Event Management and Student Engagement in Higher Education

Emily Jimenez, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Business Management 

For my capstone project, I researched how the different functions of management affect event planning in higher education, and how campus activities departments and student programming boards can leverage their skills and knowledge during the event planning process in order to increase student engagement within their events. My interest in doing research on this topic came about as a result of my involvement with CSI’s Campus Activities Board (CAB), which is a programming board that plans a wide variety of events for CSI students. I served as the Chairperson of the Board, leading our team in planning and organizing these events as well as managing our budget.

Because of my own involvement with CAB, I was particularly interested in studying how effective event planning and evaluation methods could create a better experience for the students attending events on campus, thus creating higher levels of engagement that extend far beyond the events the student attends.

To begin working on my project, I first sought to gain a deeper understanding of the idea of student engagement. I learned that student engagement is a multifaceted concept, encompassing students’ academic pursuits, social interactions, and overall sense of belonging within their institution and campus community. It refers to the level of investment students have both in their classroom learning and in their overall college experience. Students who are highly engaged with their broader college experience outside of the classroom tend to have stronger positive outcomes.

After researching the concept of student engagement, I then began learning about event management, and how effective event management can lead to increased student engagement. I split my research on event management into three different sections: (1) design and planning, (2) implementation and logistics, and (3) assessment and evaluation. In this portion of my research, I learned how campus activities departments and student programming boards could consider student interests and encourage participation in the events that they plan, utilizing quantitative and qualitative assessment methods to evaluate their progress. Event organizers can utilize the feedback they receive to identify the strengths and weaknesses associated with their past events. Throughout my research, I related what I was learning to my own experience with CAB. This allowed me to provide anecdotal evidence, using some of CAB’s events and initiatives as examples in my work.

After graduating, I will continue with school to pursue a graduate degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs. Working on this capstone project helped me to solidify my decision to enroll in my graduate program. I found the research very interesting, especially since I will be working as a Graduate Assistant in Campus Activities. I would definitely like to continue learning more about event management and student engagement as a graduate student. I would love to learn more about the impact of technology in student engagement, especially as it relates to events. More specifically, I would like to explore the most effective ways to use technology for creating more engaging and accessible events.

Can Art Integration Enhance Student Engagement in the Classroom?

Jaclyn Regina, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in SLS (1-6)

For my research project, I wanted to focus on a topic that I was both passionate and knowledgeable about. As an SLS major with a special interest in art, I thought that researching information on the connection between art integration and student engagement would be interesting. I completed a literature review, analyzing texts that supported the question at hand. With the assistance of my mentor, Professor Cabral, I was able to learn a lot about art integration and its many connections to increased student engagement.

This assignment taught me a lot about both my specific topic and the process of creating an effective capstone. I learned a lot about how to properly research and where to find appropriate sources. Almost every source I used was from the CSI library. The education databases provided me with so much significant information that was very beneficial when researching and writing this essay. I was also able to improve my ability to cite sources and to defend claims. The ability to answer a research question by providing strong peer-reviewed sources is a very important skill to have.

Being able to expand my knowledge on a topic that is important to me has also been very impactful. As a future educator, I want to ensure that my students are supported and have a reason to come to school every single day. With the information I learned through the literature reviewed, I now know so many different aspects of teaching, as they connect to art integration and student engagement.

My essay follows 6 key themes including hands-on learning, social-emotional learning, use of new materials, different art forms, culture, and identity. Each of these themes work together to support how art integration can enhance student engagement in the general education elementary classroom. I was able to learn a lot through this experience and it was exciting to present my findings at the Undergraduate Research conference.