For decades researchers assessed sense of community (SOC), inclusion, and pluralism within academic settings. In the present study, 2,220 undergraduate students (1,442 women, 778 men; M age = 23.42 years; SD = 7.84) at two Catholic universities responded to perceived levels of school sense of community, inclusion, and religious pluralism. Analyses…

Previous research suggests that different information processing styles influence how effectively students adapt to a college environment. During the college years, individuals shape and refine their values and principles while they also develop a life-long philosophy. The present study examined how student ego-identity development (n = 1,249) was…

The current study investigated how a select group of mission-engaged, upper division students (n = 7) compared to a random sample of junior- (n = 20) and senior- (n = 20) year students in their perception of an urban, Catholic, and religious-order-sponsored university's identity. Across two years, we assessed mission identity and mission-driven…

Students who self-identified as activity leaders of one (n = 30), two or more (n = 21), or no campus extracurricular clubs (n = 34), completed measures on the institution's mission and values as well as its school sense of community ("SSOC"). Analyses indicated a main effect for race on "SSOC" and a subscale emphasis on diversity, such that…

This study investigates how research participants' desire to make a positive social impression may affect their responses to survey questions. Specifically, participants may react in socially appropriate ways to create a positive social impression for those persons reviewing their responses. This concept is termed "impression management," or more…

Catholic universities face a dramatic shift, as religious orders of priests gradually turn leadership control of the university to lay individuals. This study examined the tactics used to build sustainability of mission and values during leadership transition, from programming to strategic planning, placing emphasis on the role of evaluation…

The present study explores the relationship between students' perception of their institution's mission identity, personal goal orientation tendencies, and the extent to which they engage in mission-driven activities. Goal orientation research categorizes student motivations in three ways: mastery orientation (MO), performance-approach (PAp)…

Little is known about how senior administrators at a university (i.e., vice-presidents and deans) perceive their institution's mission, vision, and values. In the present study, we focused on perceptions of institutional mission statement and activities proposed to support that mission among senior leaders (18 vice-presidents, 17 deans) from a…