Graduate Program

College Student Affairs

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

2011

Thesis Director

Dan Nadler

Thesis Committee Member

Gail Richard

Thesis Committee Member

Lou Hencken

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to explore the transition of first-time, first-year freshmen student athletes to the collegiate setting. By looking at student learning outcomes as defined by their behaviors in critical domains (i.e., critical thinking, self-awareness, communication, diversity, citizenship, membership and leadership, and relationships), the study evaluated the differences between student athletes and non-athlete students at a specific institution and then compared student athletes at that institution to their peers across the nation. Differences were found in all domains between the student athletes and non-athlete students at the researched institution, and differences were found between this institution's student athletes and the national average of student athletes for self-awareness and citizenship. Based on the data, it was concluded that institutions could implement strategies for improvement in all domains. Consequently, the researcher provided several recommendations for support services to address deficit areas of the student athletes at the primary researched institution.

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