characteristics of organizations with high levels of resilience. Two sources of data were used—a survey administered to undergraduate students that assesses frequency, quality, and type of communication between their members during COVID-19 and in-depth interviews conducted with student leaders about how activities and communications were maintained. Results show that students involved in organizations that have a high percentage of female members, currently unemployed members, had challenges before the pandemic, or used a webinar or video calling platform during the pandemic for their organization have more frequent and quality communications, and therefore are more resilient.
