Calling all student affairs employees that have recently completed or are currently enrolled in a masters or doctoral degree program! In looking ahead to our December 16 Assessment 365 event happening from 1-2pm, we would like to do a session that highlights your unique experience as a professional and a student. This panel would focus on questions around the following topics:

• Motivations and decision-making
• Research and academic focus
• Experiences and challenges
• Professional growth and impact
• Advice and reflections

If interested, please reach out to Mary Ellen Wade at mewade@umbc.edu Other than participating in the conversation on the 16, there is no other commitment or work required of you to participate in this panel discussion. Mary Ellen will touch base with you in advance to talk about the questions and conversation flow.

Assessment 365 is back! If you are new to our division Assessment 365 is a year-long approach to highlighting assessment and research initiatives happening around the Division of Student Affairs.

Goals of Assessment 365 programming include:

• Highlighting Divisional assessment and research throughout the year;

• Helping participants consider how Divisional assessment and research projects from one department may help to inform the practices and programs of other departments from around the Division;

• Offering professional development on assessment and research related topics; and

• Bringing staff from around the Division together to celebrate achievements of departments in the areas of assessment or research.

Title: Called to Learn: Transfer Student Network Mentor Program

Presenters: Vladimir Rodriguez and Chloe Terrell

Department: Off-Campus Student Services

Abstract: Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS) explores the variety of program components to their new program, Transfer Student Network (TSN) Mentorship Programs to optimize the learning experience of their undergraduate student participants. You can learn more about the mentorship program while developing a unique understanding of the worthwhile resources students now know because of their role in a transfer particular offering through OCSS. 

Questions: If you have questions please comment in the section below.  

Presentation:

Title: Enhancing and Expanding Our Skills: Assessing Online Health Education Workshops During COVID-19

Presenters: Samantha A. Smith, MPH, CHES

Department: University Health Services

Abstract: The Office of Health Promotion, within University Health Services, migrated all of its in-person health education workshops, offered through the Peer Health Educator Program, into virtual formats as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite using a new health education modality, the Office of Health Promotions still sought to maintain high levels of satisfaction among program attendees. The purpose of this assessment is to compare the health education workshop outcomes between in-person and virtual formats. Using audience member evaluations from fall 2019 and fall 2020, comparing outcomes such as: participant satisfaction, perceptions of workshop facilitator preparedness, and audience member’s self-reported willingness to change. The results indicated that on average audience member satisfaction, perceptions of facilitator preparedness, and attendee self-reported intention to change behavior stayed consistent across both time points. There was a slight decrease in perceptions of facilitator knowledge and a slight increase attendees finding the workshops useful and informative. As a result of this assessment, the Office of Health Promotion will continue to offer virtual health education options beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Questions: If you have questions please comment in the section below.  

Presentation:

Title: Pre-Pandemic and Pandemic Career Center Student Participation

Presenters: Jeremiah Sawyer

Department: Career Center

Abstract: COVID 19 broadly impacted the world and resulted in many aspects of work life to find virtual options. This study was conducted to elucidate how utilizing Webex and other digital platforms to conduct job fairs and appointments impacted student participation. Data was collected via CSM’s Symplicity Software (UMBCworks) and Qualtrics. Student demographic and participation numbers were compared during Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 (last in-person semesters) to Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 (first virtual years) in Microsoft Excel and Access. Data showed that while student participation in job fairs and appointments dropped (a trend observed across the nation by many universities), overall satisfaction with job fairs and appointments remained high. In future studies, we would like to further discover hidden barriers students face when accessing appointments and job fairs in virtual spaces.

Questions: Questions and comments are encouraged. Please do so in the comment section below. 

Presentation:

Title: Together Beyond November: A Multi-Layered Approach to Building Community through Dialogue

Presenters: Jeff Cullen, Ph.D., David Hoffman, Ph.D., and Romy Hübler, Ph.D.

Department: Center for Democracy and Civic Life and Student Conduct and Community Standards

Abstract: Election 2020 was broadly hyped as the most important election of our lifetimes. The twin pandemics of COVID-19 and systematic racism have ravaged our country and commentators accurately described the American electorate as being hyper-polarized. Given the foreseeable chaos and uncertainty that would follow Election Day, the Center for Democracy and Civic Life, Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion, and Belonging (or i3b), the Counseling Center, and leading campus educators in the use of restorative practices collaborated on Together Beyond November, a train-the-trainers program to prepare campus opinion leaders to facilitate conversations in their networks to debrief the outcome of the elections, to normalize the anxiety and uncertainty that UMBC stakeholders might feel in the days after, and to build or re-build community on campus. This video describes the experiences of 18 Together Beyond November facilitators and participants who we interviewed. Following a methodology rooted in social constructivism, we encouraged interviewees to make meaning of their own experiences as participants in and facilitators of Together Beyond November workshops. A preliminary analysis of qualitative interview data revealed six prevalent themes pointing to the importance of the workshops in building community and supporting participants during a turbulent election year.

Questions: If you have questions please comment in the section below. 

Presentation:

Title: Residential Engagement and Connection During Fall 2020

Presenters: Amanda Scally and David Shanks

Department: Residential Life

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to explore residential students' attitudes toward virtual and in person engagement during COVID-19. The pandemic has caused many engagement opportunities to be facilitated virtually. This data will be used to develop engagement opportunities to help students build connections on campus. To collect this data, residents were sent an 8 Question Mixed Methods Qualtrics Survey in Fall 2020. Residential Life programming (virtual or in person) led to 20% of respondent's ability to make a new connection. This study reveals that in person events were the most meaningful for students even though they have limitations due to social distancing guidelines.

Questions: If you have questions please comment in the section below.  

Presentation:

Title: COVID-19's Impact on Event Organizing and Programming

Presenters: Courtney Campbell, Jason Fowler, Emma Muccioli

Department: Campus Life

Abstract: The Campus Life SAARC committee group conducted our research analyzing COVID-19’s Impacts on Event Organizing and Programming. Our primary focus for this research was virtual events during COVID-19. We hope to inform decision-making related to post-COVID-19 event support, as well as inform virtual event best practices. We hope this research allows event programmers to foster success through effective and engaging programming.Our research sample was student organization leaders and departmental event planners, and we reached them via qualtrics survey through email and myUMBC. We used K-Means Clustering to review who reported virtual event success. K-Means Cluster Analysis is a form of data mining which groups observations based upon their shared characteristics using the k-nearest neighbor algorithm.In light of the anticipated increase in virtual and hybrid events, this group recommends that DoSA, Campus Life, and the university as a whole investigates options to improve how virtual and blended-model (hybrid) events are supported on campus. Additionally, this group intends to continue this research over time and in greater detail to gauge how the ever-changing environment impacts event planning and hosting on campus.

Questions: If you have questions please comment in the section below. 

Presentation: