Student affairs assessment: Sharing results through poster sessions

Abstract

At a private four-year university, two student life poster sessions were held in order to share student affairs assessment projects and their results with the larger university community. During the sessions, faculty members, administrators, staff, and students viewed eleven posters highlighting various assessment projects having to do with student development. Topics included 1) student learning in public deliberation initiatives, 2) findings from a campus food insecurity task force, 3) correlations between attendance at summer orientation programs and retention, and 4) an assessment of goals related to the faculty-in-residence program. The process involved in preparing for the poster sessions included securing a venue, soliciting posters, offering training on poster preparation, advertising the poster sessions, holding the sessions, and assessing the sessions. Insights from the sessions included the positive impact of the sessions as well as suggestions for ways future sessions could be improved. It was observed that training was needed on how to present a poster as well as the purpose of a poster session. The process involved in conducting the sessions and insights gained are shared for the benefit of those who may wish to utilize this simple and cost-effective method to encourage student affairs assessment at their institution.