Communication Center Journal - Vol. 6 - No. 1 - 2020 - Best Practices for Engaging Students on Campus

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore

Communication Center Journal explores how communication centers can strengthen student engagement across campus and community. Using the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) framework, the article connects engagement to students’ time and effort, participation in campus activities, and learning. It outlines a unified best-practice approach and positions high-impact practices as mechanisms that support transformative learning through activities with students, faculty, and institutions. The paper includes practical initiatives such as client-based projects and showcasing student work.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

The centrality of the communication center

Student engagement as a learning priority

Best practice framework for engaging students on campus

Using student engagement as a primary thread

Communication Center Journal Vol. 6 , No. 1 , 2020 The Centrality of the Center: Best Practices for Engaging Students on Campus Michael G. Strawser University of Central Florida Shawn Apostel Bellarmine University Russell Carpenter Eastern Kentucky University Kimberly M. Cuny University of North Carolina, Greensboro Kevin Dvorak Nova Southeastern University Karen Head Georgia Institute of Technology In a recent issue of Communication Center Journal, then Editor-in-Chief Russell Carpenter (2019) reinforced the centrality of the communication center as an entity that spans both campus and community “through the opportunities, services, and programs they provide for their students, faculty, and their local publics”(p. 1) . Communication centers have a wide reach. Stakeholders and clients at most centers go beyond solely a student population and, as Carpenter (2019) claims, faculty, staff, and even communities are all within the purview of communication center services. Yet, we recognize that centers exist primarily as a complementary service to serve students (Strawser, Apostel, Carpenter, Cuny, Dvorak, & Head, 2019) . Students, our centrally served population, have inordinate competing entities for their time, energy, and efforts (Mancall-Bitel, 2019) . Student engagement, then, is of paramount importance for communication centers. For our purposes, we are using the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) definition of student engagement. Student engagement is both the amount of time and effort students put into their studies and other educationally purposeful activities and how an institution deploys resources and organizes curriculum to enable student participation activities linked to student learning (National Survey of Student Engagement, 2019) . This definition emphasizes, primarily: (1) how students use their time and (2) student involvement in campus activities. The recurring theme surrounding modern definitions of student engagement centers on learning. For instance, according to Zepke and Leach (2010), student engagement can, broadly, also refer to a student’s cognitive engagement and participation in their own learning. We believe the communication center can become a fulcrum for student engagement and a place where high-impact practices, mechanisms identified by Kuh (2008) as having a positive and transformative effect on student learning, and consistent student engagement with educational partners (i.e. students engaging with students, students engaging with faculty, and students engaging with the institution) can come to life. As a hub for entrepreneurial and experiential learning, the center may positively influence student knowledge, behavior, and affect. In addition, we believe centers can build and sustain student engagement by connecting our initiatives to the four NSSE (2019) engagement Communication Center Journal Vol. 6 , No. 1 , 2020 indicators: challenging academic experiences, collaborative learning with peers, experiences with faculty, and reinforcing a positive campus environment. To have this conversation, a unified best practice framework should be identified that uses student engagement as the primary thread to then encourage centers to think about student expectations, participating in first year experiences, and crafting programming that enhances student motivation. In 2019 this group of authors identified a list of best practices for developing a robust center on campus. Recognizing that all communication centers functionally serve their specific institution differently makes it difficult to develop best practices. In addition,“minimal research exists about communication centers that allows for generalizability and comparability to improve scholarship and inform best practices”(LeFebvre, LeFebvre, & Anderson, 2017, p. 411) . Our initial best practice list was well received and this subsequent offering addresses yet another important topic for communication c

FAQs

How does the article define student engagement for communication centers?

Student engagement is defined as the time and effort students invest in studies and educationally purposeful activities, plus how institutions deploy resources and organize curriculum to enable participation linked to learning.

What NSSE engagement indicators does the article emphasize?

The article highlights challenging academic experiences, collaborative learning with peers, experiences with faculty, and reinforcing a positive campus environment.

What is Best Practice #1 presented in the article?

Best Practice #1 is to utilize client-based projects, including small group work where students apply theory and practice to create portfolios and projects with real-world audiences.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore